A man reported,

I had been a disbeliever, then Allah guided me to Islam. I used to live far from any water source, with my family beside me, and I would experience janabah. This troubled my heart deeply.Abu Dharr had been described to me, so when I went on Hajj, I entered the mosque at Mina and recognized him by the description. He was a well-known elder, dark-skinned, wearing a Qatari cloak. I went and stood beside him while he was praying, and I greeted him with salam, but he did not return the greeting. He continued praying, performing it completely, beautifully, and at length. When he finished, he returned my greeting.I asked, "Are you Abu Dharr?"He replied, "My family certainly claim so."I said, "I had been a disbeliever, then Allah guided me to Islam. My religion concerns me greatly. I used to live far from water with my family, and I would experience janabah, and this troubled my heart deeply."He said, "Do you know Abu Dharr?"I said, "Yes."He said, "I found Madinah unhealthy." Ayub said, "Or words to that effect." "So the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ordered that I be given some camels and sheep, and I used to stay out with them. I was far from water, with my family beside me, and janabah would come upon me, and it occurred to me that I was doomed.So I rode one of those camels until I came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ at midday, while he was sitting in the shade of the mosque among a group of his companions. I dismounted from the camel and said, 'Messenger of Allah, I am doomed.'He asked, 'What has doomed you?'I told him, and he laughed. Then he called for someone from his household, and a black servant girl came carrying a large cup containing water that was not full, sloshing about. I screened myself behind the camel, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ instructed a man from the people present to screen me, and I performed ghusl. Then I came back to him.He said, 'Pure earth is a means of purification, even if you do not find water for ten years. But when you find water, let it touch your skin.'"

حدثنا إسماعيل حدثنا أيوب عن أبي قلابة

عن رجل من بني عامر قال

كنت كافرا فهداني الله للإسلام وكنت أعزب عن الماء ومعي أهلي فتصيبني الجنابة فوقع ذلك في نفسي وقد نعت لي أبو ذر فحججت فدخلت مسجد منى فعرفته بالنعت فإذا شيخ معروف آدم عليه حلة قطري فذهبت حتى قمت إلى جنبه وهو يصلي فسلمