Surah An-Nisaa (4) — Ayah 43

43. O you who believe! Do not approach prayer while you are intoxicated [75], until you know what you are saying. Nor (approach prayer) in a state of major impurity—unless you are traveling—until you have bathed. But if you are ill, or on a journey, or one of you comes from relieving himself, or you have touched women, and you find no water, then perform tayammum by wiping your faces and hands (and then perform the prayer) [76]. Surely, Allah is Ever-Pardoning, Most Forgiving.

[75]
Gradual Revelation of the Rulings on the Prohibition of Alcohol:

This verse is the second link in the chain of gradual rulings regarding the prohibition of alcohol. The first verse revealed in this regard was verse 219 of Surah Al-Baqarah, in which it was only stated that although there are some benefits in alcohol and gambling, their harms outweigh their benefits. Some cautious Companions abandoned alcohol from that very moment. After that, this verse was revealed. Regarding the reason for its revelation, consider the following hadith: It is narrated from Sayyiduna Aliؓ bin Abi Talib that Abdur Rahmanؓ bin Awf prepared food for us, invited us, and served us alcohol. The alcohol intoxicated us, and meanwhile, the time for prayer came. They made me the imam. I recited
﴿قُلْ يَايُّهَا الْكٰفِرُوْنَ لاَ اَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُوْنَ وَنَحْنُ نَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُوْن﴾
so Allah Almighty revealed this verse. [ترمذي ابواب التفسير] After this, according to verses 90 and 91 of Surah Al-Ma'idah, alcohol was declared permanently forbidden. In this, instead of the word "khamr" (alcohol), the word "sukr" (intoxication) is used. From this, it is understood that, like alcohol, every intoxicating substance is forbidden, as is explicitly stated in the hadiths. Secondly, it is understood that since the state of intoxication is, like the stupor of sleep, a kind of unconsciousness, it becomes difficult for a person to know whether his ablution is still valid or has been nullified. Probably for this reason, the rulings of purification are mentioned further in this verse.

[76]
Tayammum and Ghusl Janabah:

Purification is obligatory for prayer; therefore, in normal circumstances, this purification is achieved by performing ablution, but for a person in a state of major impurity (janabah), performing ghusl is obligatory before prayer, whether this impurity is due to a wet dream or intercourse. In this verse, it is stated that if someone does not find water for ablution or a person in a state of janabah does not find water for ghusl, or if someone is ill and using water would harm him, then in these cases, he may perform tayammum. Regarding the reason for the revelation of this verse, the method of tayammum, and the method of ghusl, consider the following hadiths:
1. Sayyidah Aishaؓ says that once (in the expedition of Banu Mustaliq) I borrowed a necklace from my sister Asma. The necklace fell somewhere. You sent several men to search for the necklace. The time for prayer came, and there was no water there, and the people were not in a state of ablution. At that time, Allah Almighty revealed the verse of tayammum. [بخاري۔ كتاب التفسير]
2. Sayyiduna Imranؓ says that during a journey, the Prophetﷺ camped at a place. Water was brought for ablution. The Prophetﷺ performed ablution, and the call to prayer was given. Then the Prophetﷺ led the people in prayer. When the Prophetﷺ finished the prayer, he saw a man sitting apart. The Prophetﷺ asked him, "O so-and-so! What prevented you from praying with the people?" He replied, "I became junub and there is no water." The Prophetﷺ said to him, "You should have performed tayammum with earth; that would have sufficed for you." And in another narration, "Then the Prophetﷺ ordered him to perform tayammum with earth."
[بخاری، کتاب التیمم، باب الصعید الطیب وضوء المسلم۔ نیز کتاب بدء الخلق۔ باب علامات النبوۃ فی الاسلام]
Also see the footnote of verse 6 of Surah Al-Ma'idah (5).
3.
The Method of Tayammum:

Sayyiduna Ammar bin Yasirؓ says that the Prophetﷺ sent me on a mission (during which) I became junub and did not find water, so I rolled in the earth as an animal rolls. I mentioned this to the Prophetﷺ, and he said, "It would have sufficed for you to do like this." Then the Prophetﷺ struck his palms once on the earth, brought them near his mouth, and blew on them (to remove excess dust). Then the Prophetﷺ wiped the back of his right hand with his left palm and the back of his left hand with his right palm. Then with both palms, he wiped his face."
[بخاری، کتاب التیمم۔ باب التیمم ضربہ۔ باب التیمم للوجہ والکفین مسلم فی باب التیمم]
4.
The Method of Ghusl:

