How Long Is Tayammum Valid? The Explanation You're Looking For

Hi again! As an alternative to wudu and ghusl Janabah, tayammum has a validity period. However, the validity period of wudu and ghusl Janabah and the validity period of tayammum are very different. Some Muslims don't know about it. For this reason, one of the questions they ask is: how long is tayammum valid?

Whatever your reason for opening this article, I am very sure that you are looking for an explanation about the validity period of tayammum. Don't worry! I will not disappoint you on this day. That's what I will explain in this article. Trust me! You just need to read this article to the end!

Definition of Tayammum

Hi! First of all, I will explain the definition of tayammum. These are the basic things about tayammum that you must understand well before you understand other discussions about tayammum.

In short, if you want to understand the definition of tayammum, pay attention to the explanation below!

التَّيَمُّمُ هُوَ : التَّعَبُّدُ لِلَّهِ تَعَالَى بِقَصْدِ الصَّعِيْدِ الطَّيِّبِ لِمَسْحِ الْوَجْهِ وَالْيَدَيْنِ بِهِ

Tayammum is worshiping Allah Taala by using clean earth to wipe the face and two hands.

In conclusion, tayammum is using holy dust to wipe the face and two hands to remove minor hadas and major hadas as worship to Allah. That's tayammum.

You can find an explanation of tayammum in more detail in several paragraphs below.

Two Main Functions of Tayammum

Hi! Now I will explain the two most main functions of tayammum. Actually, briefly, I have explained these two functions in the paragraphs above. But I think you need an explanation of these two functions in more detail.

Pay attention to the explanation of the two main functions of tayammum below!

Alternative to Remove Minor hadas

Minor hadas is an impure condition in the body of Muslims. If you have a minor hadas, you should not do things that require you to be in a pure condition (not having a minor hadas) while doing it, such as Tawaf, holding the Quran, and praying, both obligatory prayers (Fajr, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, and Isha) or sunnah prayers (Qabliyah, Ba'diyah, Witr, Tahajjud, Duha, and so on).

If you read some Islamic legal literature, you will find an explanation that there are five things that can cause Muslims to have minor hadas:

1. If a man's skin and a non-mahram woman's skin touch without a barrier.
2. Loss of consciousness due to sleep, madness, and so on.
3. Vomiting and nosebleeds.
4. Touching other people's vital organs (front or back) using the palm of the hand or the inside of the finger.
5. Something that comes out of two private holes: the front hole and the back hole.

In Islam, minor hadas can be performed with wudu. I have explained what wudu is in several previous articles. So, I won't explain any more. If Muslims cannot perform wudu due to something that is justified in Islam, such as extreme cold weather, no water, etc., they can perform tayammum as an alternative to remove minor hadas.

You can find an explanation of the legality of tayammum as an alternative to wudu to remove minor hadas in the Quranic verse and two hadiths below:

يٰٓاَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْا لَا تَقْرَبُوا الصَّلٰوةَ وَاَنْتُمْ سُكٰرٰى حَتّٰى تَعْلَمُوْا مَا تَقُوْلُوْنَ وَلَا جُنُبًا اِلَّا عَابِرِيْ سَبِيْلٍ حَتّٰى تَغْتَسِلُوْا ۗوَاِنْ كُنْتُمْ مَّرْضٰٓى اَوْ عَلٰى سَفَرٍ اَوْ جَاۤءَ اَحَدٌ مِّنْكُمْ مِّنَ الْغَاۤىِٕطِ اَوْ لٰمَسْتُمُ النِّسَاۤءَ فَلَمْ تَجِدُوْا مَاۤءً فَتَيَمَّمُوْا صَعِيْدًا طَيِّبًا فَامْسَحُوْا بِوُجُوْهِكُمْ وَاَيْدِيْكُمْ ۗ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ كَانَ عَفُوًّا غَفُوْرًا

O you who have believed, do not approach prayer while you are intoxicated until you know what you are saying or in a state of janabah, except those passing through [a place of prayer], until you have washed [your whole body]. And if you are ill or on a journey or one of you comes from the place of relieving himself or you have contacted women and find no water, then seek clean earth and wipe over your faces and your hands [with it]. Indeed, Allah is ever Pardoning and Forgiving. (An-Nisa’ [4]: 43).

عَنْ اِبْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُمَا -- فِيْ قَوْلِهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ:…وَإِن كُنتُم مَّرۡضَىٰٓ أَوۡ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ … فَقَالَ ؛ إِذَا كَانَتْ بِالرَّجُلِ الْجِرَاحَةُ فِيْ سَبِيْلِ اللهِ وَالْقُرُوْحُ ، فَيَجْنُبُ ، فَيَخَافُ أَنْ يَمُوْتَ إِنِ اغْتَسَلَ ، تَيَمَّمَ . رَوَاهُ الدَّارُقُطْنِيُّ

From Ibni Abbas radliyallahu anhuma - about the word of Allah Azza wa Jalla, “… and if you are sick, or on a journey … (An-Nisa’ [4]; 43) —he then said, “If there is a wound and ulcers in someone's body because of fighting in the way of Allah then he is junub and he is worried that he will die if he bathes, then he can do Tayamum.” This hadith is narrated by ad-Daruquthni.

