The Main Reasons for Performing Tayammum That You Must Understand

The Main Reasons for Performing Tayammum

Hi again! Tayammum is one of the most important discussion topics in Islamic law. Tayammum is an alternative to remove small hadas and large hadas if there is no water to perform wudu and ghusl Janabah. There are many important discussions about this in Islamic legal literature. One of them is the main reasons for performing tayammum.

Whatever your reason for opening this article, I am very sure that you are looking for an explanation of the main reasons for performing tayammum. Trust me! I will not disappoint you on this day. That's all I will explain today. I will also explain some important things about tayammum that you should understand. So, you just need to read this article to the end!

What Is Tayammum?

First of all, I will explain the meaning of tayammum. You have to understand that first because that is the most basic thing about tayammum that you have to understand well.

In simple terms, you can find the meaning of tayammum in the definition of tayammum 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.

If you understand the definition of tayammum above, you can conclude two things as follows:

• Tayammum is worship of Allah Taala.
• Tayammum is done by using clean dust to wipe the face and two hands.

That is a brief explanation of the meaning of tayammum. As a Muslim, you have to understand that.

Is Tayammum Allowed?

Is tayammum allowed? Maybe that is a very trivial question for Muslims who don't know the answer. But it will be a very important question for those who don't know the answer, especially those who have recently converted to Islam.

If you want to know whether tayammum is allowed or not in Islam, you should understand the Quranic verses and some of the hadiths below!

Quran About Tayammum

The Quranic verse about tayammum that I mean is as follows:

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).

The Quranic verse above explains that if Muslims do not have water to remove small hadas due to defecation or touching women, then they must perform tayammum

Hadith About Tayammum

There are many hadiths about tayammum. Of course, I won't explain everything now. Now I will only explain two hadiths about tayammum.

The two hadiths about tayammum that I mean are as follows:

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.

The hadith above explains that Ali bin Abi Talib's wrist was broken. Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wa sallam then told him to perform tayammum instead of wudu.

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.

The hadith above explains that if a Muslim is sick and there is a fear that he will die if he is exposed to water, then he must perform tayammum.

Now, is tayammum allowed in Islam? Of course, if you understand all the explanations above, you can conclude that the answer to this question is, "Yes. Tayammum is permitted in Islam.”

That is a brief explanation of the legality of tayammum in Islam. As a Muslim, you have to understand that.

Main Functions of Tayammum

Now I will explain the main functions of tayammum. I am very sure there are some Muslims who do not understand these functions very well. Maybe you are the one. If that is true, you should read the explanation below very well.

If you have understood all the explanations in the previous few paragraphs, you can conclude that there are two main functions of tayammum:

• Tayammum as a substitute for wudu.
• Tayammum as a substitute for ghusl Janabah.

The explanation of the two functions of tayammum is as follows:

Tayammum as a Substitute for Wudu

The basis of the argument that tayammum can replace wudu to remove small hadas is the first verse of the Koran and hadith which I have quoted in the previous paragraphs. You must understand these two things so that you understand argumentatively that tayammum is a valid substitute for wudu.

So, in simple terms, if you have small hadas and you cannot perform wudu because of things that are permitted in Islam, you can perform tayammum as a substitute.

Tayammum as a Substitute for Ghusl Janabah

The second function of tayammum is as a substitute for ghusl Janabah. Ghusl Janabah is a bath intended to remove major hadas. All the skin of our body must be washed in water in Ghusl Janabah.

The basis for the argument that tayammum can replace Ghusl Janabah to eliminate major hadas is 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.

So, in simple terms, if you have big hadas and you cannot do Ghusl Janabah because of things that are justified in Islam, you can perform tayammum as a substitute.

That is a brief explanation of the main functions of tayammum. As a Muslim, you have to understand that.

Main Reasons for Performing Tayammum

Now I will explain the main reasons for performing tayammum. You have to understand all of that so you understand why and when you should perform tayammum. Apart from that, I want you to understand the urgency of performing tayammum which is not well understood by some Muslims.

In short, there are two reasons why Muslims need to perform tayammum:

• There is no water for wudu or Ghusl Janabah.
• Our bodies should not be exposed to water because they are sick.

The explanation of these two reasons is as follows:

No Water for Wudu or Ghusl Janabah

No water for wudu or Ghusl Janabah is the first and most common reason why Muslims have to perform tayammum. You can find this explanation in two sentences in the Koran verse and hadith which I have explained in the previous paragraphs:

• فَلَمْ تَجِدُوْا مَاۤءً فَتَيَمَّمُوْا.
• فَأَجْنَبْتُ فَلَمْ أَجِدْ الْمَاءَ.

So, if you don't have water to perform wudu or Ghusl Janabah, you have to perform tayammum.

Our bodies should not be exposed to water because we are sick.

If our body cannot be exposed to water because we are sick, then we can perform tayammum. That is the second reason why we perform tayammum. So, if we are sick and the doctor forbids us from bathing or touching water, we must perform tayammum instead of wudu. It's all for our health.

One important thing I want to explain here is that the main point is that we must prioritize the health of our bodies. For example, if the weather is very cold at the moment, and if we perform wudu, we will get sick, then we may perform tayammum instead of wudu.

That is a brief explanation of the main reasons for performing tayammum and some important things about it. If you have any questions, please write them in the comment column!

Have a nice day!