Tayammum
Definition
Tayammum is the divinely sanctioned substitute for wudu and ghusl when water is unavailable or its use would cause harm — performed by striking clean earth and wiping the face and hands. Al-Ghazali sees in tayammum a profound theological statement: Allah does not demand from His servants what they cannot perform, and the intention to worship counts even when the normal means are unavailable. Tayammum teaches that what Allah ultimately wants is the oriented heart, and that external forms serve the heart rather than replace it.
As understood in the classical tradition of Imam al-Ghazali and the scholars of his school.
How the scholars use Tayammum.
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"If intending to join two obligatory prayers, they must redo tayammum for the second prayer, as two obligatory prayers cannot be joined with one tayammum. One should not perform tayammum before the prayer time has commenced; if they do, they must repeat tayammum. When wiping the face, one should intend to permit prayer."
— Imam al-Ghazali, Book 17: Etiquettes of Travel
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"If one forgets water in their baggage or forgets a nearby well, they are required to repeat the prayer for their negligence in searching. If it is known that they will find water at the end of the prayer time, it is preferable to pray with tayammum at the beginning of the time, for life is uncertain. The start of the time is the pleasure of Allah. Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with them, performed tayammum, and it was said to him, “Do you perform tayammum while the walls of Medina are in sight?"
— Imam al-Ghazali, Book 17: Etiquettes of Travel
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"The gentle manner of doing so has been mentioned in the Book of Purification, so it will not be repeated here. After performing an obligatory prayer with it, one is free to pray additional prayers as much as they wish with that tayammum. If intending to join two obligatory prayers, they must redo tayammum for the second prayer, as two obligatory prayers cannot be joined with one tayammum."
— Imam al-Ghazali, Book 17: Etiquettes of Travel
Appears in
1 book in the library
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