Wind in the willows

When men farts is smells of ugliness and putrefied mess
When ladies fart … scrap that ladies do not fart, they just perspire out rose scented fragrances.
That is what I believe in…
Yeah right whom am I kidding?
I fart, you fart everyone Farts. One thing we can’t escape in life. We all shit and we fart as well.

Fart is an ugly word, better to use pass gas - that is more eloquent and obviously more sociably accepting.
Now what is my hang up with passing gas Well it is passing gas and prayer..

Khalifa
O you who believe, do not observe the Contact Prayers (Salat) while intoxicated, so that you know what you are saying. Nor after sexual orgasm without bathing, unless you are on the road, traveling; if you are ill or traveling, or you had urinary or fecal-related excretion (such as gas), or contacted the women (sexually), and you cannot find water, you shall observe Tayammum (dry ablution) by touching clean dry soil, then wiping your faces and hands therewith. GOD is Pardoner, Forgiver.
Yusuf Ali
O ye who believe! Approach not prayers with a mind befogged, until ye can understand all that ye say,- nor in a state of ceremonial impurity (Except when travelling on the road), until after washing your whole body. If ye are ill, or on a journey, or one of you cometh from offices of nature, or ye have been in contact with women, and ye find no water, then take for yourselves clean sand or earth, and rub therewith your faces and hands. For God doth blot out sins and forgive again and again.
Pickthal
O ye who believe! Draw not near unto prayer when ye are drunken, till ye know that which ye utter, nor when ye are polluted, save when journeying upon the road, till ye have bathed. And if ye be ill, or on a journey, or one of you cometh from the closet, or ye have touched women, and ye find not water, then go to high clean soil and rub your faces and your hands (therewith). Lo! Allah is Benign, Forgiving.
Shakir
O you who believe! do not go near prayer when you are Intoxicated until you know (well) what you say, nor when you are under an obligation to perform a bath -- unless (you are) travelling on the road -- until you have washed yourselves; and if you are sick, or on a journey, or one of you come from the privy or you have touched the women, and you cannot find water, betake yourselves to pure earth, then wipe your faces and your hands; surely Allah is Pardoning, Forgiving.
Sher Ali
O ye who believe ! go not near Prayer when you are not in full possession of your senses, until you know what you are saying, nor when you are unclean, except when you are travelling along a way, until you have bathed. And if you are ill or you are on a journey while unclean, or if one of you comes from the privy or you have touched women and you find no water, then betake yourselves to pure dust and wipe therewith your faces and your hands. Surely Allah is the Effacer of sins, Forgiving,
"Progressive Muslims"
O you who believe, do not come near the assembly while you are drunk, until you know what you are saying. Nor dirty, except for travellers, until you wash. And if you are ill or traveling or one of you has excretion or you had sexual contact with the women, and could not find water: then you shall make ablution with clean soil by wiping your faces and hands. God is Pardoning, Forgiving.

