and recite the Quran, or not? If he does so, must he repeat the prayer, or not? If he has something he can pledge as security for the bathhouse fee, must he do so, or not?

He replied:

Praise be to Allah. A man may do so if he cannot find water or fears harm from using it, even if he is in a state of major ritual impurity. If he fears that bathing in cold water will harm him, and he cannot bathe in warm water at home, in a bathhouse, or elsewhere, he may perform dry ablution. According to the correct view, he need not repeat the prayer.

If he can enter the bathhouse for a fee, he must do so, provided he can afford the fee without substantial hardship, just as he must purchase water for purification. If he can leave the tābiya and the mīzāb as security with the bathhouse keeper and pay him within a day or thereabouts, he should do so. But if paying the bathhouse fee would cause harm, such as leaving him short of what he needs to support his dependants or repay his debts, he should pray after performing dry ablution. And Allah knows best.

He was also asked:

A man needed to perform a ritual bath, but at that time he did not have the money to enter the bathhouse, and he could not use cold water because it was so intensely cold. He therefore performed dry ablution and offered the obligatory prayer. He has an assigned duty at the congregational mosque, and he recited the Quran in fulfilment of it. Afterwards, he entered the bathhouse. Has he sinned, or not?