The Ruling on Tayammum for One in a State of Major Ritual Impurity Due to Fear of Cold

Question:
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success. This questioner says: Is it true that if a person is in a state of major ritual impurity and cannot perform the full ritual bath out of fear of the cold, is it true that he may perform dry ablution with clean earth so that he can catch up with the prayer?

Answer:
If he fears harm to himself, and he has no means of heating the water, and he is in the desert with no means of heating the water, then he performs tayammum, as 'Amr ibn al-'As (may Allah be pleased with him) did, and the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) approved of it. If he fears harm to himself from the cold, and he has nothing to heat the water with, and he is in the desert, then he performs tayammum and prays. But if he is in a town where there are means of heating, then it is not permissible for him to perform tayammum, because he has means of heating.