Tayammum: how to do dry ablution
Tayammum is dry ablution with clean earth, allowed when water is unavailable or harmful to use. It replaces both wudu and ghusl. It is simple: intention, strike the earth, wipe the face and hands. Here is how to do it, when it is allowed, and what breaks it.
Last updated: 4 October 2026
In the Quran
“…and if you do not find water, then seek clean earth and wipe your faces and hands with it. Allah does not intend to make difficulty for you, but He intends to purify you” (Al-Ma’idah 5:6; see also An-Nisa 4:43).
When tayammum is allowed
- No water is available, after a reasonable search, for wudu or ghusl.
- Using water would cause harm, such as illness, a wound or a doctor’s advice.
- The water available is needed for drinking.
- Extreme cold with no way of warming water, causing real risk.
How to perform tayammum
- Make the intention to purify yourself for prayer.
- Say “Bismillah”.
- Strike the clean earth (or a stone or dusty surface) lightly with both palms, and blow or shake off any excess.
- Wipe your face with your palms.
- Wipe the back of each hand with the other palm.
This is the method the Prophet ﷺ taught ‘Ammar ibn Yasir: one strike, then the face and hands (Sahih al-Bukhari 338). The Hanafi and Shafi‘i schools teach two strikes, the second for the arms up to the elbows; both are followed in UK mosques.
For the normal purifications, see how to perform wudu and how to perform ghusl; for the prayer itself, how to pray salah.
Frequently asked questions
What can I use for tayammum?
Clean earth or anything from the earth’s surface, such as soil, sand, stone or dust. A clean stone or a wall with dust on it is often used. Most scholars do not allow tayammum on materials such as wood or carpet unless they have dust on them.
Does tayammum replace ghusl as well as wudu?
Yes. When water cannot be used, tayammum lifts both minor and major impurity until water becomes available (Sahih al-Bukhari 344).
What breaks tayammum?
Anything that breaks wudu, and finding water (or becoming able to use it). Then wudu or ghusl must be performed for the next prayer.
Can I use tayammum in hospital?
Yes, if washing is harmful or not possible. Many UK hospital chaplaincies can help, and a smooth stone kept in a bag is a common practical solution.
Questions about purity and prayer?
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