Can Someone With Eczema Perform Tayammum Instead of Ghusl?

Answered by Shaykh Yusuf Weltch

Question

How should a person with eczema perform ghusl when water harms the affected areas and causes pain? Is tayammum an option?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.

May Allah grant you ease, well-being, and beautiful patience

There are two guidelines for this issue.

The first is that if the majority or half of your body is affected by the eczema, tayammum is permissible for you instead of the ritual bath (ghusl). The majority is calculated by the number of limbs. Out of the five limbs—head, arm, arm, leg, and leg—three out of five are afflicted, and tayammum is permitted. [Tahtawi/Shurunbulali, Hashiyat Maraqi al-Falah]

If less than half of your limbs are affected by the eczema, you will wash the healthy areas and merely wipe over the eczema areas with a wet hand. If wiping with a wet hand hurts or causes the eczema to get worse or be delayed in its healing, then wipe with a wet cloth instead of the hand. If even that is difficult, then you will not wipe the affected parts. [Ibid.]

The second guideline is that if the exzema is on your torso area—namely, chest, stomach, or back, and merely pouring water to wash the unaffected areas will then lead to water spilling to the affected places, this is akin to the majority of the body being afflicted, and tayammum is permitted. [Ibid.]

Hope this helps
Allah knows best
[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Yusuf Weltch is a teacher of Arabic, Islamic law, and spirituality. After accepting Islam in 2008, he went on to study at Darul Uloom Seminary in New York and completed his studies at Darul Mustafa in Tarim, Yemen.

There, he completed the memorization of the Quran and his study of Islamic Sciences. Throughout his years of study, he was blessed to learn from many great scholars: Habib Umar bin Hafiz, Habib Kazhim al-Saqqaf, Shaykh ‘Umar bin Husayn al-Khatib, and others.

Upon returning, he joined the SeekersGuidance faculty in the summer of 2019.