Sayyidah Aishaؓ says that when the Prophetﷺ wanted to perform ghusl janabah, he would first wash both hands (before putting them in the vessel), then perform ablution as for prayer, then insert his fingers into the water and run them through the roots of his hair. Then, taking three handfuls of water in both hands, he would pour them over his head, then pour water over his entire body.
[بخاری، کتاب الغسل۔ باب الوضو قبل الغسل]
5. Sa'id bin Abdur Rahman bin Abzi narrates from his father that a man came to Sayyiduna Umarؓ and said, "If I become junub and do not find water, what should I do?" Ammar bin Yasirؓ said to Sayyiduna Umarؓ, "Do you not remember when both of us became junub during a journey, and you did not pray, but I rolled in the earth and prayed? Then I mentioned this incident to the Messenger of Allahﷺ, and he said, 'It would have sufficed for you to do like this.' Then the Prophetﷺ struck his palms on the earth and blew on them, then wiped his face and both wrists."
[بخاری کتاب التیمم، باب ھل ینفخ فی یدیہ]
6. Sayyiduna Amr bin Al-Asؓ became junub on a cold night, so he performed tayammum and recited this verse:
﴿ وَلاَ تَقْتُلُوْا اَنْفُسَكُمْ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ كَانَ بِكُمْ رَحِيْمًا ﴾
Then this was mentioned to the Prophetﷺ, and he did not reproach him.
[بخاری، کتاب التیمم باب اذا خاف الجنب علی نفسہ المرض و الموت]
From this verse, it is understood that tayammum is permitted in the following four situations:
1. A person is on a journey and does not find water. The condition of travel is only because, generally, it is difficult to find water during travel. Otherwise, if water is not found even in residence, tayammum is still permitted.
2. The person performing ablution is ill, and performing ablution or bathing would endanger his life or worsen his illness.
3. Minor impurity (hadath asghar), i.e., after defecation, urination, passing wind, or discharge of madhy, ablution is obligatory. If water is not found for ablution, tayammum is permitted.
4. Major impurity (hadath akbar), i.e., after a wet dream or intercourse, ghusl is obligatory, but if water is not found, tayammum is permitted. Some commentators have taken ﴿الصلٰوة﴾ in this verse to mean, besides prayer, also the mosque. And the meaning of "abiri sabeel" is that if a person in a state of janabah has no way except to pass through the mosque, he may pass through it, but he cannot stay in the mosque for prayer or any other purpose. Similarly, if someone was sleeping in the mosque and had a wet dream, upon waking, he should not stay in the mosque but should leave. It should be noted that Sayyiduna Umarؓ did not consider tayammum good in the case of janabah during travel, and this was due to some political expediency so that people would not misuse this concession; otherwise, he did not deny this Sunnah, as is clear from the hadith number 5 mentioned above. However, many Companions did not agree with Sayyiduna Umarؓ on this expediency. And from hadith number 6, it is clearly understood that there is ease in the religion rather than hardship. Sayyiduna Amr bin Al-Asؓ had no excuse except severe cold, and he feared that if he bathed, he would fall ill. Therefore, instead of bathing in a state of janabah, he performed tayammum, and the Messenger of Allahﷺ did not object.

There is No Hardship in the Religion:

In this regard, the incident should also be kept in mind which Abu Dawud narrated in the chapter of tayammum from Sayyiduna Jabirؓ. Sayyiduna Jabirؓ says that we set out on a journey. During the journey, one of our companions was struck on the head by a stone, which wounded his head. Meanwhile, he had a wet dream, so he began to ask his companions, "Do you think I can benefit from the concession of tayammum?" They replied, "How can you benefit when water is available?" So he performed ghusl, which caused his death. When we came to the Messenger of Allahﷺ, we mentioned this incident to him, and the Prophetﷺ said, "May Allah destroy them; they killed him. When they did not know the ruling, why did they not ask? The cure for ignorance is only to ask. It would have sufficed for him to bandage his wound and wipe over it, and wash the rest of his body." And the hadiths regarding ablution will be mentioned under verse 6 of Surah Al-Ma'idah.