Main Reasons for Performing Tayammum: Understanding Its Significance

Hi again! Tayammum is one of the most important topics in Islamic law. It serves as an alternative for removing minor and major hadas when water is not available for performing wudu and ghusl Janabah. There are many significant discussions about this in Islamic legal literature, one of which focuses on the main reasons for performing tayammum.

Regardless of your reason for opening this article, I am confident that you are seeking an explanation of the main reasons for performing tayammum. Trust me! I will not disappoint you today. This is all I will explain today, along with some important aspects of tayammum that you should understand. So, you just need to read this article to the end!

What Is Tayammum?

First, I will explain the meaning of tayammum. It is crucial to understand this first, as it is the most fundamental aspect of tayammum.

In simple terms, you can find the meaning of tayammum in the definition below:

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

Tayammum is the act of worshiping Allah Taala by using clean earth to wipe the face and both hands.

If you understand the definition of tayammum above, you can conclude two key points:

• Tayammum is a form of worship to Allah Taala.
• Tayammum is performed by using clean dust to wipe the face and both hands.

That is a brief explanation of the meaning of tayammum. As a Muslim, it is essential for you to understand this.

Is Tayammum Allowed?

Is tayammum allowed? This may seem like a trivial question for Muslims who already know the answer, but it is a very important inquiry for those who are unaware, especially for recent converts to Islam.

If you want to know whether tayammum is permissible in Islam, you should consider the following Quranic verses and hadiths!

Quran About Tayammum

The Quranic verse about tayammum that I mean is as follows:

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).

The above Quranic verse explains that if Muslims do not have water to remove small hadas due to defecation or touching women, they must perform tayammum.

Hadith About Tayammum

There are many hadiths about tayammum, but I will explain just two of them here.

The two hadiths about tayammum that I mean are as follows:

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. He told me to rub over the bandage.” This hadith is narrated by Ibn Majah.

This hadith explains that when Ali bin Abi Talib's wrist was broken, Prophet Muhammad, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, instructed him to perform tayammum instead of wudu.

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 - about the word of Allah Azza wa Jalla, “… and if you are sick, or on a journey …” (An-Nisa’ [4]: 43) — he said, “If someone has wounds and ulcers due to fighting in the way of Allah and is junub, and fears that he will die if he bathes, then he can perform tayammum.” This hadith is narrated by ad-Daruquthni.

This hadith explains that if a Muslim is sick and fears that he might die if exposed to water, then he must perform tayammum.

Read Also: How Long Is Tayammum Valid?

Now, is tayammum allowed in Islam? Based on all the explanations above, you can conclude that the answer to this question is, "Yes, tayammum is permitted in Islam."

That is a brief explanation of the legality of tayammum in Islam. As a Muslim, it is essential to understand this.

Main Functions of Tayammum

Now I will explain the main functions of tayammum. I am sure there are many Muslims who do not fully understand these functions. You might be one of them. If that is the case, please read the explanation below carefully.

If you have understood the previous explanations, you can conclude that there are two main functions of tayammum:

• Tayammum as a substitute for wudu.
• Tayammum as a substitute for ghusl Janabah.

The explanation of these two functions is as follows:

Tayammum as a Substitute for Wudu

The basis for the argument that tayammum can replace wudu to remove small hadas is found in the Quranic verse and hadiths I have previously quoted. Understanding these two sources will help you recognize that tayammum is a valid substitute for wudu.

In simple terms, if you have small hadas and cannot perform wudu due to circumstances allowed in Islam, you can perform tayammum as a substitute.

Tayammum as a Substitute for Ghusl Janabah

The second function of tayammum is as a substitute for ghusl Janabah. Ghusl Janabah is a bath intended to remove major hadas, where all the skin of the body must be washed with water.

The basis for the argument that tayammum can replace ghusl Janabah is supported by 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 on an errand. I became junub and found no water. I then rolled on the earth like an animal. After that, I went to the Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, and informed him of this. He said, ‘You just need to do this with your hands.’ Then he struck the earth once with his hands. After that, he rubbed his left hand on his right hand, the outside of his palms, and his face.” This hadith is narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

In simple terms, if you have major hadas and cannot perform ghusl Janabah due to justifiable circumstances in Islam, you can perform tayammum as a substitute.

That is a brief explanation of the main functions of tayammum. As a Muslim, it is important for you to understand this.

The Main Reasons for Performing Tayammum

Now, I will explain the main reasons for performing tayammum. It’s important to understand these reasons so that you know when and why you should perform tayammum. Additionally, I want you to grasp the urgency of tayammum, which is not well understood by some Muslims.

In short, there are two main reasons why Muslims need to perform tayammum:

• There is no water available for wudu or Ghusl Janabah.
• Our bodies cannot be exposed to water due to illness.

Here’s a further explanation of these two reasons:

No Water for Wudu or Ghusl Janabah

The lack of water for wudu or Ghusl Janabah is the first and most common reason why Muslims must perform tayammum. This explanation is found in two sentences from the Quran and hadith that I mentioned in the previous paragraphs:

• فَلَمْ تَجِدُوْا مَاۤءً فَتَيَمَّمُوْا
• فَأَجْنَبْتُ فَلَمْ أَجِدْ الْمَاءَ

So, if you do not have water to perform wudu or Ghusl Janabah, you must perform tayammum.

Our Bodies Cannot Be Exposed to Water Due to Illness

If our bodies cannot be exposed to water because we are ill, then we can perform tayammum. This is the second reason for performing tayammum. For instance, if we are sick and the doctor advises against bathing or coming into contact with water, we must perform tayammum instead of wudu. This is all for our health.

Read Also: Can Tayammum Replace Wudu?

One important point I want to emphasize is that we must prioritize our health. For example, if the weather is extremely cold and performing wudu could lead to illness, then tayammum can be a suitable alternative.

That is a brief explanation of the main reasons for performing tayammum and some important considerations regarding it. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave them in the comments!

Have a nice day!