Can a Pregnant Woman Make Tayammum if Doing Wudu is Difficult and Painful?

Answered by Shaykh Faraz A. Khan

Question: I am heavily pregnant and am finding that normal activities like wudhu are so difficult and almost painful to perform due the bending, etc. I am just about managing to fulfill the five fard and the witr prayers but performing wudhu is hard although I am still doing it. Is there any ruling that would allow me to perform tayammum, etc until after I have delivered my baby and completed my nifaas?

Answer: Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah,

I pray this finds you in the best of health states.

I understand the difficulty of your situation. Try to find ways of performing wudu that involve minimal bending, such as placing your feet in a bucket of water instead of washing them under the sink (making sure to replace the water at least daily, lest the amount of used water become predominant). Be creative, and seek advice of women that have undergone the same issues you face.

If you have tried all feasible ways of performing wudu and doing so still causes undue hardship, such that you will develop back problems or the like were you to make wudu, then there would be leeway for tayammum. The fear of developing back problems would need a reliable basis, namely:

(a) The judgment of a qualified physician who appreciates the importance of the Sacred Law; or,
(b) Past experience; or,
(c) A clear and obvious sign, regarding which no two (reasonable) people would disagree over. This would be, for example, worsening pain over time that becomes too difficult to bear.

[Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]

And Allah knows best.
wassalam
Faraz

Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani