"I have become Junub and I do not have any water." 'Umar said: "Do not pray." But 'Ammar bin Yasir said: "O Commander of the Believers! Don't you remember when you and I were on a campaign and we became Junub and could not find water? You did not pray, but I rolled in the dust and prayed. Then we came to the Prophet ﷺ and told him about that, and he said: 'It would have been sufficient for you (to do this),' then the Prophet ﷺ struck his hands on the ground and blew on them, then wiped his face and hands with them'" - (one of the narrators) Salamah was uncertain and did not know whether that was up to the elbows or just hands. And 'Umar said: "We will let you bear the burden of what you took upon yourself."  

إِنِّي أَجْنَبْتُ فَلَمْ أَجِدِ الْمَاءَ قَالَ عُمَرُ لاَ تُصَلِّ فَقَالَ عَمَّارُ بْنُ يَاسِرٍ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَمَا تَذْكُرُ إِذْ أَنَا وَأَنْتَ فِي سَرِيَّةٍ فَأَجْنَبْنَا فَلَمْ نَجِدِ الْمَاءَ فَأَمَّا أَنْتَ فَلَمْ تُصَلِّ وَأَمَّا أَنَا فَتَمَعَّكْتُ فِي التُّرَابِ فَصَلَّيْتُ فَأَتَيْنَا النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَذَكَرْنَا ذَلِكَ لَهُ فَقَالَ إِنَّمَا كَانَ يَكْفِيكَ فَضَرَبَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَدَيْهِ إِلَى الأَرْضِ ثُمَّ نَفَخَ فِيهِمَا ثُمَّ مَسَحَ بِهِمَا وَجْهَهُ وَكَفَّيْهِ وَسَلَمَةُ شَكَّ لاَ يَدْرِي فِيهِ الْمِرْفَقَيْنِ أَوْ إِلَى الْكَفَّيْنِ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ نُوَلِّيكَ مَا تَوَلَّيْتَ  

"We were with 'Umar when a man came to him and said: 'O Commander of the Believers! sometimes we stay for a month or two without finding any water. Umar said: As if I did not find water, I would not pray until I found water.' 'Ammar bin Yasir said: 'Do you remember, O Commander of the Believer, when you were in such and such a place and we were rearing the camels, and you know that we became Junub?' He said: 'Yes.' 'As for me I rolled in the dust, then we came to the Prophet ﷺ and he laughed and said: "Clean earth would have been sufficient for you." And he struck his hands on the earth then blew on them, then he wiped his face and part of his forearms. He ('Umar) said: "Fear Allah, O 'Ammar!'" He said: 'O Commander of the Believers! If you wish I will not mention it.' He said: 'No, we will let you bear the burden of what you took upon yourself.'"  

يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ رُبَّمَا نَمْكُثُ الشَّهْرَ وَالشَّهْرَيْنِ وَلاَ نَجِدُ الْمَاءَ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ أَمَّا أَنَا فَإِذَا لَمْ أَجِدِ الْمَاءَ لَمْ أَكُنْ لأُصَلِّيَ حَتَّى أَجِدَ الْمَاءَ فَقَالَ عَمَّارُ بْنُ يَاسِرٍ أَتَذْكُرُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ حَيْثُ كُنْتَ بِمَكَانِ كَذَا وَكَذَا وَنَحْنُ نَرْعَى الإِبِلَ فَتَعْلَمُ أَنَّا أَجْنَبْنَا قَالَ نَعَمْ أَمَّا أَنَا فَتَمَرَّغْتُ فِي التُّرَابِ فَأَتَيْنَا النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَضَحِكَ فَقَالَ إِنْ كَانَ الصَّعِيدُ لَكَافِيكَ وَضَرَبَ بِكَفَّيْهِ إِلَى الأَرْضِ ثُمَّ نَفَخَ فِيهِمَا ثُمَّ مَسَحَ وَجْهَهُ وَبَعْضَ ذِرَاعَيْهِ فَقَالَ اتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَا عَمَّارُ فَقَالَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِنْ شِئْتَ لَمْ أَذْكُرْهُ قَالَ لاَ وَلَكِنْ نُوَلِّيكَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ مَا تَوَلَّيْتَ  

"I have become Junub and I cannot find any water." 'Umar said: "Do not pray." 'Ammar said: "Do you not remember, O Commander of the Believers, when you and I were on a campaign and became Junub, and we could not find any water. You did not pray, but I rolled in the dust then prayed. When we came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ I told him about that and he said: 'This would have been sufficient for you,' and then Prophet ﷺ struck the earth with his hands then blew on them and wiped his face and hands - (one of the narrators) Salamah was uncertain and said: "I do not know if he said it should be up to the elbows or just the hands." - 'Umar said: "We will let you bear the burden of what you took upon yourself." (One of the narrators) Shu'bah said: "He used to say the hands, face and forearms." (Another) Mansur said to him: "What are you saying? No one mentions the forearms except you." Salamah was not certain and said: "I do not know whether he mentioned the forearms or not."  

