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Fatwa CenterAblution and prayer of a person who had a colostomy surgery
Question
I am Muslim living in Canada, lately I was sick and the doctors were obliged to do colostomy surgery, it means they canceled my rectum and they opened my abdomen and they put my intestine there. With this surgery I can't control my bowl movement, so they installed me a bag I can change every 4 days, so I drain it but can't change it every bowl movement, the question now is about praying and Wudu. How can I do my prayers and Wudu? Please I need your Fatwa about that.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.
If the situation is as you mentioned that you cannot change or clean the bag every time you defecate, and it is difficult for you to do so before every prayer, then it is permissible for you to pray in that condition as Allaah Says (which means): {Allaah burdens not a person beyond his scope.}[Quran 2:286]. Allaah further Says (which means): {So keep your duty to Allaah and fear Him as much as you can.}[Quran 64:16].
Nonetheless, if at any given time in the future you will be able to clean this bag or change it with another pure one before every prayer, then you will be obliged to do so, as according to the majority of scholars
the prayer of a person who carries impurity is invalid. This is in relation to the prayer.
As regards ablution, if the defecation comes out discontinuously, it is an obligation on you to choose the time when no defecation comes out and then perform ablution and pray, as defecating invalidates ablution. However, if defecation comes out continuously, then you are not held accountable but you are obliged to perform ablution at every prayer when its time commences, and there is no harm on you on whatever defecation may come after it.
Finally, we ask Allaah with His beautiful Names and Attributes to cure you as soon as possible, to expiate your previous sins because of this disease and raise your status in the Hereafter.
For more benefit and details, please refer to Fataawa 85024 and 82085.
Allaah Knows best.
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