TAYAMMUM - (Cleansing with clay)

TAYAM-MUM

(Cleansing with clay)

Q.   What is Tayam-mum?

  Cleansing the body with clean clay of any other substance that is considered equivalent to clay or sod is known as Tayam-mum.

Q.   In what situation is Tayam-mum permissible?

  Anyone of the following situations shall hold the order of non-availability of water:

             i.     Water being a mile away;

           ii.     Water being in a region threatened by an enemy. For example, water is available outside one’s house but, there is a threat of one’s getting killed by enemy or thief should one come out of his house, or a big snake is sporting near the well, or a lion is standing there;

         iii.     The quantity of available water with one being small with the result that in case it is spent in ablution he will have to suffer pains of thirst;

          iv.     The well is there, but there is no rope or pail;

            v.     Water is available, but a person is not in a position to move and get hold of it and there is no one else to help him. All these circumstances amount to non-availability of water.

Q.   When is the feat of falling sick to be taken as real?

  It is when either one’s personal experience convinces him or an expert doctor has advised that the use of water is likely to cause harm. In such a situation, Tayam-mum is permitted.

Q.   Please explain in some detail what we mean by the availability of water a distance of one mile.

  If a man is at a place where water is not available but he presumes from his own intuition or estimation or at somebody else’s bidding that it is available somewhere within a radius of one mile, it is a command that he fetch the water and performs the ablution. But if there is neither anyone to tell him about water nor is there any other way to ascertain availability of water, or else water is known to be more than a mile away, no obligation devolves on him to fetch water and Tayam-mum is permissible.

Q.   How many obligatories are there in Tayam-mum?

  There are three obligatories in it:

·        Intention;

·        Striking the two palms on the sod or lump of dry clay and applying those hands to the face; and

·        Striking both the palms against the sod once again and the two hands to the elbows.

Q.   What is complete formula for Tayam-mum?

  First, affirm the intention that you are performing the Tayam-mum to secure cleanness from uncleanness and to offer Salat. Then strike the two hands over the lump of clay and give them a shake. Now, if your hands become too much smeared with dust, blow the extra dust away and take them across the face in such a manner that no part of the face is left out. If a spot equal to the breadth of a single hair is left, Tayam-mum is not valid. Again, strike the palms on the lump of clay. Then give them a shake, put four fingers of your left hand below the fingers of the right hand and draw them up to the elbow. The lower side of the right hand is thus covered. Now, put the palm of the left hand on the upper side of the elbow and move it down to the fingers. Then move the inner side of the left thumb on the back of the right thumb. Then apply the right on the left one in like manner. Then pass the fingers of one hand into those of the other. If there is a ring in one of the fingers, it is necessary to take it off or move it round. Passing the fingers through the beard is also one of the precepts of the Prophet (peace be on him).

Q.   Can Tayam-mum be a substitute for both ablution and bath?

  Yes, it can be a substitute for both.

Q.   What things can be used for purposes of Tayam-mum?

  Tayam-mum is allowed with clean soil, stone, lime, unpolished earthen wares, baked or unbaked clay bricks or wall made of mud, bricks, stone or lime or brown clay. Similarly, Tayam-mum is allowed with clean dust.

Q.   Which things are not allowed to be used in Tayam-mum?

  Tayam-mum is allowed is not allowed on wood, iron, silver, gold, copper, brass, aluminium, glass, lead, wheat, barley and other grains, cloth or ashes. In other words, things that offer themselves to melt or be burnt to ashes do not qualify for permissible items for Tayam-mum.

Q.   Will Tayam-mum be allowed if there is no dust on stone, lime or brick walls?

  Dust is not a precondition for the items on which Tayam-mum has been mentioned as permissible. Tayam-mum is allowed on stone, brick or even washed up clay ware.

Q.   Can a substance not allowed to be used for Tayam-mum be used for the purpose if it has dust on its surface?

  Yes, Tayam-mum is allowed if there is sufficient dust on them to blow up when struck with hand or if the finger leaves a print on them if drawn across.

Q.   If Tayam-mum has been performed for purpose of reciting the Holy Qur-an or touching it with hand or entering the Masjid, calling the azan or acknowledging to the greetings (Salam), will it hold good for performing the Salat as well?

  No, it will not be valid for Salat.

Q.   Is Salat permissible with a Tayam-mum made for purposes of the funeral prayers or a commanded Sijdah (prostration) in the course of reciting some particular verses from the Holy Qur-an?

  Yes, it is permissible.

Q.   What should a person do if water becomes available after one has said his prayers with a Tayam-mum done in the event of non-availability of water?

  The Salat already said shall be deemed as valid. There is no need to revise it whether one gets the water within the prescribed time limit for that particular Salat or after it.

Q.   What things invalidate the Tayam-mum?

  Contingencies that undo the ablution also invalidate the Tayam-mum. Nevertheless, the Tayam-mum in lieu of bath can only be undone by a major cause of uncleanness (Hadath Akbar). But if the Tayam-mum was done because of the non-availability of water, it will be invalidated the moment water becomes available. In case the Tayam-mum was necessitated by some other compulsion such as disease etc., it shall be invalidated the moment that compulsion no longer obtains.

Q.   Is a second Salat permissible with Tayam-mum done for the first?

  Tayam-mum done once is good for as many Salat as one likes so long as it is intact. Similarly, the Tayam-mum done for a commanded Salat is valid for such a Salat as well as for offering the Nafl prayer, recitation of the Holy Qur-an, offering funeral prayer, accomplishing the Sijdah consequent upon the recitation of certain parts of the Qur-an and other types of worship.

Q.   What is the maximum duration of Tayam-mum to be permissible?

  Tayam-mum is allowed as long as one does not find water or the compulsion lasts. Even if the situation lasts for several years on end, there will be no hitch to it (Tayam-mum).