The ruling on tayammum (dry ablution with clean earth) when water is available in a place far from the place of prayer
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Your Eminence! Some people, when they go out in their car and stop in a place where the time for prayer arrives and they do not have water with them, perform tayammum (dry ablution with clean earth), even though water may be very close to them. What is the ruling on this man’s tayammum? Also, O Shaykh! If a man stops in a place, or in a mosque on the road, and does not find water in that place, or in that mosque, is it obligatory for him to search for water?
Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said in the verse regarding wudu’ (the ablution for prayer) and ghusl (the full ritual bath): [Surat al-Ma'idah: 6] The scholars said that His statement: (so you will not find) is evidence that he must seek it;Because he does not say: One does not say “I did not find” unless he sought it. As for a man who wants water to be with him in the bathrooms around the mosque, that may not be possible. It is obligatory for a person, if water is close to him, to purify himself with it. But if it is far away, there is no harm if the time for prayer arrives for him to perform tayammum (dry ablution with clean earth) and pray.As the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: (So whichever man the time for prayer catches up with him, let him pray) meaning: he prays with water if it is present, otherwise with tayammum (dry ablution with clean earth).
But he must search, for perhaps he will find water nearby, or he will find someone to sell it to him, for example. And praise be to Allah, nowadays you do not find a grocery store without water being sold in it. Likewise, bottled water can be used by a person for wudu’ (the ablution for prayer).
Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said in the verse regarding wudu’ (the ablution for prayer) and ghusl (the full ritual bath):
And if you are in a state of janabah, then purify yourselves. But if you are ill or on a journey or one of you comes from the place of relieving himself or you have contacted women and do not find water, then seek
وَإِنْ كُنْتُمْ جُنُباً فَاطَّهَّرُوا وَإِنْ كُنْتُمْ مَرْضَى أَوْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ أَوْ جَاءَ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ مِنَ الْغَائِطِ أَوْ لامَسْتُمُ النِّسَاءَ فَلَمْ تَجِدُوا مَاءً فَتَيَمَّمُواBut he must search, for perhaps he will find water nearby, or he will find someone to sell it to him, for example. And praise be to Allah, nowadays you do not find a grocery store without water being sold in it. Likewise, bottled water can be used by a person for wudu’ (the ablution for prayer).