The correct method of performing Tayammum as established by authentic Ahadith is that you صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم strike both hands once on the soil, then wipe the face and hands. No other method is proven from صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم.
Evidence Number 1:
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ammar bin Yasir رضی اللہ عنہ that the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم sent him for a task. On the way, he became Junub and, not finding water, he wiped himself with soil like animals do. Upon returning, he narrated this incident to the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم, who said صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم: “This was sufficient for you to do.” Then the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم struck both hands on the ground, first wiping the left hand over the right, and then wiping both hands over the face.
نبی اکرم صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم
In another narration of Sahih Bukhari, the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم struck both hands on the ground, blew into them, and then wiped his face and hands.
This was the method of Tayammum taught by the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم, which Sayyiduna Ammar bin Yasir رضی اللہ عنہ adopted and later taught to others.
Traditional Views:
Some people differ with this prophetic method and disregard this hadith due to imitation, although neglecting the teachings of the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم is not correct. The famous Deobandi scholars Taqi Usmani and Hussain Ahmad Madani have presented differing opinions in the explanation of this hadith, which deviate from the fundamental interpretation of this hadith.
The Practice of Sayyiduna Ammar bin Yasir (may Allah be pleased with him):
Abu Malik Ghazwan رحمہ اللہ narrates that he heard Sayyiduna Ammar bin Yasir رضی اللہ عنہ delivering a sermon in Kufa, in which he mentioned Tayammum and struck his hands on the ground and wiped his face and hands.
Narration Presented by Followers:
The followers present a narration from Musnad Bazzar in which it is said that Sayyiduna Ammar bin Yasir رضی اللہ عنہ struck once on the face and once on the elbows with the hands. However, this narration has been declared weak based on its chain of transmission because it contains tadlis (concealment).
Response to Self-Created Anxiety Regarding Tayammum
The Deobandi scholar Janab Madani Sahib has raised three objections regarding tayammum, and the answers are as follows:
➊ The verbal command and practical example of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him):
The Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم not only verbally explained the method of Tayammum but also demonstrated it practically. In the narration where Sayyiduna Ammar bin Yasir رضی اللہ عنہ was taught that striking the hands once on the soil is sufficient for the face and palms, there is weakness in its chain of transmission. The narrators of this hadith, Saeed bin Abu Aroobah and his teacher Qatadah bin Du’amah, are considered to be fabricators (Mudallis) and they did not specify the hearing (Sama’). Therefore, this narration is weak and cannot be relied upon.
➋ Clear narration in Sahih Bukhari:
There is a strong narration in Sahih Bukhari in which the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم struck both palms on the ground, blew into them, and then wiped his face and hands. There is no doubt or disagreement found in this. Similarly, another narration in Sahih Bukhari contains the same words:
“The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم struck both his palms on the ground, blew into them, and then wiped his face and hands.”
➌ Doubt and suspicion mentioned in Sunan Abu Dawood:
In Sunan Abu Dawood, there is a narration mentioning that the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم wiped up to half a cubit. However, this narration is not reliable due to the doubt of the narrator Salmah bin Kaheel. The authentic narration mentions only the palms, not wiping up to the elbows. Hafiz Ibn Hajar رحمہ اللہ also confirmed that the narration about wiping up to half a cubit is fabricated and cannot be considered authentic.
Warning:
In another narration, there are words about wiping up to the elbows, but the chain of this narration is also weak. Imam Bayhaqi رحمہ اللہ has explained the discontinuity of this narration and stated that the narration reported through Qatadah is not reliable.
Rejecting this doubt, we will prefer the authentic narrations in which the method of Tayammum by the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم has been clearly and unequivocally explained.
Evidence Number 2:
(a) Incident of Sayyiduna Abu Juhaim Ansari رضي الله عنه:
Sayyiduna Abu Juhaim رضی اللہ عنہ narrates that the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم was coming from the direction of Bir Jamal. On the way, a person greeted him صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم, but he did not immediately respond to the greeting. Until he came near a wall, wiped his face and both hands, and then responded to the greeting.
(b) Statement of Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar رضي الله عنهما:
Similarly, another narration from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar رضی اللہ عنہما states that the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم came near the well of Jamal after relieving himself. There, a person greeted him, but you صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم did not respond to the greeting. When you reached near a wall, you struck your hands on the wall, wiped your face and hands, and then responded to the greeting.
