Evidence for the legislation of tayammum

Allah says:

{O you who believe, when you rise for prayer, wash your faces and your hands up to the elbows, wipe over your heads, and wash your feet up to the ankles. If you are in a state of janabah, then purify yourselves. But if you are ill, or on a journey, or one of you comes from relieving himself, or you have touched women and do not find water, then perform tayammum with clean earth and wipe your faces and hands with it. Allah does not intend to place hardship upon you, but He intends to purify you and complete His favor upon you so that you may be grateful.} [al-Ma'idah: 6].

From Ammar ibn Yasir, may Allah be pleased with them both:

"A man came to Umar ibn al-Khattab and said: I became junub and did not find water. Ammar ibn Yasir said to Umar ibn al-Khattab: Do you not remember that we were on a journey, you and I? As for you, you did not pray, while I rolled in the dust and then prayed. I mentioned that to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: It would have been enough for you to do this. Then the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, struck the ground with his palms, blew into them, and wiped his face and hands with them."

Agreed upon.

Arabic wording of the tayammum action in the hadith:

إِنَّمَا كَانَ يَكْفِيكَ هَكَذَا، فَضَرَبَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِكَفَّيْهِ الأَرْضَ، وَنَفَخَ فِيهِمَا، ثُمَّ مَسَحَ بِهِمَا وَجْهَهُ وَكَفَّيْهِ.

This hadith is a foundation for the form of tayammum, and it shows that tayammum is sufficient instead of ghusl from janabah when water is unavailable or one is unable to use it.

When is tayammum permissible?

Tayammum is permissible in the following cases:

1. Lack of water: If the Muslim does not find water after searching for it in a way appropriate to his situation and location, and he cannot obtain it nearby.
2. Inability to reach water: Such as someone who fears real harm to himself, is imprisoned, or is unable to move and finds no one to help him.
3. Illness or fear of harm: If a trustworthy specialist doctor determines, or clear experience indicates, that using water will worsen the illness, delay recovery, or cause recognized harm.
4. Severe cold: If he fears harm from using water and cannot heat it or use it in a safe warm place.
5. Necessary need for the water: If the available water is only enough for him to drink, or for those with him to drink, or for a necessary need whose loss would cause harm, he preserves it for that need and performs tayammum.
6. Insufficient water for complete purification: He uses whatever water he is able to use, then performs tayammum for what he is unable to wash according to the stronger view. Some details may differ depending on where the inability is, so the matter should be asked about when needed.

Whoever is able to buy water at a normal price that does not harm him, or water is nearby and can be reached safely, must obtain it and use it.

Among the evidences for tayammum when fearing harm from cold is what was narrated from Amr ibn al-As, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:

"I had a wet dream on a cold night during the expedition of Dhat al-Salasil. I feared that if I performed ghusl I would die, so I performed tayammum and led my companions in Fajr prayer. They mentioned that to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and he said: O Amr, did you lead your companions in prayer while you were junub? I told him what prevented me from performing ghusl, and I said: I heard Allah say: {And do not kill yourselves; indeed Allah is Merciful to you}. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, smiled and did not say anything."

Narrated by Abu Dawud and Ahmad, and authenticated by a group of scholars.

The hadith indicates the permissibility of tayammum when there is fear of real harm, not that merely feeling cold permits leaving water.

When is tayammum not permissible?

Tayammum is not permissible when water exists and one is able to use it without recognized harm. Therefore, tayammum is not legislated for the following reasons:

1. Mere travel, because the traveler performs wudu with water whenever he finds it and is able to use it.
2. Laziness, haste, or avoiding the ordinary hardship of wudu.
3. Fear of missing the congregation or Friday prayer while water exists and one is able to use it.
4. Preserving adornment or cosmetic products.
5. Cold that can be removed by heating the water or warming the place.
6. Tightness of time caused by delay while being able to use water. The obligation is to purify oneself with water, and one should not make his own shortcoming a reason to move to tayammum.

What may be used for tayammum?

Clean soil that has dust is the safer option, and the scholars agreed that tayammum is valid with it.

