Furthermore, their hadiths do not contradict our hadith, as they indicate the permissibility of Tayammum with two strikes, and that does not negate the permissibility of Tayammum with one strike, just as the Prophet's (peace and blessings be upon him) Wudu (ablution) performed three times each does not negate the validity of performing it once (13). If it is said: It has been narrated in the hadith of Ammar, "up to the elbows," and it is possible that he intended by "palms" the hands up to the elbows. We respond: As for his hadith "up to the elbows," it cannot be relied upon. It was narrated by Salamah (14), and he expressed doubt about it. Mansur (15) said to him: 'What do you say about it, for no one mentions the forearms except you?' So he became doubtful and said: 'I do not know, did he mention the forearms or not?' Al-Nasa'i (16) mentioned this. Therefore, it is not established in the presence of doubt, and it has been rejected, as he contradicted all other reliable narrators. So how could such a report be paid attention to? Even if he were alone in it, it would not be relied upon or used as evidence. As for the interpretation, it is invalid for several reasons (17): Firstly, Ammar, the narrator of it who recounted the action of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), issued a legal opinion after the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding Tayammum for the face and palms, acting in accordance with the hadith. He witnessed the action of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and the action does not admit of probability. The second reason is that he said "a single strike," while they say "two strikes." The third is that we do not recognize in the language the expression of "palms" to mean "forearms." The fourth is that reconciling the two reports in the manner we have mentioned—that each of the two actions is permissible—is closer to their interpretation and easier. Their analogy is refuted by Tayammum for the obligatory Ghusl (major ritual washing), as it is less than that which it replaces, and likewise in Wudu, for it involves four limbs while Tayammum involves two. We say the same regarding the face, for it is not obligatory to wipe what is beneath light hair, nor is rinsing the mouth and nose.
Section: There is no disagreement within the school that Tayammum with one strike and with two strikes is valid.
(13) In manuscript M: "one time." (14) Meaning: Salamah ibn Kuhayl ibn Husayn al-Hadrami al-Kufi, Abu Yahya, a master of hadith, died in the year 122 AH. Tahdhib al-Tahdhib 4/155-157. (15) Abu 'Attab Mansur ibn al-Mu'tamir ibn Abdullah al-Sulami al-Kufi; he would not narrate except from a reliable source. He died in the year 132 AH. Tahdhib al-Tahdhib 10/312-315. (16) In: Another type of Tayammum, from the Book of Purification. Al-Mujtaba 1/138. (17) In the original: "bi-wujuh" (by faces/aspects).
