QUESTION:
As Salaamu Alaikum,
I sincerely apologise for the urgency of this message, but I have just realised something that is causing me a great deal of stress and worry.
I follow the Ḥanafī madhhab. Every morning when I wake up, I take insulin injections – one in my stomach and another in my buttocks. Often after the injection, some blood emerges and flows away from the site. What I usually do is stop the bleeding with a dry tissue (this typically takes around 5–10 seconds), and then wipe away any blood from the surrounding skin. After doing this, there is no visible blood left at all.
Has this been sufficient for ṭahārah, or was it obligatory to wash the area with water after wiping away all the blood?
If washing is required, how exactly should I do it? Would wiping with a wet tissue be sufficient, or does the water need to actually flow over the skin? It would be very difficult for me to position my stomach and buttocks under running water each time and ensuring that the water reaches the exact affected areas, especially on a daily basis.
I also want to clarify that my question is not about bleeding while in a state of wuḍū’. I was already not in a state of wuḍū’ before the injections anyway. My concern is specifically whether wiping away the blood from the skin is sufficient for purification, or if using water is obligatory.
I am very worried that my prayers may not have been valid, as I have been doing this for most of my life.
I would be more than happy to explain this over the phone if that would be helpful.
Jazākum Allāhu khayran for your time and guidance.
ANSWER:
Wa Alaikum As Salaam,
With respect to what you have asked about, it is important that you understand two important fundamental principles of the Hanafi Madhhab regarding the visible grave impurities like blood, urine etc. The first is that all the authentic classical books of Fiqh have clearly stated that, ‘It is Wajib (essential) to remove impurities from the body of the one performing Salah’. That is, it is essential for the body of the one performing Salah to be purified from (cleansed from) all types of impurities. The other principle is that ‘Purifying, cleansing or removing the impurities can be done with water or any other pure/clean easy flowing liquid that can remove the impurity, like vinegar, rose water and similar to that’.
(Al Hidaya Vol. 1 page 71 Maktaba Shirkah Al Ilmiya Multan).
With respect to when a grave impurity like blood falls on the body of a person who wishes to perform Salah, then according to the majority of the Imams of the Hanafi Madhhab like Imams Abu Yusuf, Muhammad and Zufar (A.R), one is required to wash out that impurity with water alone. Imam Abu Hanifa (A.R) says that it can be removed with water or any pure easy flowing liquid that is able to remove the impurity.
(Al Jawharah An Nayarah 1/100,101 Qadeemi Karachi; Sharh Mukhtasar At Tahawi 1/360 Darul Bashaa’ir Beirut 2010).
Based on the above guidelines, it can be stated that the blood that came out from the area where you injected yourself, and flowed to other places of the body was supposed to be washed off with water, and not wiped off with a dry tissue.
It is allowed for you to use a try tissue and press it on the area of the injection in order to stop it from bleeding continuously. However, the blood that comes out from the pierced area and flows onto the other areas must be washed, since the blood is a grave impurity and must be removed from the body by washing with water. So after wiping away all the blood, you must wash the area with water.
In washing the area, you must not wipe it with a wet tissue. Washing with water is necessary. While washing, you are not required to literally put those areas under running water, so as to make it difficult upon yourself.
It is sufficient for you to take water in your hand and wash the areas properly with your hand
And Allah Knows best
Mufti Waseem Khan
4/5/2026