The scholars differed regarding what is from the earth but has no dust, such as sand and stone. The view that tayammum is permissible with every clean surface from the earth is a strong view indicated by the general texts and chosen by a group of verifying scholars. According to this view, tayammum with clean sand or stone is valid when needed.

As for a wall, if it has clean dust on it, tayammum with it is permissible. If it is built from stone or unpainted clay, tayammum with it is valid according to the view permitting tayammum with everything from the earth. As for a painted wall, wood, metal, or bedding, tayammum is not done with them in themselves, but it is permissible if there is clean dust on their surface that clings to the hand.

Tayammum is not valid with impurity, nor with ash produced from burning wood and the like, because it is not from the clean earth.

Correct tayammum step by step

Step one: Bring the intention to heart

The Muslim intends in his heart tayammum for purification from minor or major ritual impurity, according to his situation. Pronouncing the intention is not legislated, because its place is the heart.

Step two: Strike the clean earth once

He places his palms or strikes them lightly once on clean soil, or on what is valid for tayammum.

Step three: Reduce excess dust if needed

If a lot of dust clings to his palms, he may blow into them or shake them lightly, because blowing is established in the hadith of Ammar, may Allah be pleased with him. The aim is not to remove every trace of dust.

Step four: Wipe the face

He wipes his whole face with his palms once, trying to cover the outward part of the face without excess difficulty.

Step five: Wipe the hands

He wipes his hands up to the wrists once, wiping each hand with the other until both are covered without excess difficulty.

It is not obligatory in tayammum to wipe the arms up to the elbows. What is established in the hadith of Ammar, may Allah be pleased with him, is that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, wiped his face and hands.

With that, the tayammum is complete, and the Muslim prays as long as his excuse remains and no invalidator occurs.

Is one strike enough for the face and hands?

Yes. The soundest and most established form is one strike on the earth, then wiping the face and hands, due to the agreed-upon hadith of Ammar, may Allah be pleased with him. Other forms are reported in some narrations, but one strike and wiping the face and hands is the clearest form established from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.

Are order and continuity considered?

The Muslim acts according to the prophetic form, wiping his face and then his hands consecutively without a long break. The jurists differed about whether order and continuity are obligatory. The closer view is that continuity is obligatory, because tayammum is one act of worship, and because this agrees with the transmitted form. Therefore, one should wipe in order and continuously and should not deliberately separate its parts.

Tayammum from janabah and after menstruation or postnatal bleeding

Tayammum is legislated for major ritual impurity just as it is legislated for minor ritual impurity. Whoever becomes junub and does not find water, or is unable to use it because of illness or harm, performs tayammum and prays, and he does not delay prayer beyond its time.

Likewise, if a woman's menstruation or postnatal bleeding ends and she does not find water, or using it harms her, she performs tayammum and prays. When she finds water and is able to use it, ghusl becomes obligatory, and she does not repeat the prayers she performed with a valid tayammum.

Whoever has both minor and major impurity, one tayammum with the intention of purification from both is sufficient according to the stronger view.

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

"Clean earth is purification for the Muslim, even if he does not find water for ten years. When he finds water, let him touch it to his skin, for that is better."

Narrated by Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, and al-Nasa'i, and authenticated by scholars.

Tayammum for the sick person in the hospital or home

The default is that the sick person performs wudu with water if he is able without harm, even with the help of another person. If he is unable or would be harmed by using water, clean soil can be placed for him in a container or clean bag, and he strikes it with his palms and performs tayammum.

Whoever is unable to move his hands may seek help from someone who strikes his hands on the clean earth and wipes his face and hands with them, while the intention is from the sick person himself. If he is unable to perform both wudu and tayammum, and finds no one to help him, he prays in the time according to his condition and does not leave prayer.

What invalidates tayammum

Tayammum is invalidated by the following:

1. Everything that invalidates wudu: Such as anything exiting from the two private parts, or the loss of reason through deep sleep, fainting, and the like. This invalidates the tayammum that stood in place of wudu.
2. The occurrence of what requires ghusl: If intercourse, ejaculation, or anything else that requires ghusl occurs after tayammum, he needs a new purification with water if he is able; otherwise, he performs tayammum for major impurity.
3. Finding water before prayer: Whoever performed tayammum because water was unavailable, then found water before beginning prayer and was able to use it without harm, his tayammum is invalid and he must use water.
4. The excuse ending: Such as someone who performed tayammum because of illness and then became able to use water safely, or because of cold and then found a way to heat the water.

