Chapter: The Person Performing Tayammum, if the Time Arrives, Should Delay, Perhaps He May Find Water
• I said to Ahmad: If the time arrives, should he perform Tayammum and pray, or should he delay, perhaps he may reach water? He said: "Delaying is more beloved to me."
• And I heard Ishaq say: "If the time for his prayer arrives, and he does not find water, and he does not expect to find it nearby, then let him perform Tayammum [1] at the beginning of the time and pray, just as Ibn 'Umar did. He said: 'I dislike delaying the prayer from its designated time, for perhaps I will not reach the time of the prayer [if I wait].'"
336 - Al-Rabi' ibn Yahya narrated to us, saying: Za'idah narrated to us, saying: Hisham ibn Hassan narrated to us, saying: Al-Hasan used to say—regarding the traveler when he thinks he might be able to find water [2]—: "Let him wait if he does not fear that the time will pass him by. But if he fears it, let him perform Tayammum; for Tayammum is in the position of water."
337 - Mahmud ibn Khalid narrated to us, saying: Al-Walid ibn Muslim narrated to us, from Sharik and Ibrahim ibn 'Uthman, from Abu Ishaq, from al-Harith, from 'Ali, who said: "Seek water until the end of the time; if you do not find water, then perform Tayammum and pray."
338 - Al-Walid said: Malik said: "If you are certain that there is no water you know of before you, then perform Tayammum and pray within the time."
(1) This is as it appears in the original, and the correct reading is "tayammama" (he performed tayammum), and it is the opinion of Ishaq on the matter. (2) It is neglected in the original, and the correct reading is "al-ma'" (water).
