If one wears a dressing over intact skin and then makes wudu is that wudu still valid even though the area of skin under the dressing hasn’t been touched by the water?

question

I’m a GP and one of my patients recently asked me a question; if one wears a dressing over intact skin and then makes wudu is that wudu still valid even though the area of skin under the dressing hasn’t been touched by the water? Similarly, if one uses a product for warts or verrucas on the feet – like a paint or gel which forms a film over the verruca and then makes wudu is that wudu valid even though that area of the foot is covered and has not been made wet?

Answer:

All praise is due to Allah, exalted is He, and peace and blessing be upon His Messenger.

The principle with regards to such things will cover all the things you mentioned. A bandage, plaster, dressing etc, needs only to be wiped over with a wet hand. The water not reaching the surface of the skin underneath will not harm the wudhu as long -as the bandage is necessary to cover up the wound or injury. The jurists also say that if the bandage falls off, even during prayer, and it appears that the wound has actually healed, then the wudhu will break immediately, which means salah will also break if one is praying. If however, it appears that the wound has not healed, wudhu, and hence salah, has not broken and one can just continue.
This can be done on the condition that it is not possible to wash the skin due to risk of illness, worsening of the injury, or delayed recovery. If a bandage is not necessary but there is still an injury that can’t be washed with water, one can wash the rest of the limb and just wipe over the injured part.

Allah knows best the truth.
Answered by: Maulana Shams Ad-duha Muhammad