Question Summary:
My father is after serious illness and is very feeble & unstable (needs assistance to walk). He had never visited Makkah. In keeping with his wishes, I Insha Allah intend to take

Question Detail:

My father is after serious illness and is very feeble & unstable (needs assistance to walk). He had never visited Makkah. In keeping with his wishes, I Insha Allah intend to take him for Umra in a couple of months. Question is regarding Ihram. It would be practically difficult for my father to use the toilets in the aero-plane whilst travelling from Sri Lanka to Jeddah. To avoid the usage of toilets he would have to wear an adult Pamper. Can he wear a pamper whilst in the state of Ihram? ie, will wearing a pamper invalidate the Ihram. He would remove the pamper after reaching Makkah. And Insha Allah perform Umrah without the Pamper.May Allah shower his blessings on you for your guidance.
 

Answer :

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
Many people are of the misconception that Ihram refers to the two pieces of cloth one puts on during Hajj and Umrah. In reality, it refers to the sacred state one is required to enter into, in order to fulfil the rituals of Hajj and Umrah. It is only a condition for the validity of Ihram that one puts on only such clothing that is not sewn to the shape of a human body. Wearing only two pieces of cloth is not a condition for the validity of Ihram. It will be permissible to wear only one piece of cloth or more than two pieces of cloth, as long as they are not sewn to the shape of the body and the awrah (the parts of the body that are compulsory to cover) is not exposed.  
 
(Mu’alim al-Hujjaj Pg.105 – Nazim Kutub Khana)
(Fatawa Raheemiyah Vol.8 Pg.74 – Darul Isha’at)
 
In the light of the above mentioned, it will be permissible for one to wear an adult disposable diaper, as it is not sewn to the shape of the body.
 
This is further supported by the ruling passed by Mufti Rasheed Ahmed Ludhyanwi, wherein he permits hernia patients to wear a langoot (a cloth generally worn by wrestlers between the legs to conceal nakedness) to avoid protrusion of intestines into the testicles.
 
(Ahsan al-Fatawa Vol.4 Pg.531 – H.M. Sa'eed Company)
 
Being in the state of purity is not a condition for the validity of Ihram. Therefore, it will be permissible for your father to travel in the state of impurity, as long as he purifies himself before engaging in any act of worship or entering the Haram.
 
(Aapke Masail aur Unka Hal Vol.4 Pg.106 – Maktaba Ludhyanwi)
And Allah knows best
Wassalam
Ml. Abu Yahya,
Student Darul Iftaa
Checked and Approved by:
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah