"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stopped to rest at the end of the night in Uwlat Al-Jaish. His wife 'Aishah was with him and her necklace of Zifar beads [1] broke and fell. The army was detained looking for that necklace of hers until the break of the light of dawn and the people had no water with them. Abu Bakr got angry with her and said: 'You have detained the people and they do not have any water.' Then Allah the Mighty and Sublime revealed the concession allowing Tayammum with clean earth. So the Muslims got up with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and struck with their hands, then they raised their hands and did not strike them together to knock off any dust, then they wiped their faces and arms up to the shoulders, and from the inner side of their of their arms up to the armpits."[1] Black and white Yemeni beads.
The Book of Purification - Sunan an-Nasa'i 314
This narration from 'Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) recounts the divine revelation permitting tayammum (dry ablution) when water is unavailable. The incident occurred during a military expedition when the Prophet's ﷺ wife lost her necklace, causing delay until dawn without water provisions.
Contextual Analysis
The location "Uwlat Al-Jaish" refers to the vanguard of the army, indicating this occurred during travel. The timing at night's end shows the urgency of the situation as dawn prayer approached without water for purification.
Abu Bakr's anger demonstrates the seriousness of detaining an entire army without water, highlighting the genuine necessity that prompted divine intervention.
Legal Rulings Derived
Tayammum becomes permissible when water is unavailable or its use would cause harm. The earth used must be pure (tahir) soil.
The method described: striking hands on clean earth, raising them without clapping to remove excess dust, wiping the face first, then arms to shoulders including inner arms to armpits.
This concession demonstrates Allah's mercy in facilitating worship during hardship, establishing tayammum as complete substitute for wudu when necessary conditions are met.
Scholarly Observations
Classical scholars note this incident occurred before the revelation of specific tayammum verses (Quran 4:43, 5:6), showing early implementation of this ruling.
The comprehensive wiping (to shoulders and armpits) differs from later established practice (to elbows), indicating possible abrogation or specific circumstance ruling.
This hadith establishes that valid reasons for tayammum include both absolute water absence and practical unavailability due to circumstances.