Bandages and Wound Medications in Islamic Jurisprudence: Do They Fall Under the Category of Jābirah?

Problem Description:

Nowadays, many medicinal adhesive patches (such as Salonpas and Hansaplast) are used as an initial step in treatment.

Question:
Can these types of medications be considered the same as jābirah (bandages) in the rulings of tayammum, wudu, and ghusl?

Answer:
They are considered the same, because they serve the same function. The plaster must be removed if:

1. the wound can be washed with water, or

2. the Hansaplast is applied too widely (covering healthy areas beyond what is needed), or

3. it is located on a body part used for tayammum but the wound can be wiped with dust.

Reference:

(بشرى الكريم, 1/47)

(ثُمَّ اِنْ كَانَ عَلَيْهِ جَبِيْرَةٌ) وَهِيَ أَلْوَاحٌ تُهَيَّأُ لِلْكَسْرِ اَوِ الِإنِخِلَاعِ تُجْعَلُ عَلَى مَحَلِّهِ لَكِنْ المُرَادُ هُنَا مُطْلَقُ السَّاتِرِ لِيَشْمَلَ نَحْوَ اللَّصُوْقِ (نَزَعَهَا وُجُوْبًا) اِنْ اَمْكَنَ غَسْلُ الجُرْحِ بِالمَاءِ اَوْ أَخَذَتْ بَعْضَ الصَّحِيْحِ اَوْ كَانَتْ بِمَحَلِّ التَّيَمُّمِ وَاَمْكَنَ مَسْحُ العَلِيْلِ بِالتُّرَابِ (فَإِنْ خَافَ) مِنْ نَزْعِهَا مَحْذُوْرًا مِمَّا مَرَّ (غَسَلَ الصَّحِيْحَ) حَتىَّ مَا تَحْتَ اَطْرَافِهَا مِنْهُ وَيَتَلَطَّفُ كَمَا مَرَّ (وَمَسَحَ عَلَيْهَا) كُلَّهَا فِى طُهْرٍ وَقْتَ غَسْلِ العَلِيْلِ بِمَاءٍ إِلَى أَنْ يَبْرَأَ بَدَلًا عَمَّا تَحْتَهَا مِنَ الصَّحِيْحِ اهـ.

(معجم الوسيط,1/104)

جَبِيْرَةٌ: مَايُشَدُّ عَلَى العَظْمِ المَكْسُوْرِ, اللَاصُوْقُ: مَايُلْصَقُ عَلَى الجُرْحِ مِنَ الدَّوَاءِ اهـ.