Q: I have been married for six years and do not have children. Doctors told me that I suffer from varicocele and it is better to have surgery now. In fact, I want to have this surgery in secret so that none of my relatives will know as they intervene in our marital life. My wife and I want to keep this in secret. My problem is that I am a teacher in the village where I live and If I travel to Jeddah, my relatives will know the reason of our travel. I prefer to have the surgery during the mid-year vacation in Ramadan so that our relatives will think that I am traveling to spend the vacation in Makkah Al-Mukarramah and so that work would not be affected by my absence. Is it permissible to have the surgery during the mid-year vacation in Ramadan as no one knows my place and work will not be affected by my absence (Part No. 25; Page No. 54) on the pretext that I am traveling to Al-Masjid Al-Haram in Makkah Al-Mukarramah? My second question is: How can a patient offer Salah (prayer) after performing the operation?

A: It is permissible for you to travel to perform the surgery in Ramadan or in any other month. It is also permissible for you to break your Sawm (fast) while traveling and when performing the surgery if necessary or if it is hard to fast after the surgery. However, it is better to delay having the operation until after Ramadan so that you can fast and offer Salah. On the other hand, you have to offer Salah when the prescribed time of prayer is due before having the surgery, and if it was during the operation, you have to perform it after the operation if you were capable of doing so. You can offer Salah while sitting, standing, or lying on your side, according to your condition. You can move your head when bowing and prostrating if you could not perform them in their correct manner. It is also permissible to combine Zhuhr and `Asr prayers together, and Maghrib and `Isha' prayers together, at the time of the earlier or the later one.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.