Additonally,
at-Tayammum is nullified as soon as one finds water. Al-Uthaymeen explains that
if a person makes Tayammum because he didn’t find water (not because has water
but is unable to use it) then the Tayammum is automatically nullified as soon
as he finds water.
B-The above applied
even if he is in Salaat. Al-Uthaymeen explains that there is a difference of
opinion on this.
Their evidences are as
follows:
-“and you find no water, then perform Tayammum”
[5:6]
The point of evidence here is that once a person finds water, the
Tayammum is automatically nullified.
-The Hadeeth, “The earth is pure and a purification for the Muslim even
if you do not find water for ten years, but if you find water then Fear Allaah
and wash yourself. For verily, there is a great deal of goodness in this.”
[Reported by al-Bazzaar (193) with this wording and Aboo Dawood (332),
at-Tirmidhee (124), Ibn Hibbaan (1311) with another wording ].
This again shows Tayammum is automatically nullified.
-at-Tayammum is an act of purification for those who don’t have water
but once water arrives then there is no substitute ruling.
PRINCIPLE: if the word
“even if” (لو) appears in the books of Fiqh, it then refers to a difference
of opinion. But sometimes it can refer to clarifying issues. So the word “even if”
appears where is says, “Even if he is Salaat” is addition to clarify that
Tayammum is broken as soon as water arrives.
Some stated that if a
person is praying after making at-Tayammum and then water arrives whilst he is
praying, then the Salaat/Tayammum is not nullified. This is a view of the Imaam
Ahmad himself but it was said he retracted this opinion, thus it is not the
official opinion of the Hanbalee Madhab, they followed the above. Their evidences include:
-The Sharee’ah has legislated purification for a purpose, in this case
as-Salaat. So if a person does his best to find water but doesn’t, then he performs
at-Tayammum and prays, then his Salaat can’t be nullified at a later point in
time. This is because he did what he was capable to do.
-“and render not vain your deeds” [Muhammad:33]
It is not possible to exit or nullify an obligatory act of worship
except with clear evidence or extreme necessity.
-The evidences above indicate a nullification of at-Tayammum when water
arrives before one prays and not during.
-A Principle: if there is a possibility in understanding the texts in
different ways, then it can’t be used as explicit proof إذا وجد الاحتمال بطل الاستدلال.
Uthaymeen states that
the difference of opinion here is very strong.
PRINCIPLE: when there
is a very strong difference of opinion, one can’t argue to “act upon what is safer”,
because safer has two views.
For example, if a
person says it is safer to nullify the Tayammum and the prayer and perform
Wudhoo and repeat the prayer, then this opinion would be guilty of nullifying
two obligatory actions without any evidence.
However, if a person
says that it is safer to continue praying because this would not lead to a
person nullify obligatory acts of worship then one would be guilty of perhaps
not having his prayer accepted.
Another example of
this principle is the difference of opinion on the beginning time for the ‘Asr
prayer:
The Hanafees stated
that the time for al-‘Asr begins after the shade of an object reaches to twice
its length.
The majority have
stated that it begins once the shade of an object is similar to the size of the
object.
So if one argues that
it is safer to the Hanafee opinion, then one may be guilty for delaying his
prayer for a very long time – which may be sinful.
If one argues that it
is safer to follow the majority, then one may be guilty of praying outside of
its legislated time.
The solution in this
situation is to follow the strongest argument based on the evidence.
Based on this,
Uthaymeen argues that the strongest opinion is former opinion because the
wording, “but if you find water then Fear Allaah and wash yourself” specifically
indicates that Tayammum is automatically broken once a person finds water.
Also, in this case one
would be ending his Salaat in order to complete it not in order to nullify it.
Similar to a person
who starts praying an obligatory prayer alone but then a congregation starts –
it is recommended for him to convert his prayer to an optional prayer and end
it quickly so that he may join the congregation.
[ash-Sharh al-Mumti' 1/403-406]
And Allaah Knows Best
