Which action takes precedence when water is insufficient for both ablution (wudu) and removing perfume (tayyib)?
Chapter on Ransom (Fidyah) and Penalty for Hunting
Al-Mughni
Book of Hajj
Primary text
The obligation to remove perfume takes precedence over performing ablution when water is insufficient for both. If only one action can be performed, the removal of the perfume must be done, and ritual dry ablution (tayammum) must be performed for the state of ritual impurity (hadath). This is because there is no concession permitting the retention of perfume, whereas the substitution of ablution with tayammum is a concession.
Supporting text
If the individual is able to remove the scent of the perfume without using water, that action must be performed, followed by ablution. This is because the objective of removing the perfume is to eliminate its odor, and water is not strictly required for that specific objective, unlike ablution where water is essential (or its substitute, tayammum, is needed).