Abu Dawud

323. Commentary:

➊ The word "tayyib" (pure) is evidence that the soil intended for tayammum (dry ablution) must be clean.

➋ Tayammum, in the absence of water, is equivalent to ablution (wudu); therefore, as long as the tayammum remains valid and water is not found, multiple prayers can be performed with it, and this hadith is proof of that. Some individuals, however, are of the opinion that tayammum is a purification of necessity. A thing of necessity ceases to apply once the necessity is over; thus, when the prayer has been performed, the necessity is considered ended, and so the tayammum is also ended. At the time of a new prayer, water must be sought again; if it is not found, then tayammum should be performed again. However, there is no explicit, authentic evidence that tayammum is nullified after performing one prayer—these are merely rational arguments. When the Shari‘ah has granted a concession due to necessity and has not set any limitation, then who are we to invalidate this great concession based on juristic subtleties and conjectures? Yes, it cannot be denied that at the time of the next prayer, one should only pray after confirming the continued absence of water, or if it is definitively known through reliable means that water is not available and its acquisition is not possible.

Commentary:
Note:
(In the chain of narration, Amr bin Bajdan is unknown (majhool), but this hadith is strengthened by the narration of Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu reported by al-Bazzar and others, thus this hadith is authentic. See: Sahih Sunan Abi Dawood 357, al-Irwa’ 153)

Fiqh al-Hadith
➊ Pure earth is a substitute for water; when water is not available, one should perform tayammum with it.
➋ Just as multiple prayers can be performed with one ablution (wudu), in the absence of water, multiple prayers can also be performed with one tayammum, and whatever invalidates ablution also invalidates tayammum.
➌ From «عشر سنين» it is understood that if water is not found for a long period, then during that time, prayers will be performed with tayammum.
➍ In the presence of water, without any valid excuse, one should not perform prayer with tayammum, because the original ruling is to perform prayer after ablution with water.
➎ Imam al-Nasa’i rahimahullah, contrary to other hadith scholars, has narrated this hadith in a somewhat concise manner, which is absolutely not harmful.

(The majority, Ahl al-Hadith, Imam Shafi‘i rahimahullah, Imam Ahmad rahimahullah) hold that performing ablution (wudu) with nabidh is not permissible. [بداية المجتهد 66/1]

Their evidences are as follows:
➊ Nabidh is not water, and Allah the Exalted has commanded purification only with absolute (unqualified) water, and in the case of water not being available, He has prescribed not nabidh but rather tayammum with earth, as is stated in the Qur’an:
«فَلَمْ تَجِدُوا مَاءً فَتَيَمَّمُوا صَعِيدًا طَيِّبًا» [4-النساء:43], [5-المائدة:6]

And in the hadith it is stated:
“Earth is the ablution (wudu) of a believer, even if he does not find water for ten years; but when water becomes available, then he should fear Allah and let it touch his body.” [صحيح: ابوداود 332]

Lexical Explanation:
«اَلصَّعِيدُ» refers to pure earth.
«وَإِنْ لَّمْ يَجِدْ» contains “inna wasliyyah,” which means: “even though.” Its consequence is always omitted, which is indicated by what precedes it.
«عَشْرَ سِنِينَ» means “ten years.” Here, exaggeration is intended; the specification of time or duration is not the objective. The meaning is that as long as water is not available, permission for tayammum remains.
«فَلْيَتَّقِ اللهَ» The meaning of “one should fear Allah” is that there should be no deficiency in purification and ablution, and one should not rely solely on earth.
«وَلْيُمِسَّهُ» is derived from «إِمْسَاس», meaning “to reach with water.”
«بَشَرَتَهُ» Both the “ba” and “sheen” have a fatha. It refers to the skin of the body.
«صَوَّبَ» is derived from «تَصْوِيب», and the meaning is that the mursal (disconnected) nature of this hadith is correct and authentic.

Benefits and Issues:
➊ This hadith provides the benefit that there is no fixed time or duration for tayammum, and when the excuse for the absence of water no longer remains, then the use of water becomes obligatory.
➋ In this hadith, tayammum is referred to as ablution (wudu), so it is as if tayammum is a substitute and replacement for ablution. Since it is a substitute for water, the rulings for both will be the same; that is, as many prayers as can be performed with one ablution, the same number can be performed with one tayammum.
➌ Some people, based on this hadith, do not consider tayammum to remove the state of ritual impurity (hadath). According to them, only prayer becomes permissible, and after finishing the prayer, the person returns to the previous state of being without ablution or in major impurity. The first opinion is that of the Hanafis, who hold that as long as tayammum remains valid, multiple obligatory prayers can be performed with one tayammum. This is also the view of Sa‘id ibn al-Musayyib, Hasan al-Basri, al-Zuhri, and Sufyan al-Thawri rahimahumullah. However, Imam al-Shafi‘i, Imam Malik, and Imam Ahmad rahimahumullah say that complete purification is not attained through tayammum; rather, the purification attained is like that of an excused person, which is obtained out of necessity for a limited period, and only one obligatory act (for which tayammum was performed) can be fulfilled with it.
➍ In Tirmidhi, the authentic hadith narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Dharr radi Allahu anhu, which has been referenced, is as follows: “When Sayyiduna Abu Dharr radi Allahu anhu could not adjust to the climate of Madinah, he mentioned this to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam instructed him to stay among the camels. Sayyiduna Abu Dharr radi Allahu anhu states that he began living among the camels. After some time, Abu Dharr radi Allahu anhu said to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, ‘Abu Dharr is ruined.’ The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam asked, ‘What happened?’ He replied, ‘I become junub (in a state requiring ritual bath) and I do not have water (what should I do?).’ The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: ‘For one who does not find water, earth is a means of purification, even if this remains the case for ten years.’ The narration in Tirmidhi is concise. For details, see: [سنن أبى داود، الطهارة، باب الجنب يتيمم، حديث : 332، 333]

Hadith Narrator: (Sayyiduna Abu Dharr radi Allahu anhu) There is a shaddah on the “ra.” His name was Jundub ibn Junadah. In “Junadah,” the “jeem” has a dammah. He was among those noble Companions radi Allahu anhum who were ascetic and disinterested in worldly matters. He entered Islam at the very beginning in Makkah. Then he returned to his tribe. He later presented himself to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam in Madinah. He resided in the area of Rabadhah, and passed away there in 32 AH. He was very pious, God-fearing, and reliant upon Allah.