Abu Hanifa, al-Thawri, and al-Awza'i stated: He does not pray until he is capable, then he performs qada (making up the missed prayers); because it is an act of worship for which qada is not dropped, so it is not obligatory, like the fasting (16) of a menstruating woman. Malik said: He does not pray and he does not perform qada; because he is unable to attain purification, so prayer is not obligatory upon him, like the menstruating woman. Ibn Abd al-Barr said: This is a rejected (munkara) narration attributed to Malik. He mentioned two views from his companions: one of them is like the view of Abu Hanifa, and the second is that he prays according to his condition and repeats the prayer. For us, there is what Muslim narrated in his "Sahih" (18), that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent some people to search for a necklace that Aisha had lost. The time for prayer arrived, so they prayed without wudu'. They came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and mentioned that to him, and then the verse of Tayammum was revealed. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not rebuke that, nor did he order them to repeat (19). This proves that it is not obligatory. Furthermore, purification is a condition, so prayer is not delayed when it is absent, just like the sutra (barrier) and facing the qibla. Once this is established, if he prays according to his condition and then finds water or soil, he is not required to repeat the prayer in one of the two narrations, while in the other, he must repeat it. This is the school of al-Shafi'i; because he has missed a condition of prayer, resembling the case if he prayed while in a state of impurity. The correct view is the first, due to what we have mentioned from the report, and because he performed what he was commanded to do, so he is absolved of his responsibility. Additionally, it is one of the conditions of prayer, so it is waived when one is incapable, like the rest of its conditions and pillars. Moreover, he performed his obligation according to his capacity, so repetition is not required, like the one who is unable to use a sutra if he prays while naked,
(16) In the original manuscript: "as the purification". (17) Omitted from: M. (18) In: The Chapter of Tayammum, from the Book of Menstruation. Sahih Muslim 1/279. It was also recorded by al-Bukhari, in: The Chapter of If One Does Not Find Water or Soil, from the Book of Tayammum; and in: The Chapter of the Virtue of Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, from the Book of the Virtues of the Prophet’s Companions; and in: The Chapter of the Interpretation of Surah al-Nisa, from the Book of Interpretation; and in: The Chapter of Borrowing Clothes for the Bride and Others, from the Book of Marriage; and in: The Chapter of Borrowing Necklaces, from the Book of Clothing. Sahih al-Bukhari 1/92, 5/37, 6/57, 7/29, 204. And Abu Dawud, in: The Chapter of Tayammum, from the Book of Purification. Sunan Abi Dawud 1/76. And al-Nasa'i, in: The Chapter of One Who Finds Neither Water nor Game, from the Book of Purification. Al-Mujtaba 1/140. And Ibn Majah, in: The Chapter of What Came Regarding the Cause, from the Book of Purification. Sunan Ibn Majah 1/188. And al-Darimi, in: The Chapter of Tayammum Once, from the Book of Purification. Sunan al-Darimi. And Imam Ahmad, in: Al-Musnad 6/57. (19) In M: "by repetition".
