Tayammum for fear of missing Salah or for no excuse
Q 1: Is
it permissible to perform Tayammum (dry ablution with clean earth) for fear of missing the time of Salah (Prayer)?
Does performing Tayammum with no excuse invalidate Wudu' (ablution)? Is the Salah performed through Tayammum with no excuse valid?
A:
If water is available, it must be used for Taharah (ritual purification) even if a person fears missing the Salah time. It is not permissible to substitute it with Tayammum except when there is a Shar`y (Islamic legal) excuse because of which a person is unable to use water, such as illness or fear of thirst. Allah (Exalted be He) permits Tayammum only when water is unavailable or when a person is unable to use water. If a person performs Tayammum when water is available and there is no Shar`y excuse for doing so, his Salah is invalid due to not fulfilling one of the conditions of its validity, which is Taharah. (Part No. 4; Page No. 176) May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.