Explanation of the Ahadith:
These two ahadith clarify each other, and by “hands” is meant the palms, as is established by other authentic ahadith. The Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم wiped his face and palms, which is the correct method of Tayammum.
Arguments of Some People and Their Analysis
Some people alter the prophetic method of Tayammum by basing it on various narrations. A fair analysis of these narrations is presented according to the principles of the Muhaddithin (scholars of hadith) to clarify the truth.
Narration Number 1:
In one narration, it is mentioned that the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم struck the wall with his hand and wiped his face, then struck again and wiped his arms.
Analysis:
The chain of this narration is weak because its narrator Muhammad bin Thabit Abdi, Abu Abdullah Basri, has been declared weak by the majority of hadith scholars.
Hafiz Nawawi رحمہ اللہ has stated regarding this that this narrator is not strong according to the hadith scholars.
Narration Number 2:
Another narration attributed to Sayyiduna Abu Juhaim رضی اللہ عنہ states that the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم struck the wall with his hand and wiped his face, then struck again and wiped his hands up to the elbows.
Analysis:
This narration is false and unreliable for several reasons:
➊ The life details of Muhammad bin Khalaf bin Abdul Aziz bin Uthman bin Jablah are unknown, therefore this narrator is unknown.
➋ Abu Hatim Ahmad bin Hamdawiyah bin Jamil bin Mehran Marwazi is also an unreliable narrator.
3. Abu Usamah Nuh bin Abu Maryam, who is an important narrator of this tradition, is unanimously considered false and weak by the hadith scholars. He has also been declared “abandoned.” There is no authentication in his favor among the hadith scholars.
Following of Abu Usamah:
Kharijah bin Mus’ab Abu Hajjaj Sirkhasi followed Abu Usamah, but he too has been declared weak by the majority of hadith scholars.
Hafiz Ibn Hajar رحمہ اللہ states that the majority of hadith scholars considered him weak and abandoned.
Narration Number 3:
The words of a narration are that the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم came near the wall and wiped over both hands up to the face and elbows, then responded to the greeting.
Analysis:
In this narration, the words “wiped over both hands including the elbows” are rejected, meaning these words are not acceptable. The narrator of this narration is Abdullah bin Saleh Al-Masri, who was famously known as Katib Al-Laith. The hadith scholars have given the following opinion about him:
➊ Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal رحمہ اللہ states that initially he was trustworthy, but later his memory deteriorated and he became unreliable.
➋ According to Imam Ibn Khuzaymah رحمہ اللہ, his narrated hadiths included rejected reports.
➌ Imam Ibn Hibban رحمہ اللہ states that Abdullah bin Salih’s narration included severely rejected hadiths, and he reports statements from trustworthy narrators that do not agree with them.
In Sahih Bukhari, Yahya bin Bukair and Abdur Rahman bin Harmuz have mentioned the correct wording of the same incident “فَمَسَحَ بِوَجْہِہٖ وَیَدَیْہِ” meaning wiping the face and hands, which are reliable.
Narration Number 4:
In another narration, it is stated that the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم struck the wall with his hand and wiped both hands including the face and elbows, then responded to the greeting.
Analysis:
This narration is also very weak because:
➊ Ibrahim bin Muhammad bin Abu Yahya Aslami, who is an important narrator of this hadith, is considered abandoned by the majority of hadith scholars.
➋ Hafiz Ibn Hajar رحمہ اللہ states that most hadith scholars consider this narrator weak.
➌ Another narrator of this hadith, Abdul Rahman bin Muawiyah Abu Harith, is also considered weak by the majority of hadith scholars.
➍ This hadith is disconnected because the hearing (sama’) of Abdul Rahman bin Harmuz from Sayyiduna Abu Juhaim is not established.
Hadith Number 5:
In a hadith attributed to Sayyiduna Jabir رضی اللہ عنہ, it is said that in tayammum (dry ablution), one strike is for the face and the other strike is for the hands up to the elbows.
Analysis:
Due to the tadlis (concealment) of Abu Zubair in the chain of this hadith, it is weak. Abu Zubair was a mudallis according to hadith scholars, and if his hearing is not clear, his narration is not reliable.