أَنَّ رَجُلاً جَاءَ إِلَى عُمَرَ ؓ فَقَالَ إِنِّي أَجْنَبْتُ فَلَمْ أَجِدِ الْمَاءَ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ لاَ تُصَلِّ فَقَالَ عَمَّارٌ أَمَا تَذْكُرُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِذْ أَنَا وَأَنْتَ فِي سَرِيَّةٍ فَأَجْنَبْنَا فَلَمْ نَجِدْ مَاءً فَأَمَّا أَنْتَ فَلَمْ تُصَلِّ وَأَمَّا أَنَا فَتَمَعَّكْتُ فِي التُّرَابِ ثُمَّ صَلَّيْتُ فَلَمَّا أَتَيْنَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ ذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لَهُ فَقَالَ إِنَّمَا يَكْفِيكَ وَضَرَبَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ بِيَدَيْهِ إِلَى الأَرْضِ ثُمَّ نَفَخَ فِيهِمَا فَمَسَحَ بِهِمَا وَجْهَهُ وَكَفَّيْهِ شَكَّ سَلَمَةُ وَقَالَ لاَ أَدْرِي فِيهِ إِلَى الْمِرْفَقَيْنِ أَوْ إِلَى الْكَفَّيْنِ قَالَ عُمَرُ نُوَلِّيكَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ مَا تَوَلَّيْتَ قَالَ شُعْبَةُ كَانَ يَقُولُ الْكَفَّيْنِ وَالْوَجْهَ وَالذِّرَاعَيْنِ فَقَالَ لَهُ مَنْصُورٌ مَا تَقُولُ فَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَذْكُرُ الذِّرَاعَيْنِ أَحَدٌ غَيْرُكَ فَشَكَّ سَلَمَةُ فَقَالَ لاَ أَدْرِي ذَكَرَ الذِّرَاعَيْنِ أَمْ لاَ  

While I was with 'Umar, a man came to him and said: We live at a place (where water is not found) for a month or two (what should we do, if we are sexually defiled). 'Umar said: So far as I am concerned, I do not pray until I find water. 'Ammar said: Commanded of the faithful, do you not remember when I and you were among the camels (For tending them)? There we became sexually defiled. I rolled down on the ground. We then came to the Prophet ﷺ and I mentioned that to him. He said: It was enough for you to do so. Then he struck the ground with both his hands. He then blew over them and wiped his face and both hands by means of them up to half the arms. 'Umar said: 'Ammar, fear Allah. He said: Commander of the faithful, if you want, I will never narrate it. 'Umar said: Nay, by Allah, we shall turn you from that towards which you turned (i.e. you have your choice).  

إِنَّا نَكُونُ بِالْمَكَانِ الشَّهْرَ وَالشَّهْرَيْنِ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ أَمَّا أَنَا فَلَمْ أَكُنْ أُصَلِّي حَتَّى أَجِدَ الْمَاءَ قَالَ فَقَالَ عَمَّارٌ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَمَا تَذْكُرُ إِذْ كُنْتُ أَنَا وَأَنْتَ فِي الإِبِلِ فَأَصَابَتْنَا جَنَابَةٌ فَأَمَّا أَنَا فَتَمَعَّكْتُ فَأَتَيْنَا النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لَهُ فَقَالَ إِنَّمَا كَانَ يَكْفِيكَ أَنْ تَقُولَ هَكَذَا وَضَرَبَ بِيَدَيْهِ إِلَى الأَرْضِ ثُمَّ نَفَخَهُمَا ثُمَّ مَسَحَ بِهِمَا وَجْهَهُ وَيَدَيْهِ إِلَى نِصْفِ الذِّرَاعِ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ يَا عَمَّارُ اتَّقِ اللَّهَ فَقَالَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِنْ شِئْتَ وَاللَّهِ لَمْ أَذْكُرْهُ أَبَدًا فَقَالَ عُمَرُ كَلاَّ وَاللَّهِ لَنُوَلِّيَنَّكَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ مَا تَوَلَّيْتَ  

A man came to 'Umar bin khattab and said: "I became impure following sexual emission and cannot find any water." 'Umar said to him: "Do not pray." But 'Ammar bin Yasir said: "Do you not remember, O Commander of the Believers, when you and I were on a military expedition and we became sexually impure and could not find water? As for you, you did not pray, but I rolled in the dust and then prayed. When I came to the Prophet and told him what had happened, he said: 'It would have been enough for you (to do this).' (Then demonstrating) the Prophet struck the ground with his hands, then blew on hem, and wiped his face and palms with them."  

