Is it valid to make Tayammum (dry ablution) with the dust on the plane seats while we are traveling for about 10 hours from Jakarta to Jeddah? One of the Imaams here says that Tayammum in this way is invalid because there is no dust on the plane seats since it is always removed by vacuum cleaners. What is the Sharee‘ah ruling?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.

If there is no water available on board the plane and there is dust on the seats, which is mostly rare, but assuming there is dust then Tayammum is valid.

In Al-Mughni, Ibn Qudaamah said: "If one struck his hands against felted wool, a garment or a saddle and then dust clung to his hands and he made Tayammum therewith, Tayammum is valid. Ahmad mentioned all this arguing that the criterion is the presence of dust. Consequently, if one struck his hands against a rock, wall, animal or anything else, and then dust clung to his hands, he is permitted to make Tayammum therewith. If there is no dust, Tayammum is invalid.”

As-Sarakhsi a Hanafi scholar, said: "Abu Haneefah and Muhammad quoted as evidence the Hadeeth of ‘Umar when he was in a travel with his companions. He ordered them to dust off their felted wool and saddles and make Tayammum with its dust. Also, dust is a part of earth but it is light,  since when a person shakes off his garment, those who are beside him are harmed by the dust.”

If there is no dust on the seats and there is no other source for dust and you wanted to perform the prayer before the expiry of its fixed time, you are allowed to perform the prayer with neither Wudhoo’ (ablution) nor Tayammum due to necessity.

Allaah Knows best.