عَنْ عَلِيٍّ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ : اِنْكَسَرَتْ إِحْدَى زَنْدَيَّ فَسَأَلْتُ رَسُوْلَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَأَمَرَنِيْ أَنْ أَمْسَحَ عَلَى الْجَبَائِرِ . رَوَاهُ اِبْنُ مَاجَهْ

From Ali radliyallahu anhu, he said, “One of my wrists was broken. I then asked the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam. He then told him to rub on the bandage.” The hadith is narrated by Ibn Majah.

Alternative to Remove Major Hadas

Hadas is an impure condition in the body of Muslims. If you have major hadas, you should not do things that require you to be in a holy state as I explained previously.

In general, there are six things that cause Muslims to have major hadas:

1. Died (for men and women).
2. Sperm comes out (male and women).
3. Husband and wife relationship (for men and women).
4. Menstrual blood no longer comes out (only for women).
5. After giving birth (only for women).
6. Postpartum blood no longer comes out (only for women).

In Islam, major hadas can be removed with ghusl Janabah. If Muslims cannot do this because of something that can be justified in Islam, such as no water, extreme cold weather, illness that means they should not be exposed to water, and so on, they can do tayammum as an alternative.

You can find an explanation of the legality of tayammum as an alternative to ghusl Janabah to remove major hadas in the Quranic verse that I have quoted above and the hadith below:

عَنْ عَمَّارٍ بْنِ يَاسِرٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ : بَعَثَنِيْ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِيْ حَاجَةٍ . فَأَجْنَبْتُ فَلَمْ أَجِدْ الْمَاءَ . فَتَمَرَّغْتُ فِيْ الصَّعِيْدِ كمَاَ تَتَمَرَّعُ الدَّابَةُ . ثُمَّ أَتَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَذَكَرْتُ لَهُ ذَلِكَ ، فَقَالَ : إِنَّمَا يَكْفِيْكَ أَنْ تَقُوْلَ بِيَدَيْكَ هَكَذَا . ثُمَّ ضَرَبَ بِيَدَيْهِ الْأَرْضَ ضَرْبَةً وَاحِدَةً ، ثُمَّ مَسَحَ الشِّمَالَ عَلَى الْيَمِيْنِ وَظَاهِرَ كَفَّيْهِ وَوَجْهِهِ . مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيْهِ

From Ammar bin Yasir radliyallahu anhuma, he said, "The Prophet (Muhammad) sallallahu alaihi wa sallam has sent for a purpose. I then junub and found no water. I then rolled on a plateau like an animal. Then I went to the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam and told him that. He then said, "Surely you just have to do this with your hands." Then he clapped his hands on the earth once. Then he rubbed his left hand on his right hand, the outside of his palm, and his face." The hadith is narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

Best Practices of Tayammum

Hi! Are you still with me? Now I will explain the best practices of tayammum. You have to understand that so that you understand what you have to do if you have minor hadas or major hadas and you cannot perform wudu or ghusl Janabah.

In general, you can find an explanation of the best practices of tayammum in the hadith below:

عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُمَا قَالَ : قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : التَّيَمُّمُ ضَرْبَتَانِ . ضَرْبَةٌ لِلْوَجْهِ وَضَرْبَةٌ لِلْيَدَيْنِ إِلَى الْمِرْفَقَيْنِ . رَوَاهُ الدَّارُقُطْنِيُّ

From Ibn Umar radliyallahu anhuma, he said, " The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam once said, "Tayammum is two parts. One part for the face and one part for both hands until both elbows." The hadith is narrated by ad-Daruquthni.

Specifically, several things you must do if you want to do tayammum are as follows:

• You must seek and possess holy dust.
• You should press your two palms on the holy dust.
• You should rub your two palms across your face once.
• You should say Niyyah for Tayammum when you wipe your face.

The Niyyah for Tayammum is as follows:

نَوَيْتُ التَّيَمُّمَ لِإِسْتِبَاحَةِ الصَّلَاةِ فَرْضًا لِلَّهِ تَعَالَى

I intend to perform Tayammum in order to be allowed to pray, as an obligation, because of Allah Taala.

• You should place two palms of your hands on another holy dust, not the holy dust that has been used.
• You should stick your two palms on your two hands up to your two elbows.

How Long Is Tayammum Valid?

Hi! Now I will explain the answer to the question that is the main topic in this discussion: how long is tayammum valid? You should read the explanation below very well so that there are no more questions about it in your mind. Of course, if you still have questions about it, you can write them in the comment column. I would be very happy if I could have a dialogue with you.

If you want to know how long tayammum is valid, pay attention to the hadith below!

عَنْ اِبْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللهُ تَعَالَى عَنْهُ قَالَ ؛ مِنَ السُّنَّةِ أَنْ لُا يُصَلِّيَ الرُّجُلُ بِالتَّيَمُّمِ إِلَّا صَلَاةً وَاحِدَةً ، ثُمَّ يَتَيَمَّمُ لِلصَّلَاةِ الْأُخْرَى . رَوَاهُ الدَّارُقُطْنِيُّ

From Ibn Abbas radliyallahu Taala anhu, he said, "Which includes the sunnah is, one does not pray by using Tayamum except only for one prayer, then he does tayamum again for other prayer.”

The hadith above explains that one tayammum is only for one prayer. If you want to pray again, then you have to do tayammum again.

So, the answer to the question is as follows:

• The validity period of tayammum is only for one act of worship that requires you to be in a holy condition (not having minor hadas or major hadas).
• Tayammum will remain valid if there are no things that cause you to have major hadas and minor hadas.

Do you have any questions? Please write in the comment column!