Source: Ahkam wa Masail, Chapter on Ghusl, Vol. 1, p. 94
If a person in a state of major ritual impurity (janābah) has the facility to perform wudu but not ghusl, should he only perform wudu or tayammum?
Alḥamdulillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ʿammā baʿd:
If someone is in a state of janābah and:
Then the Sunnah is that he should perform both wudu and tayammum.
Allah says:
لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا
“Allah does not burden a soul beyond its capacity.”
(Al-Baqarah: 286)
When full ghusl is not possible, the person should combine wudu (to achieve partial purification with the means available) and tayammum (to substitute for the part of purification that cannot be achieved).
Thus:
ھٰذا ما عندي، والله أعلم بالصواب
Question:
If a person in a state of major ritual impurity (janābah) has the facility to perform wudu but not ghusl, should he only perform wudu or tayammum?
Answer:
Alḥamdulillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ʿammā baʿd:
If someone is in a state of janābah and:
- Has the means to perform wudu,
- But does not have the opportunity or resources to perform ghusl,
Then the Sunnah is that he should perform both wudu and tayammum.
Evidence:
Allah says:
لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا
“Allah does not burden a soul beyond its capacity.”
(Al-Baqarah: 286)
Reasoning:
When full ghusl is not possible, the person should combine wudu (to achieve partial purification with the means available) and tayammum (to substitute for the part of purification that cannot be achieved).
Thus:
- Wudu: for the limbs that can be washed.
- Tayammum: for the rest of the ghusl that cannot be completed.
ھٰذا ما عندي، والله أعلم بالصواب
