Tayammum — Purification with Earth

When tayammum is permitted: - Water is unavailable — traveler, no bathroom reachable, dry region, water far enough that seeking it would cause hardship. - Using water would cause harm — severe illness, skin condition, wound, bandage that water would damage, medically advised against water contact.

The Mālikī obligations of tayammum (5):

1. Niyya — intention of tayammum specifically (to lift the state requiring purification, or to enable prayer). 2. Using clean earth (*ṣaʿīd*) — pure soil, sand, stone, or clay. Not wood, not metal, not fabric. 3. The first strike — placing both palms flat on the earth, then lifting and gently shaking off excess dust. 4. Wiping the face and the hands — face with both palms, then arms (the Mālikī mainstream position is to the wrists, with a second strike for the arms). 5. Fawr — performing the tayammum continuously and connected to the prayer for which it was made.

Step by step:

1. Intend tayammum: in your heart, "I intend tayammum to lift my state of *ḥadath* and to enable prayer." 2. Place both palms flat on clean earth or stone. Lift them and gently blow off excess dust. 3. Wipe your face with both palms — full coverage from hairline to chin. 4. Strike the earth a second time. 5. Wipe your right arm with the left palm, from fingertips to wrist. 6. Wipe your left arm with the right palm the same way. 7. Pray immediately — tayammum is meant to be used right away, not stored for later.

Important conditions: - Tayammum must be done after the prayer's time has entered, and after making a genuine effort to find water. - It must be attached to the prayer — you can't do tayammum and then pray hours later. - The Mālikī position: one tayammum covers one obligatory prayer, plus its connected sunna prayers. A new fard requires a new tayammum. - If water becomes available before the prayer starts, you must use the water and abandon the tayammum.

Nullifiers of tayammum: - Anything that breaks wuḍūʾ. - Anything that requires ghusl (intercourse, menstruation ending, etc.). - Finding water before the prayer begins.