What is the ruling on a person upon whom water has fallen while they were in a state requiring Tayammum (e.g., Janaba or injury)?

Chapter on Tayammum

Al-Mughni

Book of Purification

Book 2 · Issue 3 · Bab 10

Open in Qurani

Primary text

If water reaches a part of the body that was sound, that part must be washed with water. Tayammum must be performed for the part that water did not reach. This issue demonstrates the permissibility of Tayammum for a person in a state of major ritual impurity (Janaba). This is the opinion of the vast majority of scholars, including Ali, Ibn Abbas, Amr ibn al-'As, Abu Musa, Ammar, Al-Thawri, Malik, Al-Shafi'i, Abu Thawr, Ishaq, Ibn al-Mundhir, and the Ashab al-Ra'y (Hanafi school). The evidence for this permissibility is the hadith related by Imran ibn Husayn where the Prophet (PBUH) instructed a man in a state of Janaba without water to use purified earth (Sa'eed) as it suffices him. This is also supported by hadith concerning Abu Dharr, Amr ibn al-'As, and Jaber regarding the injured man, treating Janaba like minor impurity concerning Tayammum when water is unavailable.

Supporting text

Ibn Mas'ud initially did not permit Tayammum for a person in Janaba, an opinion attributed also to Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both). It is reported that Ibn Mas'ud later retracted this view. Al-Tirmidhi narrated that Ibn Mas'ud reverted from his initial statement.