:salamext:
The Invalidation of Wudhu' during prayer due to a sound or odour
Question:
My Wudhu' is invalidated during the prayer and when reciting the Qur’an due to the emission of gas, whether by sound or smell only, so I repeat my ablution every time it is invalidated, but there is a Muslim sister who told me, that it is not incumbent upon me to repeat the Wudhu' many times over, but that I can pray with one Wudhu', and that if it is invalidated again, it is not necessary to repeat the ablution a third time. Is this correct, and what should I do in this situation?
Answer:
If your ablution is definitely invalidated during the prayer by hearing a sound or smelling an odour, then you must repeat your Wudhu' and your prayer, according to the Hadith of the Prophet salallaahu 'alaihi wasallam which states:
"If any of you breaks wind in prayer, he should leave and make ablution, then repeat his prayer." [Abu Dawud no.205]
And his words:
"The prayer of none of you will be accepted if he breaks wind, until he performs wudhu." [Bukhari no: 135 6954, Muslim no: 226 and Ahmad 2:308]
The exception to this is if in your case breaking wind is continuous, then you should perform ablution for prayer, when the time for prayer comes, then pray, as long as it is prayer time, the obligatory and supererogatory; and the emission of gas during this time from you will not harm you, because this situation is one of necessity, in which whatever is emitted from the one continually affected by gas is excused, if you make Wudhu' after the time for prayer has begun, according to many evidences, including the Words of Allah, the Most High:
"So keep your duty to Allah and fear Him as much as you can [Al An’aam :16]
And the hadith of A’isha (may Allah be pleased with her) in the story of the woman who suffered from continuous vaginal bleeding, to whom the Prophet *said: ………… ((…then make ablution at the time of each prayer.))*
As for reading the Qur’an, there is no objection to you reciting from memory, even if you are not in a state of ritual purification, except at the time of al Janabah, when you should not recite until you have performed Ghusl, nor should you touch the Qur’an, except after purifying yourself from major and minor impurity, unless the breaking of wind is continuous, as there is no objection to you making ablution at the time of every prayer and praying and reciting (therein) from the Qur’an, or from memory, according to the ruling on prayer already mentioned. And Allah is the Granter of success to all.
* Imam Shawkaani says:
…………… meaning: ‘the wording of the hadith is ‘perform Wudhu' for each prayer,’ it is not ‘perform Wudhu' for the time of each prayer.’’ [Naylul Awtar vol.1 p.275]. This description of Imam Shawkaani is correct. Please see Sunan Abi Dawud, The Book of Purification, Chapter ‘What is said about taking a bath when she is sure of becoming clean after menses.’ Hadith no.275.
Shaykh `Abdul-`Azeez Bin Baz
Fatawa Islamiyah Vol.2/Page 43 Darussalam
http://www.fatwaislam.com/fis/index.cfm?scn=fd&ID=212