Is It Valid to Rely on the Dispensation for a Chronic Excuse Without Seeking Treatment?
Answered by Shaykh Irshaad Sedick
Question
Was it valid to rely on the ruling of a chronic excuse for frequent wind without seeking treatment, or must I make up the prayers performed with a broken wudu during that time?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.
Yes, it was valid to rely on the dispensation (rukhsa) for chronic excuse (‘udhr) without having pursued medical treatment. The validity of this legal concession does not depend on whether one has sought a cure or not, but rather on whether the condition meets the criteria for chronicity as outlined in Sacred Law.
In essence, any condition that makes it difficult or impossible to remain in a state of ritual purity for the duration of a prayer time falls under the legal category of ‘udhr. This includes chronic flatulence, urinary incontinence, and similar ongoing issues.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “Indeed, the religion is ease…” [Bukhari]
This ease is embodied in rulings like the one you relied upon, which mirrors the legal procedure outlined for women with chronic bleeding (mustahada). In such cases, the person should:
- Wash the affected area if filth exists,
- Apply something absorbent (if applicable),
- Perform a fresh wudu for each obligatory prayer after the entry of its time,
- And pray without unnecessary delay. [Keller, Reliance of the Traveller]
This wudu allows one to perform any number of voluntary acts of worship until the next prayer time or until a different nullifier of wudu occurs.
Therefore, as long as your condition met the requirements of a chronic excuse at the time, and you followed the prescribed procedure (or did your best to do so within your knowledge), your prayers were valid, and you do not need to make them up.
And Allah knows best.
[Shaykh] Irshaad Sedick
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Shaykh Irshaad Sedick was raised in South Africa in a traditional Muslim family. He graduated from Dar al-Ulum al-Arabiyyah al-Islamiyyah in Strand, Western Cape, under the guidance of the late world-renowned scholar Shaykh Taha Karaan (Allah have mercy on him), where he taught.
Shaykh Irshaad received Ijaza from many luminaries of the Islamic world, including Shaykh Taha Karaan, Shaykh Muhammad Awama, Shaykh Muhammad Hasan Hitu, and Mawlana Abdul Hafeez Makki, among others.
He is the author of the text “The Musnad of Ahmad ibn Hanbal: A Hujjah or not?” He has been the Director of the Discover Islam Centre, and for six years, he has been the Khatib of Masjid Ar-Rashideen, Mowbray, Cape Town.
Shaykh Irshaad has fifteen years of teaching experience at some of the leading Islamic institutes in Cape Town. He is currently building an Islamic podcast, education, and media platform called ‘Isnad Academy’ and has completed his Master’s degree in the study of Islam at the University of Johannesburg. He has a keen interest in healthy Prophetic living and fitness.
