And because it is a cause for prayer specific to it, therefore exerting effort (ijtihad) in seeking it upon scarcity is binding upon him, just like the [direction of the] Qibla.

Section: The method of seeking is to search in one's baggage, then if he sees greenery or something that indicates water, he should head toward it and verify it. If there is a hill or something upright near him, he should go to it and search near it. If there is none, he should look in front of him, behind him, to his right, and to his left. If he has a group of companions with him, he should ask them. If he finds someone who has expertise regarding the location, he should ask him about its water sources. If he does not find any, then he is [considered] lacking [water]. If he is directed to water, it is binding upon him to head toward it if it is close, as long as he does not fear for himself or his property, or fear being left behind by his companions, and the time [for prayer] has not passed. This is the madhhab of al-Shafi'i.

Section: If he seeks water before the [prayer] time, he must repeat the search after it enters. This was stated by Ibn Aqil, because it is a search before being addressed with [the obligation of] Tayammum, so his duty is not discharged, like a person having the right of preemption (shafi') if he claims his right before the sale occurs. If he seeks it after the time and does not perform Tayammum immediately after, Tayammum is permitted after that without renewing the search.

The third condition is the scarcity of water after the search. There is no disagreement regarding its stipulation, because Allah the Almighty said: {And you do not find water, then perform Tayammum}. The Prophet, peace be upon him, also said: "The earth is sufficient for you as long as you do not find water." He stipulated that one must not find water, and because Tayammum is a purification of necessity that does not remove the ritual impurity (hadath), it is not permissible except in the case of necessity; and with the presence of water, there is no necessity.

Section: If a person in a state of major ritual impurity (junub) finds water that is sufficient for some of his limbs, he must use it and perform Tayammum for the remainder. Ahmad explicitly stated this regarding one who finds water sufficient for his ablution (wudu') while he is in a state of major impurity, saying: "He performs ablution and then performs Tayammum." This is also the view of Abada ibn Abi Lubaba and Ma'mar, and similar was said by 'Ata, and it is one of the two opinions of al-Shafi'i. Al-Hasan, al-Zuhri, Hammad, Malik, the People of Opinion (Ashab al-Ra'y), Ibn al-Mundhir, and al-Shafi'i in his second opinion said: He performs Tayammum and abandons [using the water]; because this water does not purify him, so using it is not binding upon him, similar to used water (ma' musta'mal). As for us, we rely on His saying, the Almighty: {And you do not find water, then perform Tayammum},