Performing Wudhu whilst Injured!

[Sunni Student]

Assalamu Alaykum,

I wanted to know what the Ruling is regarding wudhu for someone that is Injured, for example if someone had a deep cut on his/her hand and had a it bandaged, would the person be required to wash over it, or would it become excempt?

[salman]

Assalamu Alaykum,

I wanted to know what the Ruling is regarding wudhu for someone that is Injured, for example if someone had a deep cut on his/her hand and had a it bandaged, would the person be required to wash over it, or would it become excempt?

salamu `alaykum

Wipe over it.

If you cant do that, due to fear of further harm, leave that area as it is. Your ablution is valid.

Wasalam

[ridhwan]

Question

I am prone to accidents and frequently have open wounds/ cuts on my hands. Can you please tell me as much as possible about the fiqh pertaining to wounds and wudu/salat.

Reply

1. If there are cuts or wounds on the body of a person and by washing these cuts or wounds with water, harm will be caused then it will not be necessary to wash these parts of the body. It will be permissible in this case to simply pour water over these parts of the body. If this too will cause harm to the body then it will be permissible to only make Masaah (wiping a wet hand over the organ). If this too is not possible then it will be permissible to leave those cuts and wounds unwashed. If the organ is bandaged and it will be possible to remove it without causing harm, then it will be necessary to remove the bandage and wash the organ or else Masaah will suffice. (Fataawaa ‘Aalamgeeriyyah, Vol. 1, Page 5)

2. If the glue prevents water from reaching the skin underneath it, then Wudhu will not be valid. Wudhu performed in the presence of glue is invalid, any Salaat performed with this Wudhu will have to be repeated. (Fataawaa ‘Aalamgeeriyyah, Vol. 1, Page 5)

3. If wounds start bleeding when the Salaat time entered and the wounds do not stop bleeding, then he should wait until the last time of Salaat. If it does not cease bleeding then he should make Wudhu in this condition and perform his Salaat. If this condition persists during the full time of the next Salaat then he will be termed as a Ma’thoor (excused person). He will perform the Salaat in the manner explained above and will not have to repeat the Salaat. If this condition does not persist during the next Salaat time, then he will have to repeat the previous Salaat.

Note: For a person to be termed as Ma’thoor, it will be necessary that

a.) there must not be such an amount of time left in which he is able to perform Wudhu and perform his Salaat after the condition of ‘Uthr (excuse) has terminated.

b.) For this state i.e. Ma’thoor to be removed, it will be necessary that this ‘Uthr must not occur even once during the Salaat time.

c.) It will be necessary for the Ma’thoor to make a fresh Wudhu whenever a new Salaat time enters. He can perform Fardh, Waajib, Nafl Salaat, read Qur’an etc during that Salaat time only with that Wudhu. (Raddul Muhtaar, Vol. 1, Page 223, Ahsanul Fataawaa, Vol. 2, Page 74)

4. If the blood has a quality of flowing and this blood mixed with the water, then this water will become impure. Those parts of the body or clothes will also become impure if this water touches it. If the blood does not have the quality of flowing then the water will not become impure and those parts of the body or clothes will remain pure if this water touches it. (Fataawaa Darul Uloom Deoband Mudallal, Mukammal)

and Allah Ta'ala Knows Best

Mufti Muhammad Ashraf


1. If blood or matter does not move from the place of the wound or sore, Wudhu will not break. Wudhu will only break if the impurity flows out of the wound or sore.

2. If clots of blood come out of the nose while blowing it, Wudhu will not break. Wudhu will only break if the blood is in the fluid state.

3. If a pimple has to burst in the eye, then the Wudhu will only break if the fluid (that comes out of the pimple) flows out of the eye.

4. If the blood in the saliva is more than the saliva, Wudhu will break. Therefore if one's saliva is reddish because of blood, Wudhu will break.

5. Blood appearing on a toothpick will not break Wudhu if the effect of the blood cannot be seen in the saliva.

6. Fluid from a paining ear will break the Wudhu, even if there is no sore or pimple in the ear.

7. Water which flows from the eyes because of the eyes paining, will break the Wudhu.

...

19. If removal of the ointment from a sore or wound is harmful then it will not be necessary to remove it. If pouring water over the affected part is also harmful then merely make Masah of the affected part.

20. If the wound or sore is bandaged and one will experience difficulty in opening and tying the bandage for Masah purpose, or Masah on the affected part will be harmful, then Masah should be made over the bandage.

21. If this difficulty does not exist, then it will be necessary to open the bandage, plaster, etc., and make Masah on the affected part.

22. It is best to make Masah over the whole of the upper surface of the bandage, etc. It is Wajib to make Masah of more than half the bandage, etc. If only half or less than half the bandage was covered by Masah, the Wudhu will not be valid.

23. After making Masah if the bandage, plaster, etc., comes loose and it is realised that the affected part has healed, then the Masah made will not be valid. It will now be necessary to wash the particular part. It is not necessary to renew the Wudhu.

Please refer Taleemul Haq for details on related issues of wudhu that are of importance.

Wallahu Aalam

[Sunni Student]

Jazakallah Brothers for your respnses