Is there a statement from any scholar regarding the validity of ablution (wudu') with the presence of peeling skin that forms a layer over the epidermis, even if water does not reach the skin beneath it, and even if the person themselves caused the formation of this layer?
If the flakes on the skin do not prevent water from reaching the skin, then ablution is valid. However, if they form a layer that prevents water from reaching the skin, then ablution is not valid, whether these flakes are there by the person's choice or not. The jurists have agreed that the presence of a substance on the ablution organs that prevents water from reaching the skin invalidates ablution. Among what prevents water from reaching [the skin] are: wax, dough, henna, and similar substances, as well as dead, peeling skin and dirt under the nail if it prevents water.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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