A doctor touching the private parts of a patient invalidates Wudu' [2]

Q: What is the opinion of Your Eminence concerning the work of the doctor, which sometimes necessitates seeing or touching a patient's `Awrah (parts of the body that must be covered in public) during examination? During operations, the surgeon may make an incision and get a lot of blood and urine on his hands. Is it obligatory or just preferable for him to repeat Wudu' (ablution) in such cases?

A: There is nothing wrong if the doctor touches the `Awrah of a man when necessary or looks at it for the purpose of medical treatment, whether the anterior or the posterior. The doctor here is permitted to see and touch it in cases of necessity. There is nothing wrong with touching blood, if there is a need to examine an injury, and then he should wash his hands to remove any blood that may have got onto them. Wudu' is not invalidated by touching blood or urine, but it is invalidated by touching `Awrah, whether the interior or the posterior. Touching blood, urine, or other impure substances does not invalidate Wudu', but any traces should be washed off the skin or clothes. On the other hand, touching the `Awrah without any barrier in between, i.e. Skin to skin, invalidates Wudu'. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: If any of you touches his private parts without a barrier in between, he should perform Wudu.' [1] Similarly, if the female doctor touches the vagina of a patient for an essential reason, this invalidates her Wudu' if she is ritually pure, as in the case of men.