Question
My father had his left leg amputated a few months ago, up to the thigh due to various health conditions.
At the moment he is completely bed bound and completely reliant on carers/family to help him do most things. i.e. eat, stay clean, etc. He currently has to wear a pad constantly in which he is required to urinate and open his bowels. My father had a catheter attached for urinating for a long period of time after the amputation, even though he no longer requires to have a catheter he tells me he has no control over when he urinates (hence he is required to wear a pad at all times)
Will tayamum suffice as he is not able to make wudhoo? (to help him to the bathroom is near impossible given that he barely has any movement in the lower part of his body)
Answer
The reason why you seeking permission for Tayyamum for is due to his inability to walk to the bathroom on his own to perform Wudhu. This shows that your father is capable of using water to wash his limbs but the difficulty is reaching the bathroom.
The Fuqahaa/jurist clearly state that if a person is incapable of performing Wudhu on his own but he can do with the assistance of another person, then it will not be permissible for him to perform Tayyamum. Your father in not is a situation where he cannot wash his limbs on his own if water is presented to him. You also indicated in the query that there are caretakers/ family members available to assist him. We therefore suggest that he performs Wudhu with the assistance of people right from his bedside.
Thus, it will not be permissible for him to suffice on performing Tayyamum to perform his Salaah..
Checked and Approved By:
Mufti Muhammed Saeed Motara Saheb D.B.
References
حاشية الطحطاوى على مراقى الفلاح ص ١١٥ قديمى
الدرالمختار مع رد المحتار ج ١ ص ٢٣٣-٢٣٣- سعيد