Can women perform Tayammum instead of ghusl in the winter if there is fear of falling sick?

Question

Can women pray their Fajr Salāh by performing tayammum in winter instead of Fardh Ghusl? Some women are affected by the cold very quickly when taking a bath early in the morning.

Sohail Bengali · Accepted Answer

In the Name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

A mere doubt is not sufficient enough to justify performing tayammum instead of ghusl.

If warm water is unavailable or you are certain that even the use of warm water will make you sick (i.e. flu, pneumonia, bronchitis, etc.) only then will tayammum be permissible. The mere discomfort of making ghusl in the winter is not a valid excuse to make tayammum. [i] [ii] [iii] [iv]

Even if you believe you qualify to make tayammum instead of ghusl it would still be advisable to present your situation to a locally based scholar for his opinion.

And Allāh knows best.

Sohail Bengali
Chicago, IL (USA)

Concurred by:

Muftī Abrar Mirza
Chicago, IL (USA)

Under the Supervision of Muftī Ebrahim Desai (South Africa)

(2020-05-30)

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