Purity in Islam is half of the faith as the prophet PBUH said, and tayammum dry ablution is a way to perform purity in Islam.
Performing according to the conditions set forth by the prophet PBUH is worship, compliance with god’s commands, and following the steps of his noble prophet.
dry ablution is performed by dry ablutions pure soil or stone instead of water in steps that were illustrated in the Quran and sunnah.
Now we will learn together what is tayammum dry ablution, what is its conditions, and how to perform it.
What is the difference between ablution and tayammum?
Before talking about dry ablution we should talk about two important terms in Islam and they are purity ( taharah), and ablution( wuduaa).
Taharah (purity)
Taharah is an Arabic word that means purification, and it’s mandatory before worship such as performing Salah, Tawaf, or touching and reading the quran.
Purification is composed of two parts:
1-the spiritual purification ( remove hadath)
This is to eliminate Hadath by ablution(waduu) and washing the whole body( ghosl).
Allah mentioned Al hadath in the quran in surat Al Nisaa verse 43
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O you who have believed, do not approach prayer while you are intoxicated until you know what you are saying or in a state of janabah, except those passing through [a place of prayer], until you have washed [your whole body]. And if you are ill or on a journey or one of you comes from the place of relieving himself or you have contacted women and find no water, then seek clean earth and wipe over your faces and your hands [with it]. Indeed, Allah is ever Pardoning and Forgiving.
Hadath:
The impurity and Allah mentioned Al hadath in the Quran in surat Al Nisaa verse 43 as we previously mentioned.
Hadath is two types:
A-the smallest impurity:
This is due to urination, defecation, or expelling intestinal gas.
The smallest impurity is eliminated by ablution( waduu), and dry ablution tayamum.
B- the biggest impurity:
Is due to sexual intercourse, menstruation, and childbirth menstruation.
The biggest impurity is eliminated by washing the whole body with water or tayammum if we can’t use water due to illness or the absence of water.
2- sensual purification:
This is to remove dirt from the body( al istinjaa), clothes, and place.
So, now we know that ablution and dry ablution is used to eliminate the smallest impurity, now we will know the difference between ablution and dry ablution.
Ablution
Is called in Arabic waduu, and this word means brightness and cleanliness.
Ablution is the washing of certain parts of the body with water as explained in Surat Al-Ma’idah verse 5
O you who have believed, when you rise to [perform] prayer, wash your faces and your forearms to the elbows and wipe over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles
tayammum video
What is dry ablution called?
Dry ablution is called Tayammum and this is an Arabic word that means in the language, the intention to do something.
dry ablution in Islam is to eliminate the impurity without water by wiping hands and face with pure dust.
So, the differences between tayammum and ablution are:
| ablution(water) | Dry ablution(tayammum) | |
| Matter used | water | -Pure dust or soil
-stone could be used instead of soil if it wasn’t found. |
| Type of impurity | the smallest impurity only | Both the smallest and the biggest impurity in the absence of water or illness. |
| The organs | are the Head, face, hands to elbows, and feet to ankles. | only hand and face. |
Dry Ablution in Quran
The worship of dry ablution was mentioned two times in the Quran and they are:
- Allah said in surat al nisaa verse 43
O you who have believed, do not approach prayer. At the same time, you are intoxicated until you know what you are saying or in a state of janabah, except those passing through [a place of prayer], until you have washed [your whole body]. And if you are ill or on a journey or one of you comes from the place of relieving himself or you have contacted women and find no water, then seek clean earth and wipe over your faces and your hands [with it]. Indeed, Allah is ever Pardoning and Forgiving.
- Allah said in surat al mai’daah verse 5.
O you who have believed, when you rise to [perform] prayer, wash your faces and your forearms to the elbows and wipe over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles. And 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 the place of relieving himself or you have contacted women and do not find water, then seek clean earth and wipe over your faces and hands with it. Allah does not intend to make difficulty for you, but He intends to purify you and complete His favor upon you that you may be grateful.
When can we do dry ablution?
Dry ablution is performed in some cases as follows:
1-the absence of water or the amount of water is not enough to perform Waduu or Ghosl.
As the prophet, PBUH said in Sahih Hadith
“Good soil is the ablution of a believer, even if he does not find water for ten years.”
2-if the amount of water is only enough for drinking and removing dirt.
3-injury or burn that would be harmed due to the usage of water.
4-the water is too cold to be used and we can’t warm it.
5-if the way to get water is dangerous.
6- if the time of performing wudu will lead to the expiry of the time of the mandatory salah.
how to do dry ablution?
The prophet PBUH showed the way to perform tayammum as follows:
1-On the authority of Ammar bin Yasir: The Prophet PBUH said about tayammum: A blow to the face and hands. Narrated by Ahmad and Abu Dawood.
2- on the authority of Ammar bin Yasser, may God be pleased with them both, he said: (The Prophet, PBUH, sent me on a need So I became ritually impure, and I did not find water, so I rolled on the ground as a beast rolls, then I came to the Prophet, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, and mentioned that to him, and he said: It was enough for you to do with your hands like this, then he hit the ground with his hands once, then wiped the left on the right and the surface of his palms and face.
So, the way to perform dry ablution steps is
1-start with the intention of purification.
2-saying bismillah
3-hit the pure soil or ground with opened hands one-time
4-wipe face with hands once.
5-wipe the surface of the right palm with the left hand.
6- wipe the surface of the left palm with the right hand
What is the importance of dry ablution?
In the era of the prophet PBUH, the mother of believers lost a necklace, and the prophet PBUH sent some of his companions to search for the necklace, they were in a place without water, and the time of the prayer was about to be expired, then the verse of Tayammum has been revealed.
So, from the previous story, we could understand the importance of dry ablution.
Importance of Tayammum
Here we will mention some examples of cases in which Muslims would need tayammum:
1-the absence of water
A lecturer is giving his lecture but the time of Dhuhr prayer was about to be ended, he left the lecture and went to perform Wuduu, where he found the water was cut off due to malfunction, and the time of prayer won’t be expanded till searching for water, in this case, he should perform Tayammum.
2-in a time of war
The soldiers on the battlefield are on the waterless side, and the water on the side of enemy, can’t go to get water, and they don’t have enough water to perform ablution.
3-sleeping
A man was sleeping on ritual impurity before he fell asleep when he woke up he found the time of the prayer was about to be ended and he won’t be able to perform Ghosl, he should perform Tayammum.
Summary
Purification for Muslims is mandatory to perform different types of worship, dry ablution ( Tayammum), ablution(Wuduu), and GHosl are the three types of Taharah in Islam.
tayammum dry ablution is purification without water, by using pure soil or stone.
dry ablution steps had been illustrated in the Quran and sunnah as Wuduu, and it’s very important in the absence of water or illness that will prevent the usage of water.
