[Q 678] Wiping Wounds Under Bandages

Question

Zaid has a wound covered with a bandage, and pouring water over the wound is harmful. He is able to remove the bandage, wipe over the wound, and then reapply the bandage himself without any fear of harm. In this situation, is he required to remove the bandage and wipe directly over the wound, or may he simply wipe over the bandage?

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الجواب بعون الملك الوهاب اللهم هداية الحق والصواب

Answer

In the inquired situation, it is obligatory for Zayd to remove the bandage and wipe over the wound; wiping over the bandage is not sufficient, because when there is no fear of harm from removing the bandage, it is possible to wipe over the wound, and the bandage can be re-applied as needed, then in such a situation, wiping directly over the wound instead of the bandage is legally necessary.

When should the wound area be washed, when should it be wiped, and when is wiping also excused? Regarding this, Durr al-Mukhtar states in detail:

”لزوم غسل المحل و لو بماء حار، فإن ضر مسحه، فإن ضر مسحها، فإن ضر سقط أصلا“

(Durr al-Mukhtar ma’a Radd al-Muhtar, vol. 1, p. 517, Quetta)

Sadr al-Shari’ah Mufti Muhammad Amjad Ali A’zami رحمه الله writes: “If a bandage is tied over a boil, wound, or incision site, and there is harm in removing it to pour water over it, or in wiping over that spot, or in just removing it, or if there is no one to remove and re-tie it, then one should wipe over this bandage. However, if there is no harm in removing the bandage and pouring water over it, then washing is obligatory. Or if one can wipe over the limb itself, then wiping over the bandage is not permissible.”

(Bahar-e-Shariat, vol. 1, p. 368, Maktabat al-Madinah, Karachi)

Answered by: Qazi Muteeb Attari (AskMufti Scholar)

Verified by: Mufti Sajid Attari

Translated answer

Date: 24th July 2026