4:43 And 5:6
Khalifa
O you who believe, when you observe the Contact Prayers (Salat), you shall: (1) wash your faces, (2) wash your arms to the elbows, (3) wipe your heads, and (4) wash your feet to the ankles. If you were unclean due to sexual orgasm, you shall bathe. If you are ill, or traveling, or had any digestive excretion (urinary, fecal, or gas), or had (sexual) contact with the women, and you cannot find water, you shall observe the dry ablution (Tayammum) by touching clean dry soil, then rubbing your faces and hands. GOD does not wish to make the religion difficult for you; He wishes to cleanse you and to perfect His blessing upon you, that you may be appreciative.
Yusuf Ali
O ye who believe! when ye prepare for prayer, wash your faces, and your hands (and arms) to the elbows; Rub your heads (with water); and (wash) your feet to the ankles. If ye are in a state of ceremonial impurity, bathe your whole body. But if ye are ill, or on a journey, or one of you cometh from offices of nature, or ye have been in contact with women, and ye find no water, then take for yourselves clean sand or earth, and rub therewith your faces and hands, God doth not wish to place you in a difficulty, but to make you clean, and to complete his favour to you, that ye may be grateful.
Pickthal
O ye who believe! When ye rise up for prayer, wash you faces, and your hands up to the elbows, and lightly rub your heads and (wash) your feet up to the ankles. And if ye are unclean, purify yourselves. And if ye are sick or on a journey, or one of you cometh from the closet, or ye have had contact with women, and ye find not water, then go to clean, high ground and rub your faces and your hands with some of it. Allah would not place a burden on you, but He would purify you and would perfect His grace upon you, that ye may give thanks.
Shakir
O you who believe! when you rise up to prayer, wash your faces and your hands as far as the elbows, and wipe your heads and your feet to the ankles; and if you are under an obligation to perform a total ablution, then wash (yourselves) and if you are sick or on a journey, or one of you come from the privy, or you have touched the women, and you cannot find water, betake yourselves to pure earth and wipe your faces and your hands therewith, Allah does not desire to put on you any difficulty, but He wishes to purify you and that He may complete His favor on you, so that you may be grateful.
Sher Ali
O ye who believe ! when you stand up for Prayer, wash your faces, and your hands up to the elbows, and pass your wet hands over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles. And if you be unclean, purify yourselves by bathing. And if you are ill or you are on a journey while unclean, or one of you comes from the privy or you have touched women, and find not water, betake yourselves to pure dust and wipe therewith your faces and your hands. Allah desires not that HE should place you in a difficulty but HE desires to purify you and to complete HIS favour upon you, so that you may be grateful.
"Progressive Muslims"
O you who believe, if you rise to attend the assembly, then wash your faces and your hands up to the elbows, and wipe you heads and your feet to the ankles; and if you are filthy, then become clean; and if you are ill or traveling or you have excreted, or you have sexually touched the women, and you could not find water, then you shall do ablution from clean soil; you shall wipe your faces and your hands. God does not want to make any hardship over you, but He wants to cleanse you and to complete His blessings upon you that you may be appreciative.

****(Any parentheses are the translator’s own inference)*******

What we can see is that the translations differ slightly.
Though the whole picture is clear in what should be and not be done. But it is this matter of Passing GAS that still bugs me.
My mind is clear in what I do. But the issue is brought to mind again because as on my period One of the symptoms I suffer from is GAS. Before hand my stomach bloats up with gas that nothing will shift unless obviously the natural act of menstruation, which will then release the gas over the duration.
Not as with human complexities goes, I have no control over this gas, it just passes out as freely as it gets stored..
Mind you. It DOES NOT smell. Really! It doesn’t smell. No whiff of anything other than air
Besides my fart don’t smell of anything other than flowers and sprite. (Basically any perfume/ deodorant I keep on me in case it does)
Anyhow, my Period Fart does not smell. Never has and gw never will

So if I am afflicted with period fart over a course of lets say 5 days. And over these duration days I have to pray and I fart each time.

Before I go on let me clear another presumption
Prayer during period is ok for me…
There is nothing in the scripture that disallows it so I gather as we are all enjoined to pray- man and woman alike. It must be done. Blood or no blood, pain or no pain…

So lets deal with this from 2 angles, ablution which is required for prayer and prayer

The only direct mention of gas is via khalifa’s translation
Although it is a known practice to repeat ablution after farting and as I know it is because of what I have been taught and I guess as well through hearsay and “see what I do, do what I do” and also being shown by my father to cut the prayer and repeat the whole process after farting during prayer

I agree with re: ablution because it is the start for prayer and in my view any contamination re: preparation nullifies the ablution. Also the jury is still out there Re: farting during ablution though my own personal practice is to repeat ablution if the farting is before I start prayer

For the prayer itself is does not mention anything bar the intoxication and also the preparatory before it- which is the ablution…

I will guess/assume that farting during salat and repeating the whole salat it is one of the things that people say is Sunnah.

Now we all know my own opinions of that. (If I cant verify or ascertain proof I do not believe in It. Everything for me is instinct/inspiration and logic and God help me with inspiration/understanding and application)

So the example there is.
IF I started my prayer and I didn’t break the state of ablution. And I pass gas (which obviously don’t smell) what do I do

Also

the converse is the case IF I started my prayer but I didn’t break the state of ablution and I pass gas (that smells, but I cant reach my trusted perfume to blot out the smell) what do I do.

