How to perform tayammum (dry ablution)

How to perform tayammum, step by step

• 8 steps
• 2 min
• With audio

Tayammum replaces wudu and ghusl when water is unavailable or harmful: 8 illustrated steps, with the view of your school.

The steps

1. 1 Make the intentionResolve in your heart to perform tayammum so that you can pray.

   

   Obligatory (fard)

   The intention is in the heart: you perform tayammum in place of wudu (or ghusl) so that you can pray. It is obligatory in all four schools.

   The views of the four schools

   Hanafi Obligatory (fard)

   Maliki Obligatory (fard)

   Specify in your intention whether it replaces ghusl (major impurity); one obligatory prayer per tayammum.

   Shafi‘i Obligatory (fard)

   The intention is to make the prayer permissible; one obligatory prayer per tayammum.

   Hanbali Condition

   Did I do it right?

   • There is no water, or water would harm me, or it is kept for drinking.
   • The time of the prayer has begun (except in the Hanafi school).

   References al-Bukhari 1

2. 2 Say “Bismillah”Say “Bismillah” before you begin.

   

   Sunnah

   Say “Bismillah” quietly.

   (بِسْمِ اللَّهِ).

   Bismi l-lāhBismi l-lah

   In the name of Allah.

   Supplication no. 12 of Hisn al-Muslim

   The views of the four schools

   Hanafi Sunnah

   Maliki Recommended

   Shafi‘i Sunnah

   Hanbali Obligatory (wajib)

   Saying Bismillah is obligatory when you remember it, as for wudu.

3. 3 Strike the earth with the palmsPlace or strike both open palms once on clean earth.

   

   Obligatory (fard)

   Strike lightly, fingers spread, a surface of clean earth (ground, sand or stone depending on your school). The Prophet ﷺ said to ‘Ammar: “It would have been enough for you to do this,” then he struck the ground with his palms.

   According to the Hanafi school

   Anything of the nature of the earth is suitable (sand, stone, clay, lime), even without dust.

   The views of the four schools

   Hanafi Obligatory (fard)

   Anything of the nature of the earth is suitable (sand, stone, clay, lime), even without dust.

   Maliki Obligatory (fard)

   Earth, sand, stone and anything that is part of the ground (sa‘id) are suitable.

   Shafi‘i Obligatory (fard)

   Only earth (turab) that has dust is suitable.

   Hanbali Obligatory (fard)

   Only earth that has dust is suitable.

   Did I do it right?

   • The surface is clean (free of impurity).

   References al-Bukhari 338, Muslim 368

4. 4 Blow lightly on the handsBlow on your hands or shake them gently to remove the excess dust.

   

   Sunnah

   The Prophet ﷺ blew lightly into his hands before wiping: there is no need to dirty your face.

   References al-Bukhari 338

5. 5 Wipe the whole facePass your palms over the whole face, once.

   

   Obligatory (fard)

   Pass both palms over your whole face, from forehead to chin and from ear to ear, once only. The face is wiped, not rubbed with earth.

   Did I do it right?

   • My palms passed over my whole face.

   References Quran, Al-Ma’idah 5:6, al-Bukhari 347

6. 6 Strike the earth a second timeStrike the earth again with your palms, for the hands and arms.

   

   Obligatory (fard)

   Strike the earth again with both palms; this second strike is for wiping the hands and arms.

   According to the Hanafi school

   Two strikes are obligatory, one for the face and one for the arms.

   The views of the four schools

   Hanafi Obligatory (fard)

   Two strikes are obligatory, one for the face and one for the arms.

   Maliki Sunnah

   The second strike is a sunnah.

   Shafi‘i Obligatory (fard)

   Two strikes are obligatory.

7. 7 Wipe the handsWipe the back of the right hand with the left palm, then the other way round.

   

   Obligatory (fard)

   Pass your left palm over the back of your right hand, then your right palm over the back of your left hand. Depending on your school, you stop at the wrists or go up to the elbows. Remove a tight ring.

   According to the Hanafi school

   Wipe the hands and forearms up to and including the elbows (obligatory).

   The views of the four schools

   Hanafi Obligatory (fard)

   Wipe the hands and forearms up to and including the elbows (obligatory).

   Maliki Obligatory (fard)

   Up to the wrists is obligatory; up to the elbows is a sunnah.

   Shafi‘i Obligatory (fard)

   Wipe up to and including the elbows (obligatory), keeping the order: face, then arms.

   Hanbali Obligatory (fard)

   Up to the wrists is enough (the backs of the hands and the palms), based on the hadith of ‘Ammar.

   Did I do it right?

   • The backs of both hands have been wiped.

   References al-Bukhari 347, Muslim 368

8. 8 Say the testimonyAs after wudu, say the testimony of faith.

   

   Recommended

   The jurists recommend saying the same testimony after tayammum as after wudu. Your tayammum is done: you can pray.

   (أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ..).

   Ash-hadu an lā ilāha illā l-lāh waḥdahu lā sharīka lah wa ash-hadu anna muḥammadan ʿabduhu wa rasūluhAsh-hadu an la ilaha illa l-lah wahdahu la sharika lah wa ash-hadu anna muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasuluh

   I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah, alone without partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

   Supplication no. 13 of Hisn al-Muslim

A learning guide based on the references cited. For a particular case, ask a person of knowledge. References Quran, An-Nisa 4:43, Quran, Al-Ma’idah 5:6, al-Bukhari 338, al-Bukhari 347, Muslim 368, al-Bukhari 344, al-Bukhari 1