How to make tayammum, step by step
The two strikes and full wiping that make up tayammum, its sunnahs, the method in order, and what breaks it.
Tayammum has two strikes on the ground: one for your face, one for both your arms. The method is the same whether you are doing it in place of wudu or in place of ghusl.
Make tayammum like this
- Make your intention, say "Bismillah," and strike both palms on clean soil or dust with your fingers spread out.
- Wipe your hands all over your face, making sure no part is missed.
- Strike your palms on the soil again.
- Wipe your hands over each arm up to and including your elbows, making sure the whole arm is covered.
Tayammum has two pillars: striking the ground once and wiping the face, then striking again and wiping both hands to the elbows. The method is the same whether the tayammum stands in for wudu or for ghusl.
The pillars of tayammum
- Strike both hands on the ground or dust and wipe them over the face.
- Strike again and wipe both hands up to and including the elbows.
- In both cases, cover the area completely (the whole face, and both hands to the elbows), leaving no spot unwiped.
The sunnahs of tayammum
- Saying "Bismillah."
- Striking the palms on the ground with the inner sides facing down.
- Placing the hands on the ground and dragging them forward.
- Pulling the hands back after dragging them forward.
- Shaking off the excess dust from the hands.
- Keeping the fingers spread while placing the hands on the ground.
- Doing it in order: the face first, then the right hand, then the left.
- Wiping without delay, one action following the next.
The method in full
- Recite "Bismillah," make the intention, and strike the palms on the dust with the fingers spread wide.
- Drag the hands forward, then back, shake off the excess dust, and wipe the whole face thoroughly, leaving no part untouched, combing through a beard, where there is one.
- Strike the palms on the dust again and shake off the excess. Place the four fingers of the left hand on the back of the right hand's fingers and drag them up to the elbow, covering the whole forearm.
- Drag back down the inside of the right arm to the fingers, and use the left thumb to wipe the outer side of the right thumb.
- Do the same for the left hand with the right hand, then wipe between the fingers; there is no need to strike the ground again just for this.
The wiping of tayammum must cover the whole face and both hands to the elbows completely: including around the eyes and eyebrows, the space between the nostrils, and the lips beneath a mustache once it is moved aside. Any jewelry such as bracelets must be removed so the skin beneath is wiped too. Tayammum is not valid if any part of the face or hands is left unwiped.
| Situation | Effect |
|---|---|
| Something that would break wudu happens | Breaks a tayammum made in place of wudu |
| Something that would make ghusl necessary happens | Breaks a tayammum made in place of ghusl |
| Water becomes available, or the person becomes able to use it | Breaks the tayammum entirely |
| One tayammum was made for both wudu and ghusl, then wudu is broken, or water becomes available only for wudu, or health improves enough to allow wudu without harm | The tayammum remains valid for ghusl, but not for wudu; it keeps standing in for ghusl until something that necessitates ghusl occurs |
Tayammum rests on two arkān (pillars): a first ḍarb (strike) on the ground, wiped over the face, and a second, wiped over both hands to the elbows. The method is identical whether the tayammum substitutes for wuḍūʾ or for ghusl.
The two pillars
- The first strike: the hands are struck upon the ground or dust and wiped over the face.
- The second strike: the hands are struck again and wiped over both hands to and including the elbows.
- Istīʿāb (complete coverage) in both: the whole face and both hands to the elbows must be wiped, with no spot left unwiped.
The sunan of tayammum
- Reciting 'Bismillāh.'
- Striking the palms on the ground with their inner faces down.
- Placing the hands on the ground and dragging them forward.
- Drawing the hands back after the forward drag.
- Shaking off the excess dust from the hands.
- Keeping the fingers spread when the hands are placed on the ground.
- Observing tartīb (order): the face first, then the right hand, then the left.
- Wiping muwālāt (without delay between the actions).
The method in full
- Recite 'Bismillāh,' form the niyyah, and strike the palms on the dust with the fingers spread wide.
- Drag the hands forward and then back, shake off the excess dust, and wipe the entire face thoroughly, leaving nothing untouched, combing through a beard where present.
- Strike the palms on the dust once more and shake off the excess. Lay the four fingers of the left hand on the back of the right hand's fingers and drag them up to the elbow, covering the whole forearm.
- Draw back down the inner side of the right arm to the fingers, using the left thumb to wipe the outer side of the right thumb.
- Repeat the same for the left hand using the right, then perform khilāl between the fingers; no fresh striking of the ground is required for this.
Masḥ in tayammum must be istīʿābī (complete) over the whole face and both hands to the elbows: including the area around the eyes and eyebrows, the space between the nostrils, and the lips beneath a mustache once it is moved aside; jewelry such as bracelets or bangles must be removed so the skin beneath is reached. Tayammum is invalid if any part of the face or hands is left unwiped.
| Situation | Effect |
|---|---|
| Whatever would break wuḍūʾ occurs | Nullifies a tayammum made in place of wuḍūʾ |
| Whatever would necessitate ghusl occurs | Nullifies a tayammum made in place of ghusl |
| Water becomes available, or its use becomes possible | Nullifies the tayammum outright, since the ʿudhr (excuse) has lifted |
| A single tayammum was made with the intention of covering both wuḍūʾ and ghusl, and subsequently wuḍūʾ is broken, or water becomes available only in a quantity sufficient for wuḍūʾ, or the person's health improves enough to permit wuḍūʾ without harm | The tayammum remains valid for ghusl but not for wuḍūʾ, and continues to stand in for ghusl until something necessitating ghusl occurs |
Related
- The four obligatory acts (fard) of wudu The four fard acts of wudu explained in full: the face, the arms, wiping the head, and the feet.
- What tayammum is, and its conditions The definition of tayammum, when it stands in for wudu or ghusl, its six conditions, and the rulings of its intention.
- How to make wudu, step by step The full sunnah method of wudu in order, from the intention to the supplication at the end, with the words to say.
- How to make ghusl, step by step The full sunnah method of ghusl in order, from washing the hands to the final pouring, with the notes that make it valid.