Bukhari

Hadith Commentary:
1.
Shah Waliullah Muhaddith Dehlawi rahimahullah writes in the explanation of the chapter headings of Bukhari that Imam Bukhari radi Allahu anhu’s position in this matter is the same as that of the Zahiri scholars and some other mujtahids: that tayammum should be performed on the face and palms only, and that specifying up to the elbows is not necessary, even though the majority (jumhur) hold the opposite view.
The position of the Zahiri scholars is that in tayammum, wiping is only up to the palms.
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal rahimahullah also holds this view.
Imam Bukhari radi Allahu anhu, through the narrations he presents, supports this position.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah clarifies Imam Bukhari’s position in these words:
It is obligatory that in tayammum, only the face and palms are wiped.
Imam Bukhari has titled the chapter with certainty (sighah jazm).
Even though there is well-known disagreement in this matter.
This is because Imam Bukhari has a very strong proof for this; among all the hadiths transmitted regarding the manner of tayammum, only the hadiths of Abu Juhaym radi Allahu anhu and Ammar radi Allahu anhu are authentic.
Other than these, the rest of the hadiths are either weak or there is disagreement about whether they are mawquf or marfu‘.
The correct view is that they are mawquf.
In the hadith of Abu Juhaym, the mention of the hands is general, and in the hadith of Ammar radi Allahu anhu, the mention is of the palms.
As stated in the Sahihayn, however, the mention of elbows, half the forearm, and armpits is found in the books of Sunan. The narrations in which half the forearm or elbows are mentioned have been much discussed, and as for those narrations in which the armpits are mentioned, regarding them Imam Shafi‘i rahimahullah says that if it is established from the command of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, then his practical method has abrogated it, and if it is not established from his command, then how can it be used as evidence?
The narration of the Sahihayn, in which only the face and palms are mentioned, is also supported by the fatwa of Ammar radi Allahu anhu, who after the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would give the ruling that only the face and palms should be wiped in tayammum.
The narrator of the hadith can best understand the intent of the hadith, especially when he is also a mujtahid.
(Fath al-Bari: 576)
Imam Tirmidhi rahimahullah has written, quoting some scholars, that the hadith of Ammar is not a valid proof due to its irregularity (idtirab), because in some of its chains, wiping up to the shoulders and armpits is mentioned.
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah, by narrating from his six different teachers, has established that the narration mentioning wiping the palms and face is stronger than the other narrations, including the one mentioning shoulders and armpits.
(Sunan Abi Dawud, al-Taharah, Hadith: 318)
Imam Tirmidhi rahimahullah has transmitted the answer in these words: that it is not contrary to the narration of the face and palms, because Ammar radi Allahu anhu does not say that when he asked the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam about this, he was commanded to wipe only the palms and face.
Then Ammar radi Allahu anhu, even after the life of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, would give the fatwa that in tayammum, only the face and palms should be wiped.
(Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi, al-Taharah, Hadith: 144)

2.
‘Ikramah narrates from Ibn ‘Abbas radi Allahu anhu that someone asked him about tayammum, so he said:
Allah the Exalted has said regarding ablution (wudu):
﴿فَاغْسِلُوا وُجُوهَكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ إِلَى الْمَرَافِقِ﴾ “So wash your faces and your hands up to the elbows.”
(al-Ma’idah: 5:6)
And regarding tayammum He said:
﴿فَامْسَحُوا بِوُجُوهِكُمْ وَأَيْدِيكُم مِّنْهُ﴾ “Wipe your faces and your hands with it (pure earth).”
(al-Ma’idah: 5:38)
Regarding the cutting of the thief’s hand, Allah the Exalted says:
﴿وَالسَّارِقُ وَالسَّارِقَةُ فَاقْطَعُوا أَيْدِيَهُمَا﴾ “As for the male thief and the female thief, cut off their hands.”
(al-Ma’idah: 5:38)
The Sunnah has clarified that in theft, the palms are to be cut; similarly, in the matter of tayammum, it is clarified that only the hands and palms are to be wiped.
(Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi, al-Taharah, Hadith: 144)

