Does Adhesive Residue Prevent the Validity of Ghusl and Wudu?

Answered by Ustadh Sufyan Qufi

Question

If a person removed a bandage and attempted to clean the residue with rubbing alcohol/disinfectant before taking a ghusl, but later after taking the ghusl they discovered a small amount of leftover bandage glue they accidentally missed, what should they do?

Also, generally speaking, is there a certain excusable amount of glue/filth that can remain on the body without affecting the validity of the ghusl?

Answer

I pray this finds you in the best of states.

After discovering a barrier on your skin, you don’t have to repeat the ritual bath (ghusl) completely. You simply need to remove the barrier and wash the part of the skin that was covered by the barrier again. After this, you won’t be in a state of major ritual impurity (janaba) anymore. [Shurunbulali, Nur al-Idah]

As for deeming if the adhesive residue was a barrier preventing the water to reach the skin, the basis in the Hanafi school is that it is for you to make this judgment. [Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]

I have asked Shaykh Faraz Rabbani, may Allah protect him, about this issue and his answer was that adhesive residue is not a certain barrier. Thus your ghusl was valid even with its presence on your skin.

If there is genuine hardship in removing the barrier it is also excused.

If you are confident that the water underneath has been washed, you can deem your ghusl and previous prayer valid. If not, simply repeat these prayers after washing the part of your skin that was covered.

The reason for the rulings above is that the validity of Ghusl is not conditioned upon the fact to perform it in one session. [Shurunbulali, Nur al-Idah]

Allah (Most High) has not made this a condition for a valid Ghusl.

Allah (Most High) says: “And if you are in a state of ˹full˺ impurity, then take a full bath.” [Quran 5:6]

Barrier preventing the validity of wudu

The following answers explain the type of barrier that would prevent the validity of wudu:

• Does Orly Breathable Nail Polish Prevent the Validity of Wudu?
• Does Silicone in Skin Products Create a Barrier Preventing the Validity of Wudu?

[Ustadh] Sufyan Qufi
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani 

Ustadh Sufyan Qufi is an advanced seeker of knowledge, originally from Algeria, who grew up in France. He began searching far and wide for answers to the fundamental questions of life and was disappointed at the answers he found.

Then he connected with various traditional teachers and gradually connected with SeekersGuidance. He embarked on his journey of learning through the various teachers at SeekersGuidance, including his mentor Shaykh Faraz Rabbani.

He studied numerous texts in Islamic Law, Theology, Hadith, and other areas with Shaykh Faraz Rabbani and other teachers, including Shaykh Abdurrahman al-Sha‘ar, Shaykh Ali Hani, and others.

He is an active instructor at SeekersGuidance and answers questions through the SeekersGuidance Answers Service.