Hadith Number 6:
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar رضی اللہ عنہما that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
“Tayammum consists of two strikes (striking the hands on the soil); one for the face and the other for the hands up to the elbows.”
Analysis:
The chain of this narration is very weak because its narrator is Ali bin Zubyan, whom various hadith scholars have declared weak:
➊ Imam Hakim رحمہ اللہ called him truthful, but Hafiz Dhahabi رحمہ اللہ rejected this and said that this narrator is “rather weak” (wahin).
➋ Imam Yahya bin Ma’in رحمہ اللہ said: “This narrator is worthless (lays bi shay’).”
➌ Both Imam Abu Hatim رحمہ اللہ and Imam Nasai رحمہ اللہ declared him “abandoned in hadith” (matruk al-hadith).
➍ Imam Ibn Adi رحمہ اللہ states: “The weakness in the hadith he narrated is clear.”
Narration Number 7:
It is attributed to Abdullah bin Umar رضی اللہ عنہما that: “We performed tayammum twice with the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم; once for the face and palms, and the second time for the arms up to the elbows.”
Analysis:
This narration is also very weak because:
➊ Sulaiman bin Arqam, who is the narrator of this narration, is abandoned. Hafiz Suhaili رحمہ اللہ states that there is consensus among the muhaddithin regarding his weakness.
➋ Imam Zahri رحمہ اللہ is a mudallis in this narration, and due to his tadlis, this narration becomes even weaker.
Narration Number 8:
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضی اللہ عنہ that the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم struck once on the face with dust and once on the elbows with the hands.
Analysis:
The chain of this narration is weak because:
➊ Its narrator, Mathanna bin Sabah, has been declared weak by the majority of muhaddithin. Hafiz Haithami رحمہ اللہ writes: “This narrator is abandoned according to the majority.”
➋ The words [المِرْفَقَیْن] do not appear in Sunan al-Kubra by Bayhaqi in this narration, which is further evidence of its weakness.
Narration Number 9:
Isla’ bin Shareek narrates that the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم struck his hand on the soil, dusted himself, wiped his face, then wiped his beard, then again struck his hand on the soil and wiped the inner and outer parts of his arms.
Analysis:
This narration is very weak because:
➊ Its narrator Rabi’ bin Badr is considered weak by the majority of hadith scholars.
➋ His father Badr bin Amr is unknown.
➌ Rabi’s grandfather Amr bin Jarad Sa’di is also unknown, and their conditions are not known.
Narration Number 10:
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar رضی اللہ عنہما that the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
“Tayammum consists of two strikes; one for the face and the other for the hands up to the elbows.”
Analysis:
This narration is very weak because:
➊ Its narrator Sulaiman bin Abu Dawood has been declared weak by the majority of hadith scholars.
➋ Imam Abu Zur’ah al-Razi declared this narration false and called the narrator weak.
Narration Number 11:
Sayyiduna Abu Imamah Bahili رضی اللہ عنہ narrates that the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
“There are two strikes in Tayammum: one for the face and the other for the palms.”
Analysis:
This narration is baseless and false because:
➊ Its narrator, Ja’far bin Zubair Al-Shami, has been declared by the majority of hadith scholars as the most lying narrator in the world, abandoned in hadith, and a rejected narrator.
Narration Number 12:
Sayyida Aisha رضی اللہ عنہا narrates that the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم said:
“Tayammum consists of two strikes; one for the face and the other for the hands up to the elbows.”
Analysis:
This narration is also weak because:
➊ Its narrator, Harish bin Khurayt, has been declared unreliable by hadith scholars. Imam Bukhari رحمہ اللہ gave it the ruling of “Fiha Nazar” (it requires scrutiny), while Imam Abu Zur’ah Al-Razi and other hadith scholars declared it weak and a rejected hadith.
Conclusion:
All the presented narrations that mention wiping the hands twice or up to the elbows during tayammum are very weak and rejected in terms of authenticity. According to the Prophetic method, tayammum consists of one strike, in which the face and palms are wiped. The narrations presented by the followers are not reliable, and it is not correct to change the Prophetic Sunnah based on them.
Dua:
May Allah Almighty grant us the ability to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم. Ameen!
