1.      Tayammum literally means “Intending”, but in Islamic Shariah the words refers to intending or looking to find soil to wipe one’s hands and face so as to be prepared for Salah and other acts requiring Wudhu or Ghusl

يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لَا تَقۡرَبُواْ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَأَنتُمۡ سُكَـٰرَىٰ حَتَّىٰ تَعۡلَمُواْ مَا تَقُولُونَ وَلَا جُنُبًا إِلَّا عَابِرِى سَبِيلٍ حَتَّىٰ تَغۡتَسِلُواْ‌ۚ وَإِن كُنتُم مَّرۡضَىٰٓ أَوۡ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ أَوۡ جَآءَ أَحَدٌ۬ مِّنكُم مِّنَ ٱلۡغَآٮِٕطِ أَوۡ لَـٰمَسۡتُمُ ٱلنِّسَآءَ فَلَمۡ تَجِدُواْ مَآءً۬ فَتَيَمَّمُواْ صَعِيدً۬ا طَيِّبً۬ا فَٱمۡسَحُواْ بِوُجُوهِكُمۡ وَأَيۡدِيكُمۡ‌ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَفُوًّا غَفُورًا

[4:43]O you who believe! Do not go near Salāh when you are intoxicated, until you know what you say, nor in a state of major impurity‘. save when you are traversing a way until you take a bath. If you are sick, or in travel, or if one of you has come after relieving himself, or you have had contact with women, and you find no water, go for some clean dust and wipe your faces and hands (with it). Surely, Allah is Most-Pardoning, Most-Forgiving.

أبي أمامة - رضي اللّه عنه - أن رسول اللّه صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: " جعلت الأرض كلها لي، ولأمتي مسجداً وطهوراً، فأيما أدركت رجلاً من أمتي الصلاة، فعنده طَهوره ". رواه أحمد.

Abu Umamah (RA) related that the Messenger of Allah (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) said, “All of the earth has been made for me and my nation a pure place of prayer. Whenever a person from my nation wants to pray, he has something with which to purify himself, that is, the earth.” [Ahmed]

2.      Tayammum is a special blessing of Allah (SWT) on the Ummah of the Messenger of Allah (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam).

فعن جابر - رضي اللّه عنه - أن رسول اللّه صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: " أُعطيت خمساً، لم يعطهن أحد قبلي؛ نُصرت بالرُّعب مسيرةَ شهر، وجعلت لي الأرض مسجداً وطهوراً، فأيما رجل من أمتي أدركته الصلاة، فليصلِّ، وأُحلت لي الغنائم، ولم تحل لأحد قبلي، وأعطيت الشفاعة، وكان النبي يبعث في قومه خاصة، وبعثت إلى الناس عامَّة ". رواه الشيخان.

Narrated Jabir bin 'Abdullah (RA): Allah's Apostle (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) said, "I have been given five things which were not given to any amongst the Prophets before me. These are:

1. Allah made me victorious by awe (by His frightening my enemies) for a distance of one month's journey.

2. The earth has been made for me (and for my followers) a place for praying and a thing to perform Tayammum. Therefore my followers can pray wherever the time of a prayer is due.

3. The booty has been made Halal (lawful) for me (and was not made so for anyone else).

4. Every Prophet used to be sent to his nation exclusively but I have been sent 1o all mankind.

5. I have been given the right of intercession (on the Day of Resurrection.) [Agreed upon]

3. In the Madhab of Imam Abu Haneefa (RA), Tayammum is permitted in the following circumstances:

a)      When water is not available (*)

b)      When one lacks the means to get the water

c)      When there is a danger lurking between him/her and the water e.g. a beast or human

d)     When one is a prisoner under harsh conditions

e)      When the quantity of water is only sufficient to meet the basic necessities e.g. drinking, cooking, or water for the animal

f)       When one is ill or feels that using water will aggravate the illness

g)      When one is in a state of Janabah (sexual impurity) and fears that one will die from cold or become ill if Ghusl is made with water (provided that one has no means to heat the water or use public bathrooms). Tayammum is a substitute for Wudhu or Ghusl.

روت عائشة - رضي اللّه عنها - قالت: خرجنا مع النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم في بعض أسفاره، حتى إذا كنا بالبيدَاء، انقطع عقد لي، فأقام النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم على التماسه، وأقام الناس معه، وليسوا على ماء، وليس معهم ماء، فأتى الناس إلى أبي بكر - رضي اللّه عنه - فقالوا: ألا ترى إلى ما صنعت عائشة ؟ فجاء أبو بكر، والنبي صلى الله عليه وسلم على فخذي قد نام، فعاتبني، وقال ما شاء اللّه أن يقول، وجعل يطعن بيده خاصرتي، فما يمنعني من التحرك، إلا مكان النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم على فخذي، فنام، حتى أصبح على غير ماء، فأنزل اللّه تعالى آية التيمم: " فَتَيَمَّمُوا " [المائدة: 6]. قال أسيد بن الحُضَير: ما هي أول  بركتكم يا آل أبي بكر. فقالت: فبعثنا البعير الذي كنت عليه، فوجدنا العقد تحته. رواه الجماعة، إلا الترمذي

Said 'Aishah, "We went out with the Messenger of Allah on one of his journeys until we reached Baida'. At this place, one of my bracelets broke and fell somewhere. The Messenger of Allah and others began to look for it. There was no water at that place, nor did anyone have any water with him. The people went to Abu Bakr and said, "Do you see what your daughter has done?" Abu Bakr came to me, while the Prophet was sleeping on my thigh. He blamed me and said to me whatever Allah willed him to say. He also poked me in my side. I could not move, for the Prophet, upon whom be peace, was sleeping on my lap. He slept until the morning without any water available. Then, Allah revealed the verse of tayammum. As-Sayyid ibn Huzhain said, 'That was not the first blessing from the family of Abu Bakr.' The camel that I was on got up and we found the necklace underneath it." [Narrated by the group except Tirmidhi]

عمران بن حُصين - رضي اللّه عنه - قال: كنا مع رسول اللّه صلى الله عليه وسلم في سفر، فصلى بالناس؛ فإذا هو برجل معتزل، فقال: "ما منعك أن تصلي ؟". قال: أصابتني جنابة، ولا ماء. قال: "عليك بالصعيد؛ فإنه يكفيك"

. رواه الشيخان،

Narrated 'Imran bin Husain Al-Khuza'i (RA): Allah's Apostle (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) saw a person sitting aloof and not praying with the people. He (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) asked him, "O so and so! What prevented you from offering the prayer with the people?" He replied, "O Allah's Apostle (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam)! I am Junub and there is no water." The Prophet said, "Perform Tayammum with clean earth and that will be sufficient for you." [Agreed upon]

جابر - رضي اللّه عنه - قال: خرجنا في سفر، فأصاب رجلاً منا حجر، فشجه في رأسه، ثم احتلم، فسأل أصحابه: هل تجدون لي رخصة في التيمم ؟ فقالوا: ما نجد لك رخصة، وأنت تقدر على الماء. فاغتسل، فمات، فلما قدمنا على رسول اللّه صلى الله عليه وسلم، أخبر بذلك، فقال: " قتلوه، قتلهم اللّه، ألا سألوا إذا لم يعلموا ! فإنما شفاء العِِيِّ السؤال ، إنما كان يكفيه أن يتيمم، ويعصر، أو يعصب على جرحه خرقة، ثم يمسح عليه، ويغسل سائر جسده ". رواه أبو داود، وابن ماجه، والدارقطني، وصححه ابن السّكن

Jabir (RA) said: We set out on a journey. One of our people was hurt by a stone which injured his head. He then had a wet dream. He asked his companions, “Do you find concession for me to do Tayammum?” They said, “We do not find any concession for you while you can use water.” He did Ghusl and died because of it. We then went to Rasul-ullah (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) and the incident was reported to him. He (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) said, “They killed him, may Allah (SWT) kill them. Why did they not ask about what they do not know? The cure for ignorance is to ask. It would have been enough for him to do Tayammum and wrap his wound, then to wipe it and wash the rest of the body.” [Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, DarQutni and Ibn Sakin who authenticated it]

عمرو بن العاص _ رضي اللّه عنه _ أنه لما بعث في غزوة ذات السلاسل، قال: احتلمت في ليلة شديدة البرودة، فأشفقت إن اغتسلت أن أهلك، ثم صليت بأصحابي صلاة الصبح، فلما قدمنا على رسول اللّه صلى الله عليه وسلم، ذكروا ذلك له، فقال: " يا عمرو، صليت بأصحابك، وأنت جنب؟ ". فقلت: ذكرت قول اللّه، عزّ وجل: " وَلاَ تَقْتُلُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُمْ رَحِيماً " [النساء: 39]. فتيممت، ثم صليت فضحك رسول اللّه، ولم يقل شيئاً

. رواه أحمد، وأبو داود، والحاكم، والدَّارقطني، وابن حبان، وعلقه البخاري

Amr Ibn Al-Aas (RA) said: I had a wet dream on a cold night in the battle of Dhat Al-Salasil. I was afraid if I did Ghusl I would die, I therefore did Tayammum and led the Fajr Salah with my companions. They mentioned this to the Messenger of Allah (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) and He (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) said, “Amr, you led your companions in Salah while in the state of Janabah?” I informed him of the cause which impeded me from Ghusl and I said, “I heard Allah (SWT) say, “Do not kill yourself. Indeed, Allah has been Very-Merciful to you (4:29).” the Messenger of Allah (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) just smiled and did not say anything. [Ahmed, Abu Dawud, Hakim, Daraqutni, Ibn Hibban and Bukhari in Mu'allaq form]

قال الإمام أحمد - رضي اللّه عنه: عدة من الصحابة تيمموا، وحبسوا الماء؛ لشفاههم.

Imam Ahmed (RA) says, “Many amongst the Sahaba (RA) did Tayammum and kept the water for drinking and there is no disagreement amongst scholars in this matter”. [Al-Mughni]

وعن علي - رضي اللّه عنه - أنه قال، في الرجل يكون في السفر، فتصيبه الجنابة، ومعه قليل من الماء، يخاف أن يعطش: يتيمم، ولا يغتسل. رواه الدارقطني

'Ali (RA) said that a man who is travelling and becomes unclean because of sex or a wet dream can perform tayammum if he fears he will go thirsty: "He should perform tayammum and not ghusl." [Darqutni]

If the water is available but there is danger to one’s life or property in getting to it or there is a danger that one will be separated from his companions, or that one will be ambushed by enemy while getting the water, or there is nothing to draw the water from the well then all of these conditions will make Tayammum permissible and there is no disagreement amongst scholars in this matter. [Al-Mughni]

Note: Scholars in the Hanafi Madhab have stipulated that the distance of water not being available is roughly 1 mile.

4. Person considering Tayammum does not have to search for water if he/she does not think in all likelihood that there is no water in the vicinity. However if he/she does think that there is a likelihood that there water may be found then Tayammum will not be permissible (on account on lack of availability of water) until he/she has searched for it.

Note: Scholars in the Hanafi Madhab have stipulated that the distance of water not being available is roughly 1 mile.

5. If a traveller forgets that he/she had water in their belongings and does Tayammum and performs Salah then according to Imam Abu Haneefa (RA) and Imam Muhammad (RA) he/she does not need to repeat the Salah but according to Imam Abu Yusuf (RA) Salah needs to be repeated.

Note: Scholars in the Hanafi Madhab have stipulated that the distance of water not being available is roughly 1 mile.

6. Tayammum is only permitted with clean earth (*).

يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِذَا قُمۡتُمۡ إِلَى ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ فَٱغۡسِلُواْ وُجُوهَكُمۡ وَأَيۡدِيَكُمۡ إِلَى ٱلۡمَرَافِقِ وَٱمۡسَحُواْ بِرُءُوسِكُمۡ وَأَرۡجُلَڪُمۡ إِلَى ٱلۡكَعۡبَيۡنِ‌ۚ وَإِن كُنتُمۡ جُنُبً۬ا فَٱطَّهَّرُواْ‌ۚ وَإِن كُنتُم مَّرۡضَىٰٓ أَوۡ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ أَوۡ جَآءَ أَحَدٌ۬ مِّنكُم مِّنَ ٱلۡغَآٮِٕطِ أَوۡ لَـٰمَسۡتُمُ ٱلنِّسَآءَ فَلَمۡ تَجِدُواْ مَآءً۬ فَتَيَمَّمُواْ صَعِيدً۬ا طَيِّبً۬ا فَٱمۡسَحُواْ بِوُجُوهِڪُمۡ وَأَيۡدِيكُم مِّنۡهُ‌ۚ مَا يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ لِيَجۡعَلَ عَلَيۡڪُم مِّنۡ حَرَجٍ۬ وَلَـٰكِن يُرِيدُ لِيُطَهِّرَكُمۡ وَلِيُتِمَّ نِعۡمَتَهُ ۥ عَلَيۡكُمۡ لَعَلَّڪُمۡ تَشۡكُرُونَ

[5:6] O you who believe, when you rise for Salāh, (prayer) wash your faces and your hands up to the elbows, and make MasH (wiping by hands) of your heads and (wash) your feet up to the ankles. If you are in a state of major impurity, cleanse yourselves well (by taking bath). If you are sick, or on a journey, or if one of you has come after relieving himself, or you have had sexual contact with women, and you find no water, then, go for some clean dust and wipe your faces and hands with it. Allah does not like to impose a problem on you; He, rather likes to cleanse you and to complete His favour upon you, so that you may be grateful.

Sa’id in this verse is understood to mean whatever covers the earth’s surface and is of the same genus as dust, stone etc.

Note: Imam Abu Haneefa (RA) and Imam Muhammad (RA) allow Tayammum with dust (Turab), sand, pebbles, lime, Kohl antimony, arsenic and stone while Imam Abu Yusuf (RA) allows it with dust, earth and sand. A list of items on which Tayammum is permissible in the Hanafi Madhab is given in Ta’leemul-Haq as:

a) Clean Earth

b) Sand

c) Stone

d) Limestone

e) Baked Earthen Pots (unglazed)

f) Walls of mud, stone or brick

g) Clay

h) All items with think dust on them

7. Bismillah should be recited and then Intention must be made before Tayammum e.g. “I am making Tayammum for Wudhu (or Ghusl).” There is no disagreement amongst scholars on this matter.

حدثنا ‏ ‏الحميدي عبد الله بن الزبير ‏ ‏قال حدثنا ‏ ‏سفيان ‏ ‏قال حدثنا ‏ ‏يحيى بن سعيد الأنصاري ‏ ‏قال أخبرني ‏ ‏محمد بن إبراهيم التيمي ‏ ‏أنه سمع ‏ ‏علقمة بن وقاص الليثي ‏ ‏يقول سمعت ‏ ‏عمر بن الخطاب ‏ ‏رضي الله عنه ‏ ‏على المنبر ‏‏قال سمعت رسول الله ‏ ‏صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ ‏يقول ‏ ‏إنما الأعمال ‏ ‏بالنيات ‏ ‏وإنما لكل امرئ ما نوى فمن كانت هجرته إلى دنيا ‏ ‏يصيبها ‏ ‏أو إلى امرأة ينكحها فهجرته إلى ما هاجر إليه

Narrated 'Umar bin Al-Khattab (RA): Allah's Apostle (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) said, "The reward of deeds depends upon the intention and every person will get the reward according to what he has intended. So whoever emigrated for Allah and His Apostle, then his emigration was for Allah and His Apostle. And whoever emigrated for worldly benefits or for a woman to marry, his emigration was for what he emigrated for." [Bukhari]

Note: Intention doesn’t need to be uttered verbally or loudly, it is an action of the heart.

8. After intention strike both hands on the clean earth, dust the hands, then blow the excess dirt off the hands and then rub the hands on the face completely (without leaving any space). Then strike both hands on the clean earth, dust the hands, then blow the excess dirt off the hands and then rub the right hand completely over the left hand including the elbow and then rub the left hand completely over the right hand including the elbow.

عمار - رضي اللّه عنه - قال: أجنبت، فلم أصب الماء، فتمعّكتُ  في الصعيد، وصليت، فذكرت ذلك للنبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، فقال: " إنما كان يكفيك هكذا ". وضرب النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم بكفيه الأرض، ونفخ فيهما، ثم مسح بهما وجهه وكفيه. رواه الشيخان. وفي لفظ آخر: " إنما كان يكفيك أن تضرب بكفيك في التراب، ثم تنفخ فيهما، ثم تمسح بهما وجهك وكفيك إلى الرسغين ". رواه الدارقطني.

