Salaam, I have an issue that has been bothering me for some time. I suffer from anal discharges that I can’t really control. These anal discharges sometimes stop when I relieve myself. However, recently, that has generally not been the case. When these discharges occur I usually don’t know when they will stop, if they even will. My question is how should I go about praying with this condition, knowing that when these discharges occur they may stop after some time or may not stop until a while later? Also, if I pray in this state, and the discharges stop later, do I need to redo my prayer, even if I don’t know if the discharges will reoccur soon? And if I have to wait until the end of prayer to make sure the discharges stop (if they even do stop), how long should I wait before I pray Isha, since the end of prayer is a long time from the beginning of prayer. Thank you.

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

These discharges are impure and they invalidate ablution. If you know that they stop for a period time which is sufficient for you to perform ablution and pray, then you should wait until this time comes and then perform ablution and pray.

However, if you know that it does not for a time that is sufficient for performing ablution and praying, then your ruling is that of someone who has incontinence.

In this case, you have to put a pad, and perform ablution once the time of the prayer begins, and pray with this ablution whatever obligatory and supererogatory prayers that you wish until the time of this prayer ends.

You do not have to repeat the prayers even if these discharges disappear afterwards. Therefore, the criterion is knowing that they stop during the time of the prayer for a period that is enough to perform both ablution and the prayer. This is a clear criterion that solves your problem and removes your confusion.

Once you know that they stop, then wait so that you pray with a valid purity. But when you lack this knowledge, then perform ablution and pray according to your circumstance, just like a person who suffers from incontinence would do.

For more benefit, please refer to Fataawa 358042, 354916, 349147 and 246277.

Allah knows best.