Wiping over a bandage instead of dry ablution

Question:
This letter was received regarding wiping and dry ablution in prayer. The sender, who did not mention his name in this letter, says: A wound became infected on the big toe of my foot, and I was admitted to the hospital where I underwent surgery. This wound remained for six months without healing. The doctors changed the dressing for it every day and bound it with gauze. Whenever I perform ablution, I wipe over the toe. Does wiping suffice here in place of dry ablution, given that water reaches all the parts of the ablution except the bound toe? Also, when the gauze is bound over the medicine, nothing comes out of it. Please answer us, may Allah have mercy on you?

Answer:
There is no doubt that wiping over the bandage is sufficient in place of dry ablution. So, if one wipes over the bandage containing the wound when washing the foot that has the wound, that suffices, and praise be to Allah. He does not need to perform dry ablution, and this is what is obligatory for him. The presence of the wound, which has gauze on it and a bandage over that, means he wipes over the bandage covering it, and that suffices.