Tayammum (Dry Purification)

Tayammum (Arabic: تيمم) is the ritual purification with clean earth or natural materials, which replaces wudu or ghusl when water is not available, or when the use of water would be harmful to one's health. Tayammum is a divine concession (rukhsah) that ensures prayer can always be performed regardless of circumstances.

The Quran states: "And if you are ill or on a journey, or one of you comes from the restroom, or you have had contact with women, and you do not find water, then perform tayammum with clean earth and wipe your faces and hands" (Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:6). This verse forms the Quranic basis for tayammum.

In Shia fiqh, tayammum is performed by lightly striking both hands on clean earth (or stone, sand, clay), wiping them over the forehead from the hairline to the bridge of the nose, and then wiping the left hand over the back of the right hand and vice versa. Imam al-Baqir (peace be upon him) demonstrated tayammum to his followers and said: "Strike your hands once on the earth, and wipe them over your forehead and your hands" (Al-Kafi, vol. 3).

The conditions for tayammum in Islamic jurisprudence include: (1) Water is not available after reasonable search, (2) Use of water would cause illness or worsen an existing illness, (3) The time for prayer is so limited that wudu/ghusl cannot be completed, or (4) One needs the water for vital purposes such as drinking. Tayammum replaces wudu or ghusl temporarily — when the cause ceases, one must perform wudu/ghusl again.