Question

I am almost a bedridden patient for last five month, barely able to go to washroom once in a day. During night I have to use bed pan, which sometimes spoil my clothes. I want to offer my prayers but feel that I am not clean enough to offer prayers. Please tell what should I do?

Answer

The Almighty Allah has ordained that He would no subject His servants to religious duties that they cannot discharge. Therefore, the Islamic Sharia’h contains the principle of “doing away with a hardship” which means that we are not obliged to carry out impossible tasks. We can eat prohibited food when we are starving. We are not obliged to make ablution when our health does not allow it and instead make a dry ablution.

Therefore, you only need to make wudu (if you can) and offer the prayer. What one needs to do is to put our best efforts and try to fulfill an obligation. Having done that we must appreciate that the Almighty Allah knows everything including our intentions and difficulties. May Allah bless you and grant you speedy recovery.

Answered by: Tariq Mahmood Hashmi

Date: 2014-12-16