The Shaykh (Al-Mufid), may Allah سبحانه وتعالى support him, commented: "The term sa’eed refers to soil. It is called sa’eed because it ascends to the surface of the earth. Tayyib refers to soil free of any known impurity." This is supported by what Ibn Duraid mentioned in his book Al-Jamhara, quoting Abu Ubaidah Ma’mar ibn Al-Muthanna, that sa’eed refers to pure soil, free from impurities such as stones or sand. His statement holds weight in linguistic matters. If sa’eed means soil, then our interpretation is correct. If it means the earth itself or what rises to its surface, then it does not support the interpretation of our opponents, such as the followers of Abu Hanifa, who argue that substances like antimony or arsenic qualify as earth. These are not referred to as "earth" in common language, just as minerals like silver, gold, or iron are not called "earth." For example, one does not say, "I have a piece of the earth," when referring to antimony or arsenic. Hence, these do not qualify as sa’eed. If sa’eed refers to what rises on the surface of the earth, it must either belong to the same category as the earth or be of a different kind. If it is of the same kind, then our interpretation is correct. If it is of a different kind, this is invalid, as substances such as fruits or minerals that rise on the earth are not referred to as sa’eed. The Shaykh (Al-Mufid) also added: "It is recommended to perform tayammum from elevated areas of land and the upper portions of the earth, from which water flows downward, as they are purer than lower-lying areas." This recommendation is based on the idea that elevated areas are less likely to be contaminated and are thus more suitable for tayammum.
Commentary #3