Frequent Rectal Discharges: Is There Any Dispensation Regarding Maintaining Ritual Purity? [Maliki School]


Maliki Fiqh

Answered by Ustadh Tariq Abdul-Rasheed
Question: I have several questions, if someone could please answer according to Maliki fiqh.
1) Sometimes when I am stressed I get hemorrhoids, and (even after istinja) some filth and blood can periodically exit my anus. Does this break my wudhu? I do not see any filth on my clothes; is it still necessary for me to wash them before I pray?
2) When I do not masturbate at least about once a week, then I get a thin clear watery discharge from my anus whenever the slightest sexual thought passes through my mind (even when the thoughts are unintentional). Does this break my wudhu? Do I need to wash my clothes to pray?
3) When I do not masturbate for many days, then I would get an erection without any sexual thought and the erection is enough to cause (not only a small anal discharge, but also) some mady to exit.And it becomes difficult to wash off the mady from my underwear before every prayer. Is there any falicitation?
Answer: In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful, and blessings and peace upon our master Muhammad, his family, companions and those who follow their noble way.
Wa alaikum salaam wa rahmatullahi wa barkatuh,
May Allah (Most High) facilitate and make easy your situation.

Basis for Facilitation and Dispensation

Incontinence (salas) whether it be from urine, feces, menstrual irregularity or the like are causes for dispensation in the Maliki school. This is based on the following verse of the Quran:
“He has chosen you and has not placed upon you in the religion any difficulty.” [Surah Hajj: 87]
“Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity.” [Surah Baqarah: 286]
“For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease.” [Surah Sharh: 5]
It is also based on well-known and agreed upon general principles such, “Hardship shall bring alleviation” and “If a matter becomes restricted it expands”.

Distinguishing between Removing Impurities and What Nullifies Wudu

The scholars of the Maliki school distinguish between the exiting of impurities from the front and rear private parts as a result of incontinence in two ways:
a. As it relates to the ruling of removing impurities from one’s body and clothing (izalat an-najasah).
b. As it relates to the ruling of vitiating or invalidating wudu as a result of impurities exiting the private parts (nawāqid al-wudu).
Shaykh Nafrawi mentions in his commentary on Risālah of Imam Ibn Abi Zayd the reason for this distinction has to do with the lightness [of the rulings] related to removing impurities whereas purification from minor ritual impurity is a point a consensus. [Nafrawi: al-Fawaqih al-Dawani]
For this reason, Imam Sāwī states, “What is [intended] here [meaning the chapter on removing impurities] concerns what is related to removing impurities and there [in the chapter of what nullifies wudu] relates to that. Whereas, [the legal ruling of] impurities are easier than those of nullification of wudu [as will be seen] in what follows.”[Sawi: Bulgat as-Sālik]
This is a subtle and important point that might otherwise be overlooked in understanding the legal ruling of these issues in the Maliki school.

Conditions for eligibility of the dispensation

In order for one to take this dispensation it is important to note the following conditions.
a. The exiting of impurities occurs once per day or more. If it exits some days and not others this does not warrant the dispensation.
b. The condition is chronic and has no immediate cure. Otherwise it becomes an obligation to get treatment and the dispensation is only allowed during the period of treatment.

Details of the Rulings

Hemorrhoids and Rectal Discharge: impurities that exit as a result of hemorrhoids are overlooked (ma’fu ‘anhu) if it occurs at least once a day or more. This is the well-know position of the school and therefore one is not obliged to remove the impurities from the body or clothing due to the hardship. [Dardir: Sharh Saghir]
Do the impurities that exit as a result of hemorrhoids nullify wudu? If the impurities exit unpredictably and irregularly during most or all of the prayer times the ruling is that it does not vitiate wudu. However, it is encouraged (mustahabb) to make wudu for each prayer. [Dardir: Sharh Sagir]
An example of this would be: on Monday impurities exit just as Thuhr enters. Whereas, on Tuesday it exits toward the end of Thuhr. Similarly on Tuesday more impurities exit mid-way through the time for Asr. On Wednesday impurities exit during the time of Asr and again at Maghrib.
The idea here is that there is no identifiable predictability to the time of its exiting and that it occurs throughout the day during most of the prayer times. Otherwise, if the times are predictable the ruling changes and one is required (wajib) to either hasten or delay the prayer based on the timings associated with the discharge of impurities.
An example of this would be: if it is known that the discharge occurs every day during the first time or preferred time (ikhtiyari) of Thuhr but does not exit during the necessary time (daruri), in this case it is obligatory to delay the prayer to the daruri time and make wudu for the prayer. The opposite would be true.
Madhi (pre-ejaculatory fluid): as it relates to removing pre-ejaculatory fluid (i.e. from the body and clothing) that exits irregularly it takes the ruling of hemorrhoids as mentioned above if it occurs once or more per day. [Dardir: Sharh Saghir]
However, the ruling concerning madhi nullifying wudu is stricter. If the madhi occurs as a result of celibacy, looking at what causes arousal or constant sexual thoughts it nullifies wudu without exception. Whereas, if the madhi exits as a result of illness or other physical condition without any apparent cause such as sexual thoughts or looking. In this case it does not nullify wudu similar to the ruling of hemorrhoids mentioned above and it is recommended to make wudu for each prayer. [Dardir: Sharh Saghir]
If it is unclear and madhi exits both; as a result of celibacy, sexual thoughts or the like thereof and it also exits randomly without any apparent cause. It would be from cautiousness to consider it as nullifying wudu.
The Upshot
Due to the complexity of your situation it is important to take note not to mix between the issues. The hemorrhoids, as you mentioned, are a daily and generally persistent problem occurring at various times throughout the day. Based on what has been mentioned you are not obliged to remove the impurities nor does it invalidate your wudu.
As for the madhi, you will need to ascertain if it is a daily problem. If it does not occur daily you are obliged to remove it from your body and clothing and it nullifies your wudu. (Even if you don’t have to remove the impurities from the rectal discharge.)
If it does occur daily but due to sexual thoughts or celibacy, in this case, you are not obliged to remove it from your body and clothing but it does nullify wudu. If madhi exits daily without cause, in this case, you are not obliged to remove it from your body and clothes and it does not nullify your wudu.
Take care to treat each issue accordingly.
Allah (Most High) knows best.
Tariq Abdul-Rasheed