Does the urge to pass wind take the same ruling as the urge to relieve oneself of the two excretions in prayer?

The questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh, and benefit us with your knowledge. Does the urge to pass wind take the same ruling as the urge to relieve oneself of the two excretions in prayer?

The Shaykh : Yes, indeed. The urge to pass wind, if it is as pressing as the urge to urinate or defecate, because the operative cause is occupying the heart from the prayer. The evidence for this is that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: The presence of food is not the urge to relieve oneself of the two excretions, but it occupies the heart. Anything that occupies the heart, you do not pray while it is present. Even if there are people around you and the noise of their conversation distracts you from the prayer, do not pray. Delay the prayer until this noise subsides, or go to another place where there is no noise. This is because the purpose of the prayer, and the body and spirit of the prayer, is what? It is tranquility, humility, and the presence of the heart. The prayer is not merely movements that a person performs, standing, bowing, prostrating, and sitting. The most important thing is that the heart is praying before the body is praying. For this reason, prayer is prohibited in the presence of food, and prayer is prohibited with the urge to relieve oneself of the two excretions. Likewise, one does not pray while occupied by anything that distracts him. Yes.