For a few years I have been suffering from intermittent urinary incontinence. A few drops of urine come out of me after I urinate. In the last few years I began to use paper towels inside my underwear, and I clean myself with water then I do wudoo’ before each prayer. I am intending to go for Hajj this year, in sha Allah. My question is: can I wear underwear whilst in ihram? Is it permissible for me to put each two prayers together during my journey for Hajj or whilst performing the rituals? Should I clean myself twice and do wudoo’ twice before putting two prayers together during Hajj? Sometimes I feel certain that nothing has come out of me; in this case do I have to clean myself once more before putting the next two prayers together? Do I have to use water to clean myself before each prayer, even if I have not urinated? Is it permissible to use paper towels only? Is it permissible for me to carry on taking medicine during ihram?

Praise
be to Allah

Firstly:

if a person
cannot maintain his wudoo’ and is continually breaking it, such as one who
suffers from urinary incontinence or passes wind constantly, he should do
wudoo’ at the time of each prayer, then he may offer whatever prayers he
likes with that wudoo’, both obligatory and supererogatory, until the time
for the next prayer begins, and it will not affect him even if something
comes out of him after he has done wudoo’, even if that happens whilst he is
praying.

But if the urine
stops for a period of time that is sufficient for him to purify himself and
pray, then he must delay the prayer until that time, and he should go to the
washroom before the prayer or the adhaan, one quarter of an hour beforehand,
for example, then wear something that will protect him against contamination
after he has cleaned himself, then if the urine stops he should clean
himself, do wudoo’ and pray.

See the answers
to questions no. 39494 and 6656.

Secondly:

When you are in
ihram, you can wrap a paper towel over your penis and put a bag over it that
will prevent it from falling off and will prevent the urine from coming out.
This is not regarded as being one of the things that are prohibited whilst
in ihram.

Shaykh Ibn
‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked: What is the ruling on
the muhrim (pilgrim in ihram) who suffers from incontinence putting
something over his private part – such as a bag – so that the impurity will
not spread? Is this one of the things that are prohibited whilst in ihram?

He replied that
this is not one of the things that are prohibited whilst in ihram. See the
answer to question no. 11013.

If that is too
difficult for you, then wear a diaper or underwear, and there is no blame on
you, but you have to pay the fidyah, which is a choice between sacrificing a
sheep, feeding six poor persons, giving each one half a saa‘, or fasting for
three days.

That is because
of the hadith of Ka‘b ibn ‘Ujrah (may Allah be pleased with him); when he
needed to shave his head whilst in ihram, the Prophet (blessings and peace
of Allah be upon him) said to him: “Shave your head, then fast for three
days, or feed six poor persons, or offer a sacrifice.”

Narrated by al-Bukhaari
(4190) and Muslim (1201).

It is
permissible for you to put prayers together because you have the excuse of
travelling. Similarly, if it is too difficult for you to keep going to the
washroom, especially when the crowds are so great, then whenever there is
hardship and difficulty, it is prescribed to put prayers together.

If a person is
putting two prayers together, then he only has to do wudoo’ once for both,
regardless of whether he is suffering from incontinence or not. The same
applies to cleansing and purifying oneself before doing wudoo’. It only has
to be done once.

If you are
certain that the place is pure and that nothing has come out of you, then
you do not have to clean yourself or purify yourself.

It is
permissible to use only paper towels to clean yourself, although using water
is preferable.

Fourthly:

There is nothing
wrong with using medicine whilst in ihram.

We ask Allah,
may He be exalted, to grant you healing and well-being, and to bless us and
you with an accepted Hajj and forgiven sins.

And Allah knows
best.