How to perform Tayammum?-Ablutions meaning in Islam

Tayammum means to strive for something, to aim or to find something. According to religion Islam, it means to perform the rituals of purification with the help of pure sand, clay and mud.

Why Tayammum is performed?

Tayammum is an act of achieving purification with the help of pure sand or clay when you do not have water or any resources of pure water in the surroundings. It is performed to achieve the state of purification for fulfilling the religious obligations like prayer.

Prophet Muhammad said that Allah has blessed us more than other people in three ways and these are:

1. He compared our rows with the rows of Angels
2. He made whole earth mosque for us
3. He made it earth a source of purification when we do not find water

Achieving purification before offering prayer:

Achieving purification is the first criteria to perform any worship as cleanliness is the part of faith.

• Allah Almighty has ordered Muslims to perform Wudu before they offer prayer.
• They are required to perform Ghusl if they had a sexual interaction with their wives or faced ejaculation.
• They must wash their whole body properly to become eligible for prayer.
• Allah has also given relaxation to Muslims as He does not put anyone in difficulty. This relaxation comes in the form of Tayammum for those who are sick and are unable to wash parts of their body properly.

When Tayammum is performed?

Allah has ordered Muslims to perform Tayammum instead of Ghusl of Wudu (as we should know How to perform Tayammum) when they face the following conditions:

• Whey they are on a journey
• Whey they are lacking the ability to perform Wudu or Ghusl
• State of illness
• When they face fear of thieves or wild animals
• When they do not have money to purchase water if it is sold
• When they are unable to get pure water as Wudu is only performed with the pure water
• Whey amount of water is so lesser that it would not be enough for drinking if you use it for Wudu
• When access to the nearby water resources is forbidden

Islam prefers the easiness of people and also some worships are compromised based upon their hard situations that they face.

While on a journey:

Muslims can perform Tayammum when they are on a journey and do not find any source of water nearby or are unaware of the resources in the surroundings. Tayammum becomes compulsory in this situation. It also become lawful when you are obliged to perform Ghusl but do not find water. It acts as a both Ghusl and Wudu.

Not having ability to perform Ghusl or Wudu:

Tayammum is also performed in the situation when a person is unable to perform Ghusl or Wudu with water. A person may also perform it when he has been forbidden from using water due to medical issues (any kind of disability). He can perform Tayammum if he is unable to perform Ghusl, Wudu or touch water due to illness.

State of illness:

State of illness is the exceptional state in which Islam provides easiness and relaxation to the patients due to the serious conditions that they face. If a person is ill and is not supposed to use water, he is allowed to carry out the rites of Tayammum.

Danger of animals or thieves:

A person is also permitted to perform Tayammum in the situation when he feels danger of wild animals or thieves. Suppose a person is on journey and is certain that there is a source of water near him but does not try to reach it due to the fear, he is allowed to perform his obligatory prayers by doing Tayammum.

If you are unable to find pure water before ending prayer time:

When you are on a journey and looking for water resources, you should find water before prayer time ends. If you are unable to find the pure water and prayer time is near to end, you are required to perform Tayammum to perform prayer on time. Later, you can find water to fulfill your requirements, to perform Ghusl and to perform Wudu.

Can a person offer more than one prayers in a single Tayammum?

No, a person cannot offer more than one prayers in a single Tayammum. He must perform ablution or perform Ghusl after he finds the pure water. Only sick people are allowed to perform more than one prayers in a single Tayammum because they may face any harm if they perform it again and again.

How to perform Tayammum? A step by step guide:

As we have learnt that Tayammum is performed by:

• A traveler
• An ill person
• A person in danger
• A fearful person

These people are allowed to perform Tayammum. There is no permission for those who can easily find water.

1) Make intentions to perform Tayammum:

The first and foremost step in performing Tayammum is to make intentions for it. It does not remove major or minor impurity from the body but makes prayer permissible. You are only required to perform one prayer in Tayammum and for other you should arrange for water resources. You can perform more than one prayers only in the condition when you are ill and you have been asked to avoid from using water.

2) Find the best place to perform Tayammum:

Perform Tayammum with the items that have been permitted in Islam. Here is the list of those items:

• Stone
• Sand
• Pure earth
• Limestone
• Baked earthen pots
• Clay
• Walls made with pure mud
• Any item that has thick covering of clay is permitted
• Any building made with clay

These are all the objects or places where your Tayammum is accepted.

Objects with which Tayammum is not permitted:

Tayammum can only be performed with the pure clay or sand or the objects made from clay. All other things are not acceptable. Here is the short list of things that are not accepted for Tayammum.

• Glass
• Metal
• Wood
• Food items like vegetables and fruits
• Anything that burns or melts

These are objects or things with which you cannot perform Tayammum as these are not permitted in Islam.

Also find the pure places. Cleanliness should also be the main focus. If you are going to perform it where there are trees, first remove all the fallen leaves on the ground and then touch the ground. Remove all the things from ground to contact your hands only with the sand or clay.

3) Start by hitting both the hands on ground:

The next step is to hit both of your hands on the ground. You must make sure that the place where you are hitting your hands is pure. Then shake your hands properly after hitting it with the ground to remove anything attached with the hands. Slightly strike your hands to remove extra soil. You are now in the best state of starting Tayammum.

4) Wiping the face:

The next step after slightly striking your hands with one another, is to wipe over your whole face. It includes from one earlobe to another and from forehead to chin or its lower side.

5) Hit your hands again with the ground:

For performing another rite, again hit both of your hands with the ground and shake them properly after hitting with the sand or earth. Rub both of your hands with each other to make confirm that hands have been provided with the pure sand or clay. Then wipe over both of your arms to the elbows. Wipe your right hand first including arm and then wipe left hand.

What are the benefits of performing Tayammum?

• Tayammum is the state of temporary purification for offering prayer when you are on a journey.
• It is the relaxation for Muslims otherwise Wudu is the Fardh act before offering prayers.
• Sick people who are not allowed to get water touch parts of their body can also worship Allah Almighty by performing Tayammum or dray ablution.
• Performing Tayammum also prevents Muslims from different diseases as they prevent themselves from water and also do not miss their prayers.
• Tayammum also prevents bacterial infections.
• It is also the Sunnah act of our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
• Pure sand or clay also kills the germs as water washes away all the bacteria or germs present on the body.
• Allah does not put His creations, human beings in difficulty and has provided several options to perform worships.