1/127. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 333 — Clean Earth as Tahur
The Sexually Impure Person Performing Tayammum
Clean Earth as Tahur When Water Cannot Be Found
Sunan Abi Dawud : 333
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 333
حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، أَخْبَرَنَا حَمَّادٌ، عَنْ أَيُّوبَ، عَنْ أَبِي قِلاَبَةَ، عَنْ رَجُلٍ، مِنْ بَنِي عَامِرٍ قَالَ دَخَلْتُ فِي الإِسْلاَمِ فَأَهَمَّنِي دِينِي فَأَتَيْتُ أَبَا ذَرٍّ فَقَالَ أَبُو ذَرٍّ إِنِّي اجْتَوَيْتُ الْمَدِينَةَ فَأَمَرَ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِذَوْدٍ وَبِغَنَمٍ فَقَالَ لِي " اشْرَبْ مِنْ أَلْبَانِهَا " . قَالَ حَمَّادٌ وَأَشُكُّ فِي " أَبْوَالِهَا " . هَذَا قَوْلُ حَمَّادٍ . فَقَالَ أَبُو ذَرٍّ فَكُنْتُ أَعْزُبُ عَنِ الْمَاءِ وَمَعِي أَهْلِي فَتُصِيبُنِي الْجَنَابَةُ فَأُصَلِّي بِغَيْرِ طُهُورٍ فَأَتَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِنِصْفِ النَّهَارِ وَهُوَ فِي رَهْطٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ وَهُوَ فِي ظِلِّ الْمَسْجِدِ فَقَالَ " أَبُو ذَرٍّ " . فَقُلْتُ نَعَمْ هَلَكْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ . قَالَ " وَمَا أَهْلَكَكَ " . قُلْتُ إِنِّي كُنْتُ أَعْزُبُ عَنِ الْمَاءِ وَمَعِي أَهْلِي فَتُصِيبُنِي الْجَنَابَةُ فَأُصَلِّي بِغَيْرِ طُهُورٍ فَأَمَرَ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِمَاءٍ فَجَاءَتْ بِهِ جَارِيَةٌ سَوْدَاءُ بِعُسٍّ يَتَخَضْخَضُ مَا هُوَ بِمَلآنَ فَتَسَتَّرْتُ إِلَى بَعِيرِي فَاغْتَسَلْتُ ثُمَّ جِئْتُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " يَا أَبَا ذَرٍّ إِنَّ الصَّعِيدَ الطَّيِّبَ طَهُورٌ وَإِنْ لَمْ تَجِدِ الْمَاءَ إِلَى عَشْرِ سِنِينَ فَإِذَا وَجَدْتَ الْمَاءَ فَأَمِسَّهُ جِلْدَكَ " . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ رَوَاهُ حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ عَنْ أَيُّوبَ لَمْ يَذْكُرْ " أَبْوَالَهَا " . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ هَذَا لَيْسَ بِصَحِيحٍ وَلَيْسَ فِي أَبْوَالِهَا إِلاَّ حَدِيثُ أَنَسٍ تَفَرَّدَ بِهِ أَهْلُ الْبَصْرَةِ .
A man from Banu 'Amir said: I embraced Islam and my (ignorance of the) religion made me anxious (to learn the essentials). I came to Abu Dharr. Abu Dharr said: The climate of Medina did not suit me. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ordered me to have a few camels and goats. He said to me: Drink their milk. (The narrator Hammad said): I doubt whether he (the Prophet) said: "their urine." Abu Dharr said: I was away from the watering place and I had my family with me. I would have sexual defilement and pray without purification. I came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) at noon. He was resting in the shade of the mosque along with a group of Companions. He (the Prophet) said: Abu Dharr. I said: Yes, I am ruined, Messenger of Allah. He said: What ruined you ? I said: I was away from the watering place and I had family with me. I used to be sexually defiled and pray without purification. He commanded (to bring) water for me. Then a black slave-girl brought a vessel of water that was shaking as the vessel was not full. I concealed myself behind a camel and took bath and them came (to the Prophet). The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Abu Dharr, clean earth is a means of ablution, even if you do not find water for ten years. When you find water, you should make it touch your skin. Abu Dawud said: This is transmitted by Hammad b. Zaid from Ayyub. This version does not mention the words "their urine." This is not correct. The words "their urine" occur only in the version reported by Anas and transmitted only by the people of Basrah.
[1] Meaning, he wished to learn about it.[1] That is, number 4364 and those after it.Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 333In-book reference : Book 1, Hadith 333English translation : Book 1, Hadith 333
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 333
This Hadith gives another version of Abu Dharr’s story. He explains that he was away from the watering place with his family, became sexually defiled, and prayed without purification. When he came to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, he admitted that he felt ruined. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم asked what had ruined him, then commanded water to be brought. Abu Dharr bathed behind a camel and came back. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم then said that clean earth is a means of purification even if water is not found for ten years. When water is found, it should touch the skin. This Hadith directly teaches that lack of water does not leave a person without a path to purification.
What we learn from this hadith
- Abu Dharr openly admitted his concern about praying without purification.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم taught that clean earth can purify when water is absent.
- When water becomes available, it should be used on the skin.
- The narration shows that asking about a mistake can lead to guidance.
