Examples of excusable difficulties for tayammum to be valid

Water is unavailable

  • One should be away from water by a mile or more (i.e. water is not present)
    • strong overwhelming assumption that it is at least that far away Water is legally unavailable but present
  • Overwhelmingly probable to one or an expert muslim doctor should have informed him that he will fall sick, condition will be aggregated or his healing will be delayed
  • Overwhelmingly probable to one that the use of cold water will be lethal for them
  • Water is in low quantity, and is feared that someone would suffer from thirst (or their animal(s)) if they use the water for ablution
  • No such device is available to extract water
  • Fear of enemy (human or animal) between one and the water (health or wealth)
  • Overwhelmingly probably to one that they will miss Id salah or janazah salah because these can not be made up
    • However, tayammum not permissable for the daily fard salah. One will either have to make wudu to perform the salah later or zuhr instead of jumuah