What I guess from my thinking is that when you are starting prayer everything is of insignificance because you are establishing contact with the creator. Once your mind is on God and praising God I guess you don’t really notice anything else or are aware of anything else
It is not like a telephone conversation where you dial and can cut the phone at any time you wish
So once the contact is made, earthly matters/earthly bodies are irrelevant hence I would rather continue with my prayers and finish it up. BUT I would not start another prayer i.e. afternoon/morning/evening without a new ablution. Generally out of preference for myself I go, new prayer new ablution - I guess because it forms my preparation and frame of mind for the prayer

Now if the fart causes me to loose concentration during my prayers - Re: smell to overpowering that I start focusing on the act of farting rather than on my prayers - then I guess I follow my conscience which rightfully tells me. “Fatima! You need to cut this and retry again” Then in that case I would go back out and re-do my ablution and restart my prayer to God.

As ever, God provides meaning and explanation. May God guide us to the right understanding, the right worship practices towards attaining salvation/redemption from Him.

To God belongs all Glory, Honour and Praise. In this life and in the hereafter. There is only One God. May God be glorified in all the worlds and universe

My lord, direct me to the right meaning, understanding and application of your words. Forgive me Lord if I forget or make a mistake. You alone do I worship and You alone do call for Help. Guide me Lord in your straight path.

===============================================================

I remember i had written something earlier and i kept is.. i just found it tonight 30/05/09 so i thought to share it as it is still in the same thread and in fact was the original idea that came to mind...

From: me

Subject: prayer and farting, whats ur own view

To: some people

Date: Saturday, 16 August, 2008, 7:15 AM

right guys, before i proceed i must first say that the letter K on this Keyboard is missing so i may replace i wiith a big c (C) if it begins to bug me when i am in serious flow.

salam alaykum guys.

the topic today for contemplation is farting during salat.

now i remember a time when i was young and we went for congregational prayers in my dads friends hose and yes as truth be told i let one off when bowing down. this to my embarrassment caused a big commotion and resulted in the female populaion exclaiming loudly. ( embarrassment time over as i was about 11 yrs old then)
now i was having similar discussions which someone brought up yesterday again about farting and prayer.
so here are the questions

would you have to stop prayer if u farted during salat i.e lets say u farted, would u stop praying outright and go and do another ablution and start again or would you continue with the prayer.

i also remember a time as a family that we were saying prayers and my brother had a "fit of farts" he must have done ablution about 5 times, each time he came back and started again he let one off again. eventually my dad restrained him from getting up to do his ablution as he had done it now by 5 times already.

so what is your postulation hre.

For me by way of reasoning i say if i farted during prayer i will finsh with my prayer as long as my fart is not smelly. ( yes sorry to burst ur bubble but sssssshhhhhh! women do fart as well) for the plain reason that there is gas which occurs from movement of bowels associated with bowing and prostration which sometimes cannot be held as its an act of nature.

however fully knowing that if i wanted to start another prayer i.e night prayer i would have to start ablution again because my ablution would have been null and void for any subsequent prayer.

for clarification i should add that i hold to theory that as long as u dont nullify ablution (according to quran ( in the name of the God,): urine, feacal matter, sexual impurities, gas, then ablution is still valid and can be held for as long as one wishes, though out of ritual practices which i have come to regard as my peculiar habits, i prefer to do fresh ablution for each prayer.)

now some of my friends have argued that u must leave prayer and do ablution again but my counter arguement is that especially as with congregation prayer, leaving prayer may disrupt others prayers ( well come to think of it, so would a smelly fart)

then again when looking at it in light of quran, there is no specific mention of farting and prayer. it only talks ( God help me here) about what nullifies abluton ( see surah 5:6 and 4:43) for making it easy here are translations from diff schools of thought)

5:6
Khalifa
O you who believe, when you observe the Contact Prayers (Salat), you shall: (1) wash your faces, (2) wash your arms to the elbows, (3) wipe your heads, and (4) wash your feet to the ankles. If you were unclean due to sexual orgasm, you shall bathe. If you are ill, or traveling, or had any digestive excretion (urinary, fecal, or gas), or had (sexual) contact with the women, and you cannot find water, you shall observe the dry ablution (Tayammum) by touching clean dry soil, then rubbing your faces and hands. GOD does not wish to make the religion difficult for you; He wishes to cleanse you and to perfect His blessing upon you, that you may be appreciative.
Yusuf Ali
O ye who believe! when ye prepare for prayer, wash your faces, and your hands (and arms) to the elbows; Rub your heads (with water); and (wash) your feet to the ankles. If ye are in a state of ceremonial impurity, bathe your whole body. But if ye are ill, or on a journey, or one of you cometh from offices of nature, or ye have been in contact with women, and ye find no water, then take for yourselves clean sand or earth, and rub therewith your faces and hands, God doth not wish to place you in a difficulty, but to make you clean, and to complete his favour to you, that ye may be grateful.
Pickthal
O ye who believe! When ye rise up for prayer, wash you faces, and your hands up to the elbows, and lightly rub your heads and (wash) your feet up to the ankles. And if ye are unclean, purify yourselves. And if ye are sick or on a journey, or one of you cometh from the closet, or ye have had contact with women, and ye find not water, then go to clean, high ground and rub your faces and your hands with some of it. Allah would not place a burden on you, but He would purify you and would perfect His grace upon you, that ye may give thanks.
Shakir
O you who believe! when you rise up to prayer, wash your faces and your hands as far as the elbows, and wipe your heads and your feet to the ankles; and if you are under an obligation to perform a total ablution, then wash (yourselves) and if you are sick or on a journey, or one of you come from the privy, or you have touched the women, and you cannot find water, betake yourselves to pure earth and wipe your faces and your hands therewith, Allah does not desire to put on you any difficulty, but He wishes to purify you and that He may complete His favor on you, so that you may be grateful.
Sher Ali
O ye who believe ! when you stand up for Prayer, wash your faces, and your hands up to the elbows, and pass your wet hands over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles. And if you be unclean, purify yourselves by bathing. And if you are ill or you are on a journey while unclean, or one of you comes from the privy or you have touched women, and find not water, betake yourselves to pure dust and wipe therewith your faces and your hands. Allah desires not that HE should place you in a difficulty but HE desires to purify you and to complete HIS favour upon you, so that you may be grateful.
"Progressive Muslims"
O you who believe, if you rise to attend the assembly, then wash your faces and your hands up to the elbows, and wipe you heads and your feet to the ankles; and if you are filthy, then become clean; and if you are ill or traveling or you have excreted, or you have sexually touched the women, and you could not find water, then you shall do ablution from clean soil; you shall wipe your faces and your hands. God does not want to make any hardship over you, but He wants to cleanse you and to complete His blessings upon you that you may be appreciative.
and 4:43 is
Khalifa
O you who believe, do not observe the Contact Prayers (Salat) while intoxicated, so that you know what you are saying. Nor after sexual orgasm without bathing, unless you are on the road, traveling; if you are ill or traveling, or you had urinary or fecal-related excretion (such as gas), or contacted the women (sexually), and you cannot find water, you shall observe Tayammum (dry ablution) by touching clean dry soil, then wiping your faces and hands therewith. GOD is Pardoner, Forgiver.
Yusuf Ali
O ye who believe! Approach not prayers with a mind befogged, until ye can understand all that ye say,- nor in a state of ceremonial impurity (Except when travelling on the road), until after washing your whole body. If ye are ill, or on a journey, or one of you cometh from offices of nature, or ye have been in contact with women, and ye find no water, then take for yourselves clean sand or earth, and rub therewith your faces and hands. For God doth blot out sins and forgive again and again.
Pickthal
O ye who believe! Draw not near unto prayer when ye are drunken, till ye know that which ye utter, nor when ye are polluted, save when journeying upon the road, till ye have bathed. And if ye be ill, or on a journey, or one of you cometh from the closet, or ye have touched women, and ye find not water, then go to high clean soil and rub your faces and your hands (therewith). Lo! Allah is Benign, Forgiving.
Shakir
O you who believe! do not go near prayer when you are Intoxicated until you know (well) what you say, nor when you are under an obligation to perform a bath -- unless (you are) travelling on the road -- until you have washed yourselves; and if you are sick, or on a journey, or one of you come from the privy or you have touched the women, and you cannot find water, betake yourselves to pure earth, then wipe your faces and your hands; surely Allah is Pardoning, Forgiving.
Sher Ali
O ye who believe ! go not near Prayer when you are not in full possession of your senses, until you know what you are saying, nor when you are unclean, except when you are travelling along a way, until you have bathed. And if you are ill or you are on a journey while unclean, or if one of you comes from the privy or you have touched women and you find no water, then betake yourselves to pure dust and wipe therewith your faces and your hands. Surely Allah is the Effacer of sins, Forgiving,
"Progressive Muslims"
O you who believe, do not come near the assembly while you are drunk, until you know what you are saying. Nor dirty, except for travellers, until you wash. And if you are ill or traveling or one of you has excretion or you had sexual contact with the women, and could not find water: then you shall make ablution with clean soil by wiping your faces and hands. God is Pardoning, Forgiving.




and as one friend puts it "ablution is precourser to starting prayer". so we know that for our units of prayer we mush make sure ablution is valid i.e no urine/feacalness etc as mentioned in quran.

this was a strong subject within my group of friend and i want to open this wide up and see what my other friends thinks of this issue.

as a final note and upon wider reflection, i feel because it is not specifically mentioned i.e when u fart during prayer start again, then i feel it i not wholly important and it is left to each individual to decide when is comfy and not comfy in the sight of their God. God has been kind to us and has given us specific rules on ablution which we should do before starting any prayer however quran makes no specific rulings on while doing prayers and things happen.

what comes to mind for me and seals my overall opinion on this issue is in surah 5 verse 101- 102
which says ITNGMGMM ( this is copy and pasting from Khalifa's translation - O you who believe, do not ask about matters which, if revealed to you prematurely, would hurt you. If you ask about them in light of the Quran, they will become obvious to you. GOD has deliberately overlooked them. GOD is Forgiver, Clement.- Others before you have asked the same questions, then become disbelivers therein

for comparison purposes, other traslation are as below

5:101
Yusuf Ali
O ye who believe! Ask not questions about things which, if made plain to you, may cause you trouble. But if ye ask about things when the Qur'an is being revealed, they will be made plain to you, God will forgive those: for God is Oft- forgiving, Most Forbearing.
Pickthal
O ye who believe! Ask not of things which, if they were made unto you, would trouble you; but if ye ask of them when the Qur'an is being revealed, they will be made known unto you. Allah pardoneth this, for Allah is Forgiving, Clement.
Shakir
O you who believe! do not put questions about things which if declared to you may trouble you, and if you question about them when the Quran is being revealed, they shall be declared to you; Allah pardons this, and Allah is Forgiving, Forbearing.
Sher Ali
O ye who believe ! ask not about things which, if revealed to you, would cause you trouble, though if you ask about them while the Qur'an is being sent down they will be revealed to you. Allah has left them out on purpose. And Allah is Most Forgiving and Forbearing.
"Progressive Muslims"
O you who believe, do not ask about things which, if revealed to you, would harm you; and if you ask about them after the Quran has been sent down, then they will become clear to you. God pardons for them, and God is Forgiving, Compassionate.

5:102
Yusuf Ali
Some people before you did ask such questions, and on that account lost their faith.
Pickthal
A folk before you asked (for such disclosures) and then disbelieved therein.
Shakir
A people before you indeed asked such questions, and then became disbelievers on account of them.
Sher Ali
A people before you asked about such things, but then they became disbelievers therein.
"Progressive Muslims"
A people before you had asked the same, then they became rejecters in it.

so i leave it to you for contemplation..... what do you think?

fats