As for the prayer time ending, it does not invalidate tayammum in itself according to the stronger view. Whoever's excuse remains and he has not invalidated his purification may pray more than one obligatory or voluntary prayer with his tayammum until he finds water, becomes able to use it, or another invalidator occurs. Renewing tayammum for every prayer is good and avoids the disagreement of those who obligated it, but it is not required according to the stronger view.

If the Muslim performs tayammum for both janabah and minor impurity, then something occurs that only invalidates wudu, the ruling of his purification from minor impurity is invalidated, but he does not become junub again according to the majority of scholars. If he is able to perform wudu but not ghusl, he performs wudu. If he does not find water or is unable to perform wudu, he performs tayammum for minor impurity, and the ruling of his tayammum from janabah remains until he finds water and is able to perform ghusl. But if a new cause of janabah occurs, ghusl becomes obligatory if he is able; otherwise, he performs a new tayammum for major impurity.

What should he do if he finds water during prayer?

This is a matter in which there is recognized scholarly disagreement:

• A group of scholars held that his tayammum becomes invalid, so he cuts off the prayer, purifies himself with water, and then begins the prayer again. This is a strong view indicated by the texts commanding the use of water when it is found, and it was chosen by a group of verifying scholars.
• Others held that he completes his prayer, because he entered it with a valid purification.

The closer view is that whoever finds water during prayer and is able to use it without harm cuts off the prayer, purifies himself, and then repeats it from the beginning. Whoever has a complex case or fears the time will exit should ask a trustworthy scholar about his specific situation.

Does he repeat the prayer if he finds water after it?

Whoever prayed with a valid tayammum and then found water after the prayer, his prayer is valid and he does not have to repeat it, whether he found water before the time exited or after it.

From Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him:

"Two men went out on a journey, and the prayer time came while they had no water. They performed tayammum with clean earth and prayed. Then they found water within the prayer time. One of them repeated the prayer and wudu, while the other did not repeat. Then they came to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and mentioned that to him. He said to the one who did not repeat: You have followed the Sunnah, and your prayer is sufficient for you. And he said to the one who performed wudu and repeated: You have the reward twice."

Narrated by Abu Dawud and al-Nasa'i, and authenticated by scholars.

The hadith does not indicate that repeating every prayer is recommended. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, clarified that the one who did not repeat had followed the Sunnah. The other received two rewards because of his effort in that situation before he knew the ruling.

Does tayammum remove impurity from the body or clothing?

No. Tayammum is a legal purification that stands in place of wudu or ghusl when there is an excuse and permits prayer. As for physical impurity on the body, clothing, or place, it is removed with water or anything else that removes its substance, according to ability.

If the Muslim is unable to remove impurity, he prays according to his condition and does not delay the prayer beyond its time. He does not wipe impurity with dust as though that were tayammum.

Common mistakes in tayammum

1. Performing tayammum while water exists and one is able to use it.
2. Thinking that every traveler may perform tayammum even when water is available.
3. Wiping the arms up to the elbows while leaving the established form in the hadith of Ammar, may Allah be pleased with him.
4. Repeatedly striking the earth and wiping the limbs many times without clear authentic evidence.
5. Pronouncing the intention with a specific formula.
6. Performing tayammum on an impure surface or with impure dust.
7. Leaving prayer until its time exits because of inability to access water, even though tayammum is legislated.
8. Thinking that tayammum is not sufficient for janabah or after menstruation and postnatal bleeding end.
9. Repeating the prayer after finding water even though the first tayammum was valid.
10. Thinking that tayammum removes physical impurity from clothing or the body.
11. Performing tayammum out of fear of missing congregation while able to perform wudu.
12. Becoming occupied with waswas about the amount of dust or repeating the wiping, while the form is easy and clear.