Chapter on Tayammum (dry ablution) and Its Rules
Tahdhīb al-Aḥkām|Volume 1|Book 1|Chapter 20
مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ يَعْقُوبَ عَنِ اِبْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ حُمْرَانَ وَ جَمِيلٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: أَنَّهُمَا سَأَلاَهُ عَنْ إِمَامِ قَوْمٍ أَصَابَتْهُ فِي سَفَرٍ جَنَابَةٌ وَ لَيْسَ مَعَهُ مِنَ اَلْمَاءِ مَا يَكْفِيهِ فِي اَلْغُسْلِ أَ يَتَوَضَّأُ وَ يُصَلِّي بِهِمْ قَالَ« لاَ وَ لَكِنْ يَتَيَمَّمُ وَ يُصَلِّي فَإِنَّ اَللَّهَ تَعَالَى جَعَلَ اَلتُّرَابَ طَهُوراً كَمَا جَعَلَ اَلْمَاءَ طَهُوراً».
Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Mahbub, from Ya’qub, from Ibn Abi Umair, from Muhammad ibn Humran and Jamil, narrated from Abu Abdullah عليه السلام:
They both asked Imam عليه السلام about an Imam of a group who, while on a journey, experienced janabah (a state of major ritual impurity) and did not have enough water with him for ghusl (ritual purification). Should he perform wudu (ablution) and lead them in prayer? Imam عليه السلام said: "No, rather he should perform tayammum (dry ablution) and pray, for Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Exalted, has made the earth a purifier just as He has made water a purifier."
- Tahdhīb al-Aḥkām fī Sharḥ al-Muqniʿah, vol. 1, p. 427
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Tahdhīb, p. 104