Abū Dāwūd relates: Ibn al-Muthannā told us, Wahb ibn Jarīr told us, his father told us, saying, “I heard Yaḥyā ibn Ayyūb narrate from Yazīd ibn Abī Ḥabīb, from ʿImrān ibn Abī Anas, from ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Jubayr, from ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ who said:

“During the expedition of Dhāt al-Salāsil I had a nocturnal emission on an exceedingly cold night. I feared that if I bathed I would perish, so I performed dry ablution (tayammum) and then led my companions in the dawn prayer.”

When this was reported to the Messenger of God ﷺ he said, “O ʿAmr, did you lead your men in prayer while you were in a state of janābah?” I explained what had kept me from washing and added, “I heard God say: ‘And do not kill yourselves; surely God is ever-Merciful to you.’” The Prophet of God ﷺ laughed and made no further comment.

A second isnād is transmitted by Muḥammad ibn Salamah—[and by Ibn Wahb]—who said: Ibn Luhayʿah and ʿAmr ibn al-Ḥārith narrated from Yazīd ibn Abī Ḥabīb, from ʿImrān ibn Abī Anas, from ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Jubayr, from Abū Qays, the client of ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ, that ʿAmr was in command of a detachment. This version relates the incident in similar terms, but states that he washed his private parts and performed the ordinary ablution for prayer, then led them in prayer; it makes no mention of tayammum.

Abū Dāwūd adds: This story is also reported from al-Awzāʿī on the authority of Ḥassān ibn ʿAṭiyyah, and in that version it says that he performed tayammum.

Al-Wāqidī reports: Aflah ibn Saʿīd ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Ruqaysh related to me from Abū Bakr ibn Ḥazm who said: When the army was returning, ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ experienced a wet dream on a night that was as cold as could be. He said to his men, “What do you think? By God, I have had a nocturnal emission, and if I bathe I shall die.” He therefore called for water, performed ablution, washed his private parts, and then performed tayammum before rising to lead them in prayer.

ʿAwf ibn Mālik was the first person he dispatched as a courier. ʿAwf says: I reached the Messenger of God ﷺ at the pre-dawn hour while he was praying in his house. I greeted him with peace, and he said, “ʿAwf ibn Mālik?” I replied, “ʿAwf ibn Mālik, O Messenger of God.” He asked, “The man with the camel carcass?” I said, “Yes,” and he added nothing further. Then he said, “Tell me what happened,” so I informed him of our march, of what occurred between Abū ʿUbaydah and ʿAmr, and of Abū ʿUbaydah’s compliance. The Messenger of God ﷺ said, “May God have mercy on Abū ʿUbaydah ibn al-Jarrah.”

I then told him that ʿAmr had led the people in prayer while in a state of janābah, though water was available, and that he had merely washed his private parts and performed ablution. The Messenger of God ﷺ remained silent. When ʿAmr later arrived, the Prophet ﷺ asked him about his prayer. ʿAmr explained, saying, “By the One who sent you with the truth, had I bathed I would have died; never have I felt such cold. God Almighty has said, ‘And do not kill yourselves; surely God is ever-Merciful to you.’” The Messenger of God ﷺ laughed, and we have no report that he said anything further to him.