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Fatwa CenterRuling on Wiping Over a Bandage
Question
السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته I follow specifically the Hanbali Madhab, I have confusion with how much I’m supposed to wash. I have a bandage (it is loose) wrapped around a large plaster on the bottom of my foot, i fear that washing the top of my foot causes harm since water is running and it goes to the bottom. At times I get stressed that I missed parts that I was able to wash, am I supposed to only do an estimate? Or do I simply wipe what is nearby the plaster covering the wound?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad (
) is His Slave and Messenger.
The Hanbali scholars hold that wiping over a bandage is obligatory when it was placed while in a state of purity and when it covers only the area of need without extending beyond the place requiring treatment.
If the bandage extends beyond the needed area, then the extra portion must be removed if possible. However, if removing it would cause harm, then one should wipe over the part corresponding to the injured area and perform tayammum for the excess portion.
Reference regarding the proper area requiring bandaging and what is needed to secure it should be made to a trustworthy physician. If this is not possible, then one should act according to what he reasonably believes to be sufficient.
Therefore, as long as this dressing has been placed over the area of need, then wipe over it and there is no hardship in that. There is also no need to fall into misgivings and obsessive doubts over whether it exceeded the required area.
If you become certain that it exceeded the needed area and you are able to remove the excess, then remove it. Otherwise, perform tayammum along with wiping over the portion corresponding to the area of need.
We again advise you, if you are suffering from obsessive misgivings, to ignore and disregard them, because giving in to such whispers leads to serious harm.
Allah Knows best
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