Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Someone recently had surgery to remove her appendix. However, she now needs to perform ghusl. As the area has not yet healed, the doctors cautioned against wetting it. She can wash most parts of her body but washing anywhere near the lower abdomen would allow the water to reach the bandaged area. What can she do?
Walaikum assalam,
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
Allah Most High said,
“And He has not placed upon you in religion any hardship.”
(Qur’an, al-Hajj 22: 78)
The Best of Creation, our beloved Prophet (Allah bless him & give him peace) said,
“I was sent with the easy, upright religion.”
(Bu`ithtu bi’l Haneefiyya’ti s-Samha)
[Reported by Imam Ahmad in his Musnad from Jabir ibn Abdullah and others.]
And he said (Allah bless him & give him peace),
“Verily, this religion is easy.”
[Reported by Bukhari & Muslim]
The great Ottoman Hanafi jurist and Naqshabandi sufi, Imam Abu Sa`id al-Khadimi (Allah have mercy on him) explained,
“Because difficult and hard to bear moral obligations were lifted from this religion.”
[al-Bariqa al-Mahmudiyya Sharh al-Tariqa al-Muhammadiyya, 1: 131]
She must wash the areas she is able to wash without undue difficulty or genuine fear of harm (such as lower body, arms, head, and any other areas).
She must wipe other areas with a wetted hand, if able.
If unable (because of undue difficulty or genuine fear of harm), she can leave it, and her ghusl will be valid.
[As discussed in Gifts of Guidance: al-Hadiyya al-`Ala’iyya by `Ala’ al-Din Abidin]
And Allah alone gives success.
Walaikum assalam,
Faraz Rabbani.