 'Ammar related. He said, "We became sexually impure and had no water, so we rolled in the dirt and prayed. This was mentioned to the Prophet and he said, 'This would have been enough for you,' and he struck the earth with his hands, blew in them and then wiped his face and hands with them." [Agreed upon]. In another text he states, "It would have been enough for you to strike the ground with your hands, blow into them, then wipe your face and hands up to the elbows." [Darqutni]

9. Nullifiers of Tayammum are divided into two categories:

a) General: Everything which nullifies Wudhu will nullify Tayammum

b) Specific: Accessibility of water with ability to avail it while or before Salah will nullify Tayammum; Person in this case must do Wudhu or if during Salah break Salah and do Wudhu and then resume Salah

‏حدثنا ‏ ‏أبو الوليد ‏ ‏حدثنا ‏ ‏سلم بن زرير ‏ ‏سمعت ‏ ‏أبا رجاء ‏ ‏قال حدثنا ‏ ‏عمران بن حصين ‏
‏أنهم كانوا مع النبي ‏ ‏صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ ‏في مسير ‏ ‏فأدلجوا ‏ ‏ليلتهم حتى إذا كان وجه الصبح ‏ ‏عرسوا ‏ ‏فغلبتهم أعينهم حتى ارتفعت الشمس فكان أول من استيقظ من منامه ‏ ‏أبو بكر ‏ ‏وكان لا يوقظ رسول الله ‏ ‏صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ ‏من منامه حتى يستيقظ فاستيقظ ‏ ‏عمر ‏ ‏فقعد ‏ ‏أبو بكر ‏ ‏عند رأسه فجعل يكبر ويرفع صوته حتى استيقظ النبي ‏ ‏صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ ‏فنزل وصلى بنا الغداة فاعتزل رجل من القوم لم يصل معنا فلما انصرف قال يا فلان ما يمنعك أن تصلي معنا قال أصابتني جنابة فأمره أن يتيمم بالصعيد ثم صلى وجعلني رسول الله ‏ ‏صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ ‏في ركوب بين يديه وقد عطشنا عطشا شديدا فبينما نحن نسير إذا نحن بامرأة ‏ ‏سادلة ‏ ‏رجليها بين ‏ ‏مزادتين ‏ ‏فقلنا لها أين الماء فقالت إنه لا ماء فقلنا كم بين أهلك وبين الماء قالت يوم وليلة فقلنا انطلقي إلى رسول الله ‏ ‏صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ ‏قالت وما رسول الله فلم نملكها من أمرها حتى استقبلنا بها النبي ‏ ‏صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ ‏فحدثته بمثل الذي حدثتنا غير أنها حدثته أنها ‏ ‏مؤتمة ‏ ‏فأمر ‏ ‏بمزادتيها ‏ ‏فمسح في ‏ ‏العزلاوين ‏ ‏فشربنا عطاشا أربعين رجلا حتى روينا فملأنا كل قربة معنا وإداوة غير أنه لم نسق بعيرا وهي تكاد ‏ ‏تنض ‏ ‏من الملء ثم قال هاتوا ما عندكم فجمع لها من الكسر والتمر حتى أتت أهلها قالت لقيت أسحر الناس أو هو نبي كما زعموا فهدى الله ذاك ‏ ‏الصرم ‏ ‏بتلك المرأة فأسلمت وأسلموا

Narrated 'Imran (RA): Once we were travelling with the Prophet (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) and we carried on travelling till the last part of the night and then we (halted at a place) and slept (deeply). There is nothing sweeter than sleep for a traveller in the last part of the night. So it was only the heat of the sun that made us to wake up and the first to wake up was so and so, then so and so and then so and so (the narrator 'Auf said that Abu Raja' had told him their names but he had forgotten them) and the fourth person to wake up was 'Umar bin Al-Khattab (RA). And whenever the Prophet (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) used to sleep, nobody would wake up him till he himself used to get up as we did not know what was happening (being revealed) to him in his sleep. So, 'Umar (RA) got up and saw the condition of the people, and he was a strict man, so he said, "Allahu Akbar" and raised his voice with Takbir, and kept on saying loudly till the Prophet (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) got up because of it. When he got up, the people informed him about what had happened to them. He (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) said, "There is no harm (or it will not be harmful). Depart!" So they departed from that place, and after covering some distance the Prophet (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) stopped and asked for some water to perform the ablution. So he performed the ablution and the call for the prayer was pronounced and he led the people in prayer. After he (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) finished from the prayer, he saw a man sitting aloof who had not prayed with the people. He (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) asked, "O so and so! What has prevented you from praying with us?" He replied, "I am Junub and there is no water. " The Prophet s(Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) aid, "Perform Tayammum with (clean) earth and that is sufficient for you."

Then the Prophet (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) proceeded on and the people complained to him of thirst. Thereupon he got down and called a person (the narrator 'Auf added that Abu Raja' had named him but he had forgotten) and 'Ali (RA) , and ordered them to go and bring water. So they went in search of water and met a woman who was sitting on her camel between two bags of water. They asked, "Where can we find water?" She replied, "I was there (at the place of water) this hour yesterday and my people are behind me." They requested her to accompany them. She asked, "Where?" They said, "To Allah's Apostle (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam)." She said, "Do you mean the man who is called the Sabi, (with a new religion)?" They replied, "Yes, the same person. So come along." They brought her to the Prophet (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) and narrated the whole story. He (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) said, "Help her to dismount." The Prophet (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) asked for a pot, then he (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) opened the mouths of the bags and poured some water into the pot. Then he (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) closed the big openings of the bags and opened the small ones and the people were called upon to drink and water their animals. So they all watered their animals and they (too) all quenched their thirst and also gave water to others and last of all the Prophet (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) gave a pot full of water to the person who was Junub and told him to pour it over his body. The woman was standing and watching all that which they were doing with her water. By Allah, when her water bags were returned the looked like as if they were more full (of water) than they had been before (Miracle of Allah's Apostle) Then the Prophet (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) ordered us to collect something for her; so dates, flour and Sawiq were collected which amounted to a good meal that was put in a piece of cloth. She was helped to ride on her camel and that cloth full of food-stuff was also placed in front of her and then the Prophet (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) said to her, "We have not taken your water but Allah has given water to us." She returned home late. Her relatives asked her: "O so and so what has delayed you?" She said, "A strange thing! Two men met me and took me to the man who is called the Sabi' and he did such and such a thing. By Allah, he is either the greatest magician between this and this (gesturing with her index and middle fingers raising them towards the sky indicating the heaven and the earth) or he is Allah's true Apostle."

Afterwards the Muslims used to attack the pagans around her abode but never touched her village. One day she said to her people, "I think that these people leave you purposely. Have you got any inclination to Islam?" They obeyed her and all of them embraced Islam.

Abu 'Abdultah said: The word Saba'a means "The one who has deserted his old religion and embraced a new religion." Abul 'Ailya said, "The Sabis are a sect of people of the Scripture who recite the Book of Psalms.". [Bukhari]

فعن أبي سعيد الخدري - رضي اللّه عنه - قال: خرج رجلان في سفر، فحضرت الصلاة، وليس معهما ماء، فتيمما صعيداً طيباً، فصليا، ثم وجد الماء في الوقت، فأعاد أحدهما الوضوء والصلاة، ولم يعد الآخر، ثم أتيا رسول اللّه صلى الله عليه وسلم، فذكرا له ذلك، فقال للذي لم يعد: " أصبتَ السنة، وأجزأتك صلاتك "

. وقال للذي توضأ، وأعاد: "لك الأجر مرتين ". رواه أبو داود، والنسائي.

Abu Said Al-Khudri (RA) said that two men went out for a journey. The time for Salah came and as they had no water, they did Tayammum with pure earth and did Salah, then they found water during the time for the same Salah and one of them repeated the Salah while the other didn’t. When they joined the Messenger of Allah (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) , they mentioned this to him and he (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) said to the one who did not repeat his Salah, “You have acted according to Sunnah and your Salah is sufficient for you” and he (Sallaho Alaihe Wassallam) said to the other, “You will get double the reward”. [Abu Dawud]

Compulsory actions of Tayammum (Faraidh):

1.     Making intention

2.     Rub both hands on the face after striking them on the earth

3.     Rub both hands on the arms up to the elbow after striking them on the earth

Permissible items for Tayammum:

1.     Clean (Taahir) earth

2.     Sand

3.     Stone

4.     Limestone

5.     Baked earthen pots (unglazed)

6.     Walls of mud, stone or brick

7.     Clay

8.     All items with thick layer of dust on them                                                                           

Impermissible items for Tayammum:

1.     Wood

2.     Metal

3.     Glass

4.     Food items

5.     All items which burn and turn into ash, rot or melt