Shortening Salah, not fasting, Tayammum for the Bedouins who bring water from a place more than 80 kms away

Q: We have some Bedouin nomads who constantly travel to bring water from a place more than eighty kilometers away from their home. What is the religious ruling regarding them? Are they permitted to shorten Salah (Prayer), and to break their Sawm (Fast) in Ramadan during this travel? Actually, they find difficulty in maintaining Salah and Sawm especially when they go to bring water, as it takes twenty-four hours to do this, then they rest for two or three days before making another journey to the same place. Lastly, is it permissible for them to do Tayammum (dry ablution with clean earth) in this case?


A: All praise be to Allah Alone, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger, and his family and Companions. Concerning those who travel long distances to bring water, it is permissible for them to shorten Salah and not to observe Sawm during their travel for the distance mentioned in the question. As for Wudu’ (ablution), they can perform it using the water they brought for themselves and their cattle. If the amount of water they bring is sometimes so little that they fear the shortage of water will harm them or their cattle, then they are allowed to perform Tayammum in this case. (Part No. 5; Page No. 334) May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.


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