How Long Is Tayammum Valid? Duration and Guidelines Explained

Hi again! As an alternative to wudu and ghusl Janabah, tayammum has a specific validity period. However, the validity periods for wudu and ghusl Janabah differ significantly from that of tayammum. Many Muslims are unaware of this. As a result, one common question they ask is: how long is tayammum valid?

Regardless of your reason for opening this article, I am confident that you are seeking an explanation regarding the validity period of tayammum. Don’t worry! I won’t disappoint you today. This is exactly what I will explain in this article. Trust me! You just need to read until the end!

Definition of Tayammum

First of all, let’s clarify the definition of tayammum. These are the essential aspects of tayammum that you must understand well before delving into other discussions about it.

In short, if you want to grasp the definition of tayammum, pay attention to the explanation below!

التَّيَمُّمُ هُوَ : التَّعَبُّدُ لِلَّهِ تَعَالَى بِقَصْدِ الصَّعِيْدِ الطَّيِّبِ لِمَسْحِ الْوَجْهِ وَالْيَدَيْنِ بِهِ

Tayammum is the act of worshiping Allah Ta'ala by using clean earth to wipe the face and hands.

In conclusion, tayammum involves using holy dust to wipe the face and hands to remove minor and major hadas as an act of worship to Allah. That's tayammum.

Read Also: Can Tayammum Replace Wudu?

You can find a more detailed explanation of tayammum in the following paragraphs.

Two Main Functions of Tayammum

Hi! Now I will explain the two main functions of tayammum. I have briefly discussed these functions in the paragraphs above, but I believe a more detailed explanation is necessary.

Pay attention to the explanation of the two main functions of tayammum below!

Alternative to Remove Minor Hadas

Minor hadas refers to an impure condition in the body of Muslims. When someone has minor hadas, they should refrain from performing acts that require a state of purity, such as Tawaf, holding the Quran, and praying, whether the obligatory prayers (Fajr, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, and Isha) or sunnah prayers (Qabliyah, Ba'diyah, Witr, Tahajjud, Duha, etc.).

If you consult some Islamic legal literature, you will find that five things can cause a Muslim to have minor hadas:

1. When a man's skin touches a non-mahram woman's skin without a barrier.
2. Loss of consciousness due to sleep, madness, etc.
3. Vomiting and nosebleeds.
4. Touching another person's vital organs (front or back) with the palm of the hand or the inside of the finger.
5. Any discharge from the two private openings: the front and back holes.

In Islam, minor hadas can be removed with wudu. I have explained what wudu is in several previous articles, so I won't elaborate further here. If Muslims are unable to perform wudu due to valid reasons in Islam, such as extreme cold weather or lack of water, they can use tayammum as an alternative to remove minor hadas.

You can find an explanation of the legality of tayammum as an alternative to wudu for removing minor hadas in the following Quranic verse and two hadiths:

يٰٓاَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا لَا تَقْرَبُوا الصَّلٰوةَ وَاَنْتُمْ سُكٰرٰى حَتّٰى تَعْلَمُوْا مَا تَقُوْلُوْنَ وَلَا جُنُبًا اِلَّا عَابِرِيْ سَبِيْلٍ حَتّٰى تَغْتَسِلُوْا ۗوَاِنْ كُنْتُمْ مَّرْضٰٓى اَوْ عَلٰى سَفَرٍ اَوْ جَاۤءَ اَحَدٌ مِّنْكُمْ مِّنَ الْغَاۤىِٕطِ اَوْ لٰمَسْتُمُ النِّسَاۤءَ فَلَمْ تَجِدُوْا مَاۤءً فَتَيَمَّمُوْا صَعِيْدًا طَيِّبًا فَامْسَحُوْا بِوُجُوْهِكُمْ وَاَيْدِيْكُمْ ۗ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ كَانَ عَفُوًّا غَفُوْرًا

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. (An-Nisa’ [4]: 43).

عَنْ اِبْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُمَا -- فِيْ قَوْلِهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ:…وَإِن كُنتُم مَّرۡضَىٰٓ أَوۡ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ … فَقَالَ ؛ إِذَا كَانَتْ بِالرَّجُلِ الْجِرَاحَةُ فِيْ سَبِيْلِ اللهِ وَالْقُرُوْحُ ، فَيَجْنُبُ ، فَيَخَافُ أَنْ يَمُوْتَ إِنِ اغْتَسَلَ ، تَيَمَّمَ . رَوَاهُ الدَّارُقُطْنِيُّ

From Ibn Abbas radliyallahu anhuma - regarding the word of Allah Azza wa Jalla, “… and if you are sick, or on a journey … (An-Nisa’ [4]; 43) — he then said, “If someone has a wound or ulcers in his body because of fighting in the way of Allah, and he is junub, fearing that he might die if he bathes, then he can perform tayammum.” This hadith is narrated by ad-Daruquthni.

عَنْ عَلِيٍّ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ : اِنْكَسَرَتْ إِحْدَى زَنْدَيَّ فَسَأَلْتُ رَسُوْلَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَأَمَرَنِيْ أَنْ أَمْسَحَ عَلَى الْجَبَائِرِ . رَوَاهُ اِبْنُ مَاجَهْ

From Ali radliyallahu anhu, he said, “One of my wrists was broken. I then asked the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, and he told me to rub on the bandage.” The hadith is narrated by Ibn Majah.

Alternative to Remove Major Hadas

Major hadas is an impure condition in the body of Muslims. If you have major hadas, you should refrain from performing acts that require you to be in a state of purity, as I explained previously.

Generally, there are six causes of major hadas for Muslims:

1. Death (for both men and women).
2. Emission of sperm (for both men and women).
3. Sexual relations between husband and wife (for both men and women).
4. The cessation of menstrual bleeding (only for women).
5. After childbirth (only for women).
6. The cessation of postpartum bleeding (only for women).

In Islam, major hadas can be removed with ghusl Janabah. If Muslims are unable to do this due to justified reasons in Islam, such as lack of water, extreme cold weather, or illness that prevents them from being exposed to water, they can perform tayammum as an alternative.

You can find an explanation of the legality of tayammum as an alternative to ghusl Janabah for removing major hadas in the Quranic verse mentioned above and in the following hadith:

عَنْ عَمَّارٍ بْنِ يَاسِرٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ : بَعَثَنِيْ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِيْ حَاجَةٍ . فَأَجْنَبْتُ فَلَمْ أَجِدْ الْمَاءَ . فَتَمَرَّغْتُ فِيْ الصَّعِيْدِ كَمَا تَتَمَرَّغُ الدَّابَةُ . ثُمَّ أَتَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَذَكَرْتُ لَهُ ذَلِكَ ، فَقَالَ : إِنَّمَا يَكْفِيْكَ أَنْ تَقُوْلَ بِيَدَيْكَ هَكَذَا . ثُمَّ ضَرَبَ بِيَدَيْهِ الْأَرْضَ ضَرْبَةً وَاحِدَةً ، ثُمَّ مَسَحَ الشِّمَالَ عَلَى الْيَمِينِ وَظَاهِرَ كَفَّيْهِ وَوَجْهِهِ . مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيْهِ

From Ammar bin Yasir radliyallahu anhuma, he said, "The Prophet (Muhammad) sallallahu alaihi wa sallam sent me for a purpose. I then became junub and found no water. I rolled on the ground like an animal. Then I went to the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam and mentioned that to him. He then said, "Surely you just need to do this with your hands." Then he struck the ground once with his hands. After that, he rubbed his left hand over his right hand, the outside of his palms, and his face." This hadith is narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

Best Practices of Tayammum

Hi! Are you still with me? Now I will explain the best practices of tayammum. It's important for you to understand these practices so you know what to do if you have minor or major hadas and cannot perform wudu or ghusl Janabah.

In general, you can find an explanation of the best practices for tayammum in the hadith below:

عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُمَا قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: التَّيَمُّمُ ضَرْبَتَانِ. ضَرْبَةٌ لِلْوَجْهِ وَضَرْبَةٌ لِلْيَدَيْنِ إِلَى الْمِرْفَقَيْنِ. رَوَاهُ الدَّارُقُطْنِيُّ

From Ibn Umar radliyallahu anhuma, he said, "The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam once said, 'Tayammum consists of two parts: one for the face and one for both hands, up to the elbows.'" This hadith is narrated by ad-Daruquthni.

Specifically, several steps must be followed if you want to perform tayammum:

• You must seek and possess holy dust.
• You should press your two palms onto the holy dust.
• You should rub your palms across your face once.
• You should make the Niyyah for tayammum when you wipe your face.

The Niyyah for tayammum is as follows:

نَوَيْتُ التَّيَمُّمَ لِإِسْتِبَاحَةِ الصَّلَاةِ فَرْضًا لِلَّهِ تَعَالَى

"I intend to perform tayammum in order to be allowed to pray, as an obligation, because of Allah Taala."

• You should place your palms on a different holy dust, not the one that has already been used.
• You should rub your palms over your hands up to the elbows.

How Long is Tayammum Valid?

Hi! Now I will explain the answer to the main question of this discussion: How long is tayammum valid? Please read the explanation below carefully so that you have no further questions about it. Of course, if you still have questions, feel free to write them in the comment section. I would be very happy to engage in a dialogue with you.

Read Also: Main Reasons for Performing Tayammum

If you want to know how long tayammum is valid, pay attention to the hadith below:

عَنْ اِبْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ تَعَالَى عَنْهُ قَالَ: مِنَ السُّنَّةِ أَنْ لَا يُصَلِّيَ الرُّجُلُ بِالتَّيَمُّمِ إِلَّا صَلَاةً وَاحِدَةً، ثُمَّ يَتَيَمَّمُ لِلصَّلَاةِ الْأُخْرَى. رَوَاهُ الدَّارُقُطْنِيُّ

From Ibn Abbas radliyallahu Ta'ala anhu, he said, "It is sunnah that a man should not pray with tayammum except for one prayer; then he must perform tayammum again for another prayer."

The hadith above explains that one tayammum is only valid for one prayer. If you want to pray again, you must perform tayammum once more.

So, the answer to the question is as follows:

1. The validity period of tayammum is limited to one act of worship that requires you to be in a state of purity (i.e., free from minor or major hadas).
2. Tayammum will remain valid as long as no events occur that cause you to incur major or minor hadas.

Do you have any questions? Please write them in the comment section!