Fatwa No : 38848
Can one who suffers from urinary incontinence lead the prayer?

Can one who suffers from urinary incontinence lead the prayer?

Once, Mufti Tariq Masood expounded upon the issue regarding those who are afflicted with urinary incontinence. He mentioned as follows: “It is inappropriate for those afflicted with this disorder to stand in a public area with their pants open while cleaning themselves (after relieving themselves from using the toilet). If such a person, after relieving himself, is in an open area, then he should take some time to dry off himself with a clay, and if he is inside of the washroom, then he should clean himself with water and dry off with toilet paper, so that if leakage occurs, at least it will not spread much on his clothes. If he does not dry himself off, it is possible for drops of urine mix with the water and spread on his clothes. For this reason, he should use toilet paper.” Further, he mentioned: “Such a person should perform ablution approximately half an hour after relieving himself, and he should also clean the areas of his clothes where is it possible that impurities may have afflicted during this period, and only then will his clothes be deemed as pure, and his prayer will be valid, since it is a principle of Fiqh that if one does not know the exact location of impurity, it is enough to clean where one thinks impurity has occurred, and there will be no need to be concerned afterwards. If he does not follow this procedure, then he will experience Shaytani Waswasa, which will be difficult for him to ignore.”
My question is, if one who suffer with urinary incontinence do experience what is mentioned above, will it be permissible for him to clean the areas where he thinks impurity has occurred and then lead people in prayer if there is no one else suitable or prepared to lead?

الجوابُ حامِدا ًو مُصلیِّا ً

Yes! Such a person can lead the prayer after his leakage has stopped and he has already cleaned the places where he thinks impurity has occurred.
And Allah knows best.

مأخَذُ الفَتوی

کما فی الدر المختار: (لا طاہر بمعذور) ہذا (ان قارن الوضوء الحدث او طرء علیہ) بعدہ و(صح لو توضأ علی الانقطاع وصلی کذلک) کاقتداء بمفتصد امن خروج الدم اھ (ج: ۱ص: ۵۷۸)
وفی البحر فی الخلاصۃ وامامۃ المفتصد لغیرہ من الاصحاء صحیحۃ اذا کان یامن خروج الدم اھ (ج:۱ ص: ۳۶۰)
وفی الدر المختار: (وغسل طرف ثوب) او بدن (اصابت نجاسۃ محلا منہ ونسی) المحل (مطہر لہ وان) وقع الغسل بغیر تحر) وہو المختار اھ (ج:۱ ص: ۳۲۷)
وفی الہندیۃ ولو عرض لہ الشیطان کثیرًا لا یلتفت الٰی ذلک کما فی الصلوۃ وینضح فرجہ بماء حتی لورأی بللاحملہ علی بلۃ الماء ہکذا فی الظہیریۃ ج:۱ ص: ۴۹) واللہ اعلم