Water is a cornerstone of spiritual and physical life for the Muslim faithful, especially during the month of Ramadhan. Considered a vital blessing from Allah (God), water is essential not only for hydration and physical health but also for daily spiritual purification.
Muslims are required to purify themselves using water before performing prayers, and it is often a recommended or obligatory prerequisite to other acts of worship. But in Islam, there exists another form of purification known as dry ablution.
Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya (CIPK) Lamu Branch Organising Secretary Sheikh Mohammed Abdulkadir explained that dry ablution involves using soil or other clean earth materials as a substitute for water in ritual purification.
The practice is known as ‘Tayammum’ in Arabic. It entails wiping the face and hands using purified, clean earth, sand, or stone. Soil mixed with filth, waste, or anything impure is not allowed.
Mr Abdulkadir said this act is permitted only in three specific situations as a concession to alleviate hardship and ensure that Muslim faithful can maintain spiritual purity and perform prayers even when water is unavailable or cannot be used.
“Tayammum, or simply dry ablution, is the use of soil for purification. In Islam, it’s allowed under several circumstances as ordained by the Quran. One such circumstance is when water is nowhere to be found or insufficient for Islamic ritual ablution or purification process,” said Mr Abdulkadir.
The second circumstance is when using water would be harmful, worsen an injury, cause illness, or significantly delay recovery. Thirdly, Tayammum is allowed if the limited water available is needed for drinking or cooking.
“You can’t use the limited water for cleansing or purifying yourself at a time when an animal is at risk of dying of thirst. It’s better to save that life by allowing the animal, be it wild or human, to drink it,” said Mr Abdulkadir.
Kilifi’s Kibarani Mosque Imam Hassan Khalfan highlighted a step-by-step guide for performing Tayammum . First, is to make the intention to perform Tayammum for purification.
“Blow lightly into the hands to remove excess dust. Then, wipe the face once with the palms. Strike the earth again with the palms and wipe the hands and forearms up to the elbows. That’s it,” said Mr Khalfan.
Lamu Island Muslim cleric Mahmoud Ahmed said dry ablution is also allowed when someone’s safety in accessing water is jeopardised.
“You can use soil purification if obtaining water is dangerous due to an enemy, wild animals, or is prohibitively expensive. Other scenarios are when the water available is too cold and there’s no way to heat it. If using such water would be harmful, then you can use soil,” said Mr Ahmed.
In Islam, purification using water or soil is always performed before prayer (Salah), reading the Quran, or other acts of worship. Such acts are done to achieve both physical and spiritual cleanliness.
Normally, ablution requires washing the hands, mouth, nose, face, arms, head, and feet in a specific, prescribed order.
“It’s obvious that while using water, many parts of the body such as the hands, mouth, nose, face, arms, head, and feet are involved. With Tayammum , only a few major parts of the body are wiped with the dust. They include the face and hands up to the wrists or elbows,” said Mr Bwanamkuu.
He stressed that for pastoralist communities who sometimes find themselves in the desert or drought-stricken regions where water is unavailable when purification is required, the earth can serve as a means of purity, protecting both life and faith.
The Muslim clerics also noted that Tayammum can be used after sexual intercourse, the completion of menstruation, or post-childbirth bleeding, provided water is unavailable or cannot be used for the necessary ritual baths. Other requirements for purification in Islam include after urination, defecation, passing wind, deep sleep, unconsciousness, or after eating camel meat.
