It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that a man became junub in winter. He asked (what to do) and was ordered to take a ritual bath; he took a ritual bath and died. This was mentioned to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "What was wrong with them? They have killed him; may Allah destroy them," saying it three times, "Allah has made earth, or tayammum, a means of purification." This hadith is mawsul (connected).
Hadith Referenceالسنن الكبرى للبيهقي / كتاب الطهارة / 1073
Ata bin Abi Rabah heard Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) relate that in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) a man was wounded, then he had a wet dream. He was ordered to take a ritual bath; he took a ritual bath and died of the cold. This reached the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "They have killed him; may Allah destroy them. Is not the cure for ignorance to ask?"
Ata said: It reached us that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about this and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If only he had washed his body and left his head where the wound had struck him." (b) This mursal narration requires washing, while the first narration contains the command of tayammum. Those who reconciled the two narrations say: The two narrations do not contradict each other, except that one of them is mursal.
Hadith Referenceالسنن الكبرى للبيهقي / كتاب الطهارة / 1074
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) that we set out on a journey, and a stone struck one of our men and wounded him in the head. Then he had a wet dream. He asked his companions: Do you find any concession for me to perform tayammum? They said: We do not find any concession for you, since you are able to use water. He took a ritual bath and died. When we came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and informed him (peace and blessings be upon him) of this (incident), he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "They have killed him; may Allah destroy them. Why did they not ask when they did not know? The cure for ignorance is only to ask. It would have sufficed him to perform tayammum and bind a bandage on his wound - Musa was unsure whether he said: wrap a cloth on his wound - then wipe over it and wash the rest of his body." This narration is mawsul (connected); in it washing, wiping and tayammum are combined. In its chain this narration differs from the first two narrations.
Hadith Referenceالسنن الكبرى للبيهقي / كتاب الطهارة / 1075
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever leaves a spot of his body the size of a hair unwashed from janabah, such and such will be done to it with the Fire." Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: For this reason I have treated my hair as an enemy.
(b) This hadith and those with the same meaning contain the command that washing is obligatory, while the Book of Allah contains the command of tayammum for one who is unable to wash. The apparent meaning of the Book of Allah indicates that when one does not find water, he should perform tayammum.
(c) Ibn Abi Lubabah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: He will perform ablution and also tayammum when, in a state of janabah, he finds no water except an amount sufficient for ablution. Ma'mar bin Rashid (may Allah have mercy on him) also held this view. Imam al-Hasan and al-Zuhri (may Allah have mercy on them both) said: He will perform only tayammum.
Hadith Referenceالسنن الكبرى للبيهقي / كتاب الطهارة / 1076