إِنِّي أَجْنَبْتُ فَلَمْ أَجِدِ الْمَاءَ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ لاَ تُصَلِّ فَقَالَ عَمَّارُ بْنُ يَاسِرٍ أَمَا تَذْكُرُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِذْ أَنَا وَأَنْتَ فِي سَرِيَّةٍ فَأَجْنَبْنَا فَلَمْ نَجِدِ الْمَاءَ فَأَمَّا أَنْتَ فَلَمْ تُصَلِّ وَأَمَّا أَنَا فَتَمَعَّكْتُ فِي التُّرَابِ فَصَلَّيْتُ فَلَمَّا أَتَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لَهُ فَقَالَ إِنَّمَا كَانَ يَكْفِيكَ وَضَرَبَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ بِيَدَيْهِ إِلَى الأَرْضِ ثُمَّ نَفَخَ فِيهِمَا وَمَسَحَ بِهِمَا وَجْهَهُ وَكَفَّيْهِ  

"We were with 'Umar when a man came to him and said: 'O Commander of the Believers! sometimes we stay for a month or two without finding any water. Umar said: As if I did not find water, I would not pray until I found water.' 'Ammar bin Yasir said: 'Do you remember, O Commander of the Believer, when you were in such and such a place and we were rearing the camels, and you know that we became Junub?' He said: 'Yes.' 'As for me I rolled in the dust, then we came to the Prophet ﷺ and he laughed and said: "Clean earth would have been sufficient for you." And he struck his hands on the earth then blew on them, then he wiped his face and part of his forearms. He ('Umar) said: "Fear Allah, O 'Ammar!'" He said: 'O Commander of the Believers! If you wish I will not mention it.' He said: 'No, we will let you bear the burden of what you took upon yourself.'" (Using translation from Nasāʾī 316)   

يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِنَّا نَمْكُثُ الشَّهْرَ وَالشَّهْرَيْنِ لَا نَجِدُ الْمَاءَ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ أَمَّا أَنَا فَلَمْ أَكُنْ لِأُصَلِّيَ حَتَّى أَجِدَ الْمَاءَ فَقَالَ عَمَّارٌ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ تَذْكُرُ حَيْثُ كُنَّا بِمَكَانِ كَذَا وَنَحْنُ نَرْعَى الْإِبِلَ فَتَعْلَمُ أَنَّا أَجْنَبْنَا قَالَ نَعَمْ قَالَ فَإِنِّي تَمَرَّغْتُ فِي التُّرَابِ فَأَتَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَحَدَّثْتُهُ فَضَحِكَ وَقَالَ كَانَ الصَّعِيدُ الطَّيِّبُ كَافِيَكَ وَضَرَبَ بِكَفَّيْهِ الْأَرْضَ ثُمَّ نَفَخَ فِيهِمَا ثُمَّ مَسَحَ وَجْهَهُ وَبَعْضَ ذِرَاعَيْهِ قَالَ اتَّقِ اللهَ يَا عَمَّارُ قَالَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِنْ شِئْتَ لَمْ أَذْكُرْهُ مَا عِشْتُ أَوْ مَا حَيِيتُ قَالَ كَلَّا وَاللهِ وَلَكِنْ نُوَلِّيكَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ مَا تَوَلَّيْتَ  

"عَنْ عَبد الرَّحمنِ بنِ أَبزَى قَالَ: جَاءَ رَجلٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ البَاديةِ إلَى عُمَر بنِ الخَطَّابِ فَقَال: يَا أميرَ المؤمنينَ: إنَّمَا نَمْكُثُ الشَّهْرَ والشَّهْرين لَا نَجِدُ المَاءَ، قَالَ عُمَرُ: أَمَّا أنَا فَلَمْ أَكُنْ لأُصَلِّى حَتَّى أَجِدَ المَاءَ، فقال عَمَّارُ بنُ ياسرٍ: أما تذْكُر إذ أنا وأنت بِأَرْضِ كَذَا نرْعَى الإبِلَ فَتَعْلَمُ أنِّى أَجْنَبْتُ، قَالَ: نعم فَتَمعكْتَ في التُّرابِ فَذَكَرْتَ ذَلِك لِلنبىِّ ﷺ فَضَحِكَ وقَالَ: إِنْ كَانَ لَيَكْفِيكَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ الصَّعِيدُ أَنْ تَقُولَ هَذَا وَضَربَ بِيَدهِ الأَرْضَ ثم نفخَهُما ثم مَسَح بهِما عَلَى وَجْهِهِ وَذِرَاعَيْه إِلَى قَرِيبٍ من نِصْفِ الذِّرَاعِ، فَقَالَ عُمَرُ: اتَّقِ اللَّه يَا عَمَّارُ، فَقَالَ عَمَّارٌ: فِيمَا عَلَى لَك مِن حَقٍّ يا أَميرَ المؤْمنِينَ إنْ شِئْتَ أن لَّا أذْكُرَه مَا حَييتُ، فَقَالَ عُمَرُ: كلَّا واللَّه ولَكنْ أُوَلِّيكَ مِن أَمْركَ مَا تَوَلَّيتَ".