Also, he asks: Is it permissible for those who go out to the wilderness during the spring holiday and the like to perform tayammum due to a scarcity of water or the severity of the cold, given that they own cars?
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The questioner : Also, he asks: Is it permissible for those who go out to the wilderness during the spring holiday and the like to perform tayammum due to a scarcity of water or the severity of the cold, given that they own cars and drive them from outside the city, knowing that they will stay in the wilderness for a certain number of days?
The Shaykh : If they do not have water, it is permissible for them to perform tayammum for major ritual impurity and for minor ritual impurity.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : As for if they fear the cold, if they have something with which to heat the water, it is obligatory for them to heat it and use it. If they do not have something with which to heat the water, it is permissible for them to perform tayammum. In both cases, if they find water afterwards, it is obligatory for them to perform the full ritual bath if their tayammum was for major ritual impurity, and the ablution for prayer if their tayammum was for minor ritual impurity.
The questioner : But how do people like these leave the city with their cars and not take...?
The Shaykh : The cars may not be suitable for carrying water in them, or there may be hardship in carrying water.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, says:[An-Nisa 4:43] Carrying water for the purpose of performing the ablution with it is not obligatory, because it may be difficult for a person.
The questioner : But is it not upon a person to buy water, even with money?
The Shaykh : He buys it when the time for prayer arrives.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : As for before that, no. When the time for prayer arrives, it is obligatory for him to perform the ablution for prayer.
The questioner : But he does not burden himself with carrying it?
The Shaykh : Yes, he does not burden himself with carrying it.
The questioner : He does not burden himself if there is severe difficulty. But what if he has means of transport?
The Shaykh : Even if he has means of transport, it does not appear to me that it is obligatory for him to carry it.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : For the purpose of the ablution for prayer, because he is commanded to perform the ablution for prayer when the prayer arrives. So when the prayer arrives, if he finds water, he performs the ablution with it; otherwise, he does not.
The Shaykh : If they do not have water, it is permissible for them to perform tayammum for major ritual impurity and for minor ritual impurity.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : As for if they fear the cold, if they have something with which to heat the water, it is obligatory for them to heat it and use it. If they do not have something with which to heat the water, it is permissible for them to perform tayammum. In both cases, if they find water afterwards, it is obligatory for them to perform the full ritual bath if their tayammum was for major ritual impurity, and the ablution for prayer if their tayammum was for minor ritual impurity.
The questioner : But how do people like these leave the city with their cars and not take...?
The Shaykh : The cars may not be suitable for carrying water in them, or there may be hardship in carrying water.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, says:
And 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 find no water, then seek clean earth
وَإِنْ كُنتُمْ مَرْضَى أَوْ عَلَى سَفَرٍ أَوْ جَاءَ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ مِنَ الْغَائِطِ أَوْ لامَسْتُمُ النِّسَاءَ فَلَمْ تَجِدُوا مَاءً فَتَيَمَّمُواThe questioner : But is it not upon a person to buy water, even with money?
The Shaykh : He buys it when the time for prayer arrives.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : As for before that, no. When the time for prayer arrives, it is obligatory for him to perform the ablution for prayer.
The questioner : But he does not burden himself with carrying it?
The Shaykh : Yes, he does not burden himself with carrying it.
The questioner : He does not burden himself if there is severe difficulty. But what if he has means of transport?
The Shaykh : Even if he has means of transport, it does not appear to me that it is obligatory for him to carry it.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : For the purpose of the ablution for prayer, because he is commanded to perform the ablution for prayer when the prayer arrives. So when the prayer arrives, if he finds water, he performs the ablution with it; otherwise, he does not.