Tayammum (Dry Ablution)
Q. What is Tayammum?
A. To clean najaasat hukmi using taahir (clean) clay, earth, or similar substance is called Tayammum.
Q. When is tayammum valid?
A. When water is not available or using water is injurious to health.
Q. What is meant by water being “not available”?
A. When water is far (at least a mile) or inaccessible due to danger, insufficient quantity, or lack of tools to collect it.
Q. When should danger to health be considered?
A. If personal experience or a physician indicates using water is harmful, tayammum is allowed.
Q. How many things are fard in tayammum?
A. Three things:
- Niyyat (intention)
- Strike both hands on the earth and rub them on the face
- Strike both hands on the earth and rub both forearms including the elbows
Q. Explain how to do tayammum.
A. Make the niyyah. Rub both hands on taahir earth and blow off dust. Rub hands on the face, then repeat rubbing hands on earth and forearms, doing khilaal of fingers and beard if applicable.
Q. Is tayammum allowed for wuduu’ and ghusl?
A. Yes, for both.
Q. On what things is tayammum allowed?
A. Clean earth, sand, stone, lime-stone, baked clay pots (non-glazed), baked/unbaked bricks, mud/stone walls, yellow clay, and clean dust.
Q. On what things is tayammum not allowed?
A. Wood, metals, glass, food grains, cloth, ashes, or anything that melts/burns to ashes.
Q. Is tayammum allowed if there is no dust on a stone/brick wall?
A. Yes, the substance itself can be used even if washed.
Q. Can tayammum be done with dust on otherwise invalid objects?
A. Yes, if dust is loose enough to fly or leave a mark when rubbed, tayammum is allowed.
Q. Is tayammum allowed for other prayers like Qur’an recitation or mosque entry?
A. No, not allowed for these.
Q. Can tayammum for janaazah or sajdah tilaawat be used for prayers?
A. Yes, allowed.
Q. What if water is found after performing tayammum?
A. Prayers already said are valid; no need to repeat.
Q. What breaks tayammum?
A. Anything that breaks wuduu’ also breaks tayammum. Tayammum for bathing breaks only after hadath-e-akbar. Tayammum ends when water is found or disease is cured.
Q. Does one tayammum hold for multiple prayers?
A. Yes, as long as it is not broken. Covers fard, nafl, janaazah, Qur’an recitation, sajdah tilaawat, etc.
Q. What is the duration of tayammum?
A. As long as water is unavailable or helplessness continues; may last years.