Purity: Can Tayammum Replace Wudū’ Due to Skin Condition?
Practical Laws of Islam as per the teachings of Imam Khamenei
Purity: Can Tayammum Replace Wudū’ Due to Skin Condition?
English:
Question #212:
I am suffering from a skin disease i.e. the skin dries up whenever I take a bath or even wash my hands or face. Accordingly, I am forced to apply oil to my skin and that creates difficulty when doing wuḍū’, especially when doing it for the morning prayer. Is it permissible for me to do tayammum instead of wuḍū’, for morning prayers?
Answer #212:
If using water is harmful for you, it is incorrect to do wuḍū’, and you should do tayammum instead. But if doing wuḍū’ is not harmful and the mentioned oil does not prevent water from reaching the skin of the body parts involved in wuḍū’, you should perform wuḍū’. Also, if the oil acts as a barrier between water and skin and you can clean the oil, do wuḍū’, and apply the oil again, tayammum will not be accepted from you.