Is it obligatory for a person afflicted with urinary incontinence to perform ablution for every prayer after its time has begun, or is it permissible for him to perform ablution before its time has begun, and is one ablution sufficient for him for missed make-up prayers, or is it necessary for him to perform ablution for each one of them?

The purification of a person with سلس (incontinence) is restricted by time. When the time for prayer begins and he wishes to pray, he performs ablution (wudu') after cleaning himself (istinja (definition)') and binding the affected area with a cloth or similar item. He then immediately enters into prayer. It does not harm him if he delays for a matter related to the prayer, such as waiting for the congregational prayer. However, if he performs ablution before the time and something exits from him, his purification becomes invalid. There is a difference of opinion regarding the ablution of a woman experiencing istihadah (definition) (non-menstrual vaginal bleeding) and those in a similar ruling, such as a person with سلس: whether one ablution suffices for more than one obligatory prayer, or if a separate ablution is required for each prayer. The Hanbalis, Hanafis, and Malikis hold the view that he may pray as many missed (فوائت) and other prayers as he wishes with a single ablution, as long as it is within the prayer time and no other impurity (حدث) occurs apart from the سلس. As for the Shafi'is, a person with an excuse (صاحب العذر) may not pray more than one obligatory prayer with his ablution.