How Should I Deal with Pus Leakage When It Comes to Purity?

Answered by Ustadh Sufyan Qufi

Question

My child has a condition that causes chronic pus drainage from a hard-to-clean area on her lower back. She struggles to perform fresh wudu for each prayer, often delaying or becoming frustrated. Is there a valid opinion she can follow to ease this difficulty?

Answer

In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,

I pray this finds you in the best of states.

If the leakage of pus doesn’t go beyond the place of exit on the surface then there is no need to renew one’s wudu for this reason. [Shurunbulali, Nur al-Idah]

If the pus does indeed flow beyond the place of the exit (i.e., it leaves the wounded area and starts leaking beyond it), then the wudu will be broken, and it will need to be renewed.

Nonetheless, if you are able to stop the leaking of the pus through mechanical means such as a bandage that will prevent the pus from leaking over the skin, then wudu won’t need to be renewed. [Ibn ‘Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]

Allah (Most High) says: “Allah desires ease for you; He does not desire difficulty for you.” [Quran, 2:185]

The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) has said, “Those who make things hard for themselves will be destroyed.” [Muslim]

And Allah knows best.
Wassalam
[Ustadh] Sufyan Qufi
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat

Ustadh Sufyan Qufi is an advanced seeker of knowledge, originally from Algeria, who grew up in France. He began searching far and wide for answers to the fundamental questions of life and was disappointed at the answers he found. Then he connected with various traditional teachers and gradually connected with SeekersGuidance. He embarked on his journey of learning through the various teachers at SeekersGuidance, including his mentor Shaykh Faraz Rabbani. He studied numerous texts in Islamic Law, Theology, Hadith, and other areas with Shaykh Faraz Rabbani and other teachers, including Shaykh Abdurrahman al-Sha‘ar, Shaykh Ali Hani, and others. He is an active instructor at SeekersGuidance and answers questions through the SeekersGuidance Answers Service.