Fatwa by: Former Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Ibn Baz (may Allah have mercy on him)
Question:
A woman has been pregnant for nine months and is suffering from a continuous urination condition. Because of this, she has stopped praying in the last month. Is this a valid reason to abandon prayer, and what should she do?
Answer:
It is not permissible for the aforementioned woman, or for other women in similar situations, to abandon prayer due to this illness. They should continue to perform their prayers as best as they can. Like women who experience postnatal bleeding (mustahadah), they should perform ablution for each prayer time and take measures, such as using cotton or similar materials, to avoid the dripping of urine as much as possible, and they should pray on time. During the prayer times, they are also permitted to perform optional (nafl) prayers. Additionally, they are allowed to combine the Dhuhr and Asr prayers, as well as the Maghrib and Isha prayers, similar to the rulings for a mustahadah.
Allah, the Exalted, says:
اتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ
“Fear Allah as much as you are able.” [64-At-Taghabun: 16]
It is essential for such a woman to repent and make up for the missed prayers, expressing remorse for the past and resolving not to repeat such behavior in the future. Allah, the Exalted, says:
وَتُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّـهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ
“O you who have believed, repent to Allah all of you, that you might succeed.” [24-An-Nur: 31]
Question:
A woman has been pregnant for nine months and is suffering from a continuous urination condition. Because of this, she has stopped praying in the last month. Is this a valid reason to abandon prayer, and what should she do?
Answer:
It is not permissible for the aforementioned woman, or for other women in similar situations, to abandon prayer due to this illness. They should continue to perform their prayers as best as they can. Like women who experience postnatal bleeding (mustahadah), they should perform ablution for each prayer time and take measures, such as using cotton or similar materials, to avoid the dripping of urine as much as possible, and they should pray on time. During the prayer times, they are also permitted to perform optional (nafl) prayers. Additionally, they are allowed to combine the Dhuhr and Asr prayers, as well as the Maghrib and Isha prayers, similar to the rulings for a mustahadah.
Allah, the Exalted, says:
اتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ
“Fear Allah as much as you are able.” [64-At-Taghabun: 16]
It is essential for such a woman to repent and make up for the missed prayers, expressing remorse for the past and resolving not to repeat such behavior in the future. Allah, the Exalted, says:
وَتُوبُوا إِلَى اللَّـهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ
“O you who have believed, repent to Allah all of you, that you might succeed.” [24-An-Nur: 31]