Hadith Commentary:
1.
Shah Waliullah Muhaddith Dehlawi, in his Sharh Tarajim Bukhari, writes that Imam Bukhari’s (rahimahullah) position in this matter is the same as that of the Zahiri scholars and some other mujtahids: that tayammum should be performed on the face and palms only, and that specifying up to the elbows is not necessary, even though the majority (jumhur) hold the opposite view.
The position of the Zahiri scholars is that in tayammum, the wiping (masah) is up to the palms.
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (rahimahullah) also holds this view.
Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah), through the narrations he presents, supports this position.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar (rahimahullah) explains Imam Bukhari’s (rahimahullah) position in these words:
It is obligatory that in tayammum, only the face and palms are wiped.
Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah) has titled this with a definitive expression.
Although there is well-known disagreement in this matter.
This is because Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah) has a very strong proof for this; among all the hadiths transmitted regarding the manner of tayammum, only the hadiths of Abu Juhaym (radi Allahu anhu) and Ammar (radi Allahu anhu) are authentic.
Other than these, the rest of the hadiths are either weak, or there is disagreement about whether they are mawquf or marfu‘.
The correct view is that they are mawquf.
In the hadith of Abu Juhaym (radi Allahu anhu), the mention of the hands is general, and in the hadith of Ammar (radi Allahu anhu), the mention is of the palms.
As stated in the Sahihayn, however, the mention of elbows, half the forearm, and armpits is found in the books of Sunan. The narrations in which half the forearm or elbows are mentioned have been much criticized, and as for those narrations in which the armpits are mentioned, regarding them Imam Shafi‘i (rahimahullah) says: If this is established by the command of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), then his practical example has abrogated it, and if it is not established by his command, then how can it be used as evidence?
The narration of the Sahihayn, in which only the face and palms are mentioned, is also supported by the fatwa of Ammar (radi Allahu anhu), who after the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would give the fatwa that only the face and palms should be wiped in tayammum.
The narrator of the hadith can best understand its intent, especially when he is also a mujtahid.
(Fath al-Bari: 576)
Imam Tirmidhi (rahimahullah) has written, quoting some scholars, that the hadith of Ammar is not a valid proof due to its irregularity (idtirab), because in some of its chains, wiping up to the shoulders and armpits is mentioned.
Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah), by narrating from his six different teachers, has established that the narration mentioning the wiping of the palms and face is stronger than the other narrations, and as for the narration mentioning the shoulders and armpits,
(Sunan Abi Dawud, al-Taharah, Hadith: 318)
Imam Tirmidhi (rahimahullah) has transmitted the answer in these words: It is not contrary to the narration of the face and palms, because Ammar (radi Allahu anhu) does not say that when he asked the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) about this, he was commanded to wipe only the palms and face.
Then Ammar (radi Allahu anhu) continued to give the fatwa after the life of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) that in tayammum, only the face and palms should be wiped.
(Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi, al-Taharah, Hadith: 144)

2.
‘Ikramah narrates from Ibn ‘Abbas (radi Allahu anhuma) that someone asked him about tayammum, so he said:
Allah Almighty has said regarding ablution (wudu):
﴿فَاغْسِلُوا وُجُوهَكُمْ وَأَيْدِيَكُمْ إِلَى الْمَرَافِقِ﴾ “So wash your faces and your hands up to the elbows.”
(al-Ma’idah: 5:6)
And regarding tayammum, He said:
﴿فَامْسَحُوا بِوُجُوهِكُمْ وَأَيْدِيكُم مِّنْهُ﴾ “Wipe your faces and your hands with it (pure earth).”
(al-Ma’idah: 5:38)
Regarding the cutting of the thief’s hand, the command of Allah Almighty is:
﴿وَالسَّارِقُ وَالسَّارِقَةُ فَاقْطَعُوا أَيْدِيَهُمَا﴾ “As for the male thief and the female thief, cut off their hands.”
(al-Ma’idah: 5:38)
The Sunnah has clarified that in theft, the palm is to be cut; similarly, in the matter of tayammum, it is clarified that only the hands and palms are to be wiped.
(Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi, al-Taharah, Hadith: 144)

Hadith Commentary:
Some individuals are of the opinion that unless the effect of the earth (dust) is visibly apparent on the face and hands at the time of performing tayammum, the use of earth is not correct. Some Shafi'is also hold the view that after striking the hands on the ground for tayammum, it is necessary that dust adheres to the hands, only then will the tayammum be valid. However, Imam Bukhari rahimahullah seeks to establish that, just as with water, it is not necessary for the effects of earth to be visibly apparent on the face and hands. To wipe the face with hands soiled with earth is contrary to purity and cleanliness; therefore, after striking the hands on the earth for tayammum, one should blow off the excess dust from the hands, and then wipe the face and hands.

The narration that Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has presented in this regard is brief, because in the narration of Bukhari, the response of Sayyiduna Umar radi Allahu anhu to the questioner is not transmitted. However, in other chains of narration, it is mentioned that Hazrat Umar radi Allahu ta'ala anhu said:
After major ritual impurity (janabah), if water cannot be found, then one should not perform prayer.
As is found in Sunan al-Nasa'i and others, that if I do not find water, I do not perform prayer until water becomes available to me, i.e., I will perform prayer after taking a ritual bath (ghusl).
(Sunan al-Nasa'i, al-Taharah, Hadith: 317)
In any case, the narration presented by Imam Bukhari rahimahullah fulfills his intended purpose, because it explicitly mentions blowing on the hands after striking them on the ground.

Now, there is an objection here: when the narration explicitly mentions blowing, why did Imam Bukhari use the word (هَل) in the chapter heading? The answer to this has been given by Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah in this way: it is possible that the blowing was due to the presence of earth, or it is also possible that it was because of a straw or something similar sticking to the hand, or that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam wanted to clarify the permissibility of blowing. Due to these possibilities, Imam Bukhari used the word (هَل) in the chapter heading.
(Fath al-Bari: 1/574)
It is among the established principles of Imam Bukhari that where there are possibilities, he qualifies the chapter heading with (هَل). Sometimes, for a specific reason, dust has great significance in the sight of Allah, as is the case with the dust that rises during jihad in the path of Allah and settles on the feet or nostrils of the mujahid.

Similarly, the dust of tayammum is also for the sake of Allah alone; therefore, rationally, one might think that it should not be blown away. Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has clarified that in the face of rational considerations, the text (nass) is to be acted upon, and that is to blow on the hands after striking them on the earth.

322. Commentary:
In this, the words "up to the wrist" are, according to Shaykh al-Albani, shaadh (irregular and not authentic).

313. Commentary:

➊ The action of Ammar bin Yasir radi Allahu anhuma rolling in the soil was an act of personal reasoning (ijtihad), and perhaps it was based on the idea that tayammum (dry ablution) would suffice in place of ritual bath (ghusl) when it is similar to it, i.e., when the entire body is covered with soil.

➋ If someone exercising ijtihad makes a mistake, he should not be reproached.

➌ If a person acts upon his own ijtihad and later comes to know that his action was contrary to the Qur’an and Sunnah, it is not necessary for him to repeat it.

➍ The tayammum of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was only up to the face and palms with a single strike. The narrations regarding two strikes and up to the elbows are not free from criticism; therefore, the hadith scholars have preferred tayammum up to the palms with a single strike, as these are the most authentic narrations. The Hanafis have adopted the other method and have responded to these narrations by saying that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam only indicated that the tayammum performed for ablution (wudu) is also sufficient for ritual bath (ghusl). The intention was not to explain the method of tayammum. However, it is worth considering that the Companions who narrated this did not understand this meaning. Is the understanding of those present valid, or that of those absent? Shah Waliullah rahimahullah reconciled by saying that tayammum with one strike up to the palms is sufficient, but with two strikes up to the elbows is superior and recommended (mustahabb). However, even this reconciliation is questionable, because to establish recommendation and superiority, a sound proof is necessary. For other rulings and issues related to tayammum, see: Introduction to Kitab al-Ghusl wa al-Tayammum.

➎ Umar and Ibn Mas‘ud radi Allahu anhuma did not consider tayammum sufficient in place of ritual bath (ghusl), but this was only their precaution. Otherwise, in the Noble Qur’an, in the verse of tayammum, permission for tayammum in the state of major impurity (janabah) is also granted. See: [النسآء 43 : 4 و المائدة 6 : 5]

➏ In some copies, no heading has been established for the aforementioned hadith, because the same heading was established for the previous hadith, making this seem merely repetitive.

Commentary:

➊ From this, the method of tayammum is understood: strike the hands on pure earth, blow on them, then wipe the hands over the face, and then wipe both hands over each other; thus, tayammum is completed.
There is no need to wipe the arms and feet, nor to wipe the head and ears.

➋ This tayammum, just as it serves as a substitute for ablution (wudu), likewise serves as a substitute for ritual bath (ghusl).
In the case where ritual bath is required, it is not necessary to apply earth to the entire body.

➌ When there is no textual evidence (nass) available regarding an issue, it is permissible to exercise ijtihad (independent juristic reasoning).

➍ If there is a mutual difference in the ijtihad of two mujtahids (qualified jurists), then each mujtahid may act upon his own ijtihad.

➎ A mujtahid can make a mistake in his ijtihad, but he will not be sinful due to this mistake.

➏ The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did not order ‘Ammar (radi Allahu anhu) to repeat the prayer which he had performed by rolling on the ground instead of performing tayammum.
From this, it is understood that an act done on the basis of an ijtihadi error does not need to be repeated after the correct ruling becomes known; however, for the future, it is necessary to act upon the correct ruling.

➐ ‘Umar (radi Allahu anhu) did not remember the incident that had occurred with him, so he instructed the questioner not to pray.
From this, it is understood that even the greatest jurist (faqih) can, due to misunderstanding, adopt an incorrect position in a matter, because he is not infallible. Therefore, in disputed matters, the stronger position should be given preference, regardless of which scholar holds it.
One should not insist on adopting the opinion of any particular scholar.

➑ The purpose of striking the hands on the earth and blowing on them in tayammum is so that excess dust is removed, because the objective is merely to fulfill the command, not to cover the body with dust.

324. Commentary:
In this narration, the mention of «كفّين», that is, "the hands," is what is authentically "preserved," not "up to the elbows" (Shaykh al-Albani rahimahullah), as is coming in hadith (326).

Benefit:
It is established from this hadith that tayammum is also a substitute for the ritual bath (ghusl) of janabah. Subhan Allah! How easy is the religion of Islam. The method of tayammum is the same, whether it is in place of ablution (wudu) or in place of the ritual bath (ghusl). It is possible for a mujtahid to make an ijtihadi mistake; the noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum ajma'in) also used to perform ijtihad as needed, and ijtihad will continue until the Day of Judgment.