Rulings pertaining Ṣalāh for a Maʿdhūr

Imam al-Qudūrī (d.428 AH) mentions an ‘Asl (fundamental principle), that any substance exiting from the two natural passages (urinary tract or anus) invalidates Wuḍū¹, and clarifies that whether this be urine, stool, wind, Madhī or Wadī. Imam al-Aqṭaʿ (d.474 AH) notes that Madhī is a thin fluid that exits due to (the presence of) desire, hence Wuḍū is invalidated when discharged.²

The status of Maʿdhūr, in of itself, does not constitute an independent Aṣl from which further rulings may automatically be derived. The case of the Maʿdhūr is treated as an exception to the aforementioned principle on the basis of an explicit Naṣṣ (textual evidence) mentioned by Imam al-Shurunbulālī (d.1069 AH)³. Hence, a person who suffers from continuous Najāsah (impurity) throughout a prayer period may therefore be excused from the normal requirement of maintaining ritual purity for acts of worship. This concession comes into existence due to the establishment of the legal status of a Maʿdhūr, which is established only when the prescribed conditions and qualifying circumstances are fulfilled. The ruling is therefore an example of Istiḥsān bi al-Naṣṣ (principled exception based on textual evidence). A person who experiences a continuous discharge or other condition that invalidates Wuḍūʾ without sufficient time throughout an entire prayer period to perform Wuḍū and Ṣalāh may be classified as a Maʿdhūr. As Imām al-Bābirtī (d.786 AH) explains, once the relevant legal conditions are fulfilled, such a person in that state is given the status of a Maʿdhūr.⁴

Once this is established, as long as the excuse continues and he is never fully free from it, he remains classified as a Maʿdhūr. Imam al-Marghīnānī (d.593 AH) mentions that the validity of the Wuḍū is tied to the Ṣalāh time rather than the actual act of prayer. Imam al-Sighnāqī (d.711 AH) cites al-Sarakhsī (d.483 AH) who reasons that if it were to be measured by the act of Ṣalāh itself, it would introduce uncertainty and difficulty, since people differ in how they pray, some lengthen it, while others shorter it. Hence, it is impossible to precisely measure the act of Ṣalāh. For this reason, the Wuḍū will be according to the Ṣalāh time itself, to remove hardship. This is also in line with the very purpose of the legislated Ṣalāh times, which were set in place to allow the worshipper to fulfil his obligation within that defined period.⁵

Imam al-Kāsānī (d. 587 AH) explains that the Wuḍūʾ of a Maʿdhūr remains valid throughout the prayer time despite the continuation of his specific ʿUdhr. However, if he experiences another nullifier of Wuḍūʾ, his Wuḍūʾ will be invalidated. This is because the concession granted to the Maʿdhūr applies only to the particular ʿUdhr from which he suffers. With respect to all other nullifiers, he is treated like a healthy person who does not possess an ʿUdhr.⁶

The reason for this, as explained previously, is that the ruling of the Maʿdhūr is an exception to the general rule and is therefore restricted to the specific circumstances for which the concession has been established through the Naṣṣ. It cannot be extended to other nullifiers for which no such concession has been established.

Accordingly, if the discharge of Madhī continues throughout an entire Ṣalāh period, such that there is no sufficient opportunity to perform Wuḍūʾ and complete Ṣalāh without the discharge occurring, the person will be classified as a Maʿdhūr. Once the status of Maʿdhūr has been established, the person must perform a fresh Wuḍūʾ for each Ṣalāh period, provided that the ʿUdhr occurs at least once during that prayer period. With this Wuḍūʾ, the person may perform Ṣalāh throughout that period, even if the ʿUdhr continues during the Ṣalāh itself.

Note: In the above case, the person will only be regarded as a Maʿdhūr if the relevant conditions are fully satisfied. If those conditions are not met, Wuḍūʾ must be renewed each time Madhī is discharged.