Does fainting invalidate the ablution, and if the period of fainting is prolonged until several obligatory prayers are missed, does he have to make them up or not?
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The questioner : The second question says: There is a man suffering from a nervous condition, and he sometimes faints, and it lasts for a period, then he regains consciousness. What is the ruling regarding the ablution? Does it become invalid due to fainting or not? And likewise, if the period of fainting is prolonged until several obligatory prayers are missed, does he have to make them up or not?
The Shaykh : As for the ablution, it becomes invalid due to fainting.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Because fainting is more severe than sleep, and sleep invalidates the ablution if one is deeply asleep to the extent that the sleeper does not know if something has come out of him. As for light sleep, where if the sleeper were to pass wind, he would be aware of it, then this does not invalidate the ablution, whether the person is sleeping, sitting leaning on something, sitting without leaning, or in any other state, as long as if he were to pass wind, he would be aware of it. In that case, his sleep does not invalidate the ablution. So fainting is more severe than sleep. If a person faints, it is obligatory for him to perform the ablution. As for if he faints for a period during which several prayers or one prayer are missed, the scholars differed on this: is it obligatory for him to make up the prayers missed during the period of fainting, or is it not obligatory? Some of them said that it is obligatory for him to make up the prayers that he misses during the period of fainting. They said this because fainting is like sleep, and the sleeper is obligated to make up the prayer, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):. And some of the people of knowledge said that it is not obligatory for the one who has fainted to make up the prayer, because it is not valid to analogize him to the sleeper. This is because the sleeper, when he wakes up, is awakened and regains consciousness, unlike the one who has fainted, who does not have the ability to wake himself up, and no one else has the ability to wake him up. So there is a difference between them. And with the existence of this difference, the analogy is not valid. However, the precaution and the better course is to make them up to clear his conscience. Then, if this is obligatory upon him by the original ruling of the Shari'ah or by the requirement of the Shari'ah, he has cleared his conscience. And if it is not obligatory upon him, then that becomes a voluntary act for which he will be rewarded by Allah. Yes.
The questioner : The next question is from the listener Wardi Muhammad al-Wardi from Syria.
The Shaykh : As for the ablution, it becomes invalid due to fainting.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Because fainting is more severe than sleep, and sleep invalidates the ablution if one is deeply asleep to the extent that the sleeper does not know if something has come out of him. As for light sleep, where if the sleeper were to pass wind, he would be aware of it, then this does not invalidate the ablution, whether the person is sleeping, sitting leaning on something, sitting without leaning, or in any other state, as long as if he were to pass wind, he would be aware of it. In that case, his sleep does not invalidate the ablution. So fainting is more severe than sleep. If a person faints, it is obligatory for him to perform the ablution. As for if he faints for a period during which several prayers or one prayer are missed, the scholars differed on this: is it obligatory for him to make up the prayers missed during the period of fainting, or is it not obligatory? Some of them said that it is obligatory for him to make up the prayers that he misses during the period of fainting. They said this because fainting is like sleep, and the sleeper is obligated to make up the prayer, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
Whoever sleeps through a prayer or forgets it, let him pray it when he remembers it.
من نام عن صلاة أو نسيها فليصلها إذا ذكرهاThe questioner : The next question is from the listener Wardi Muhammad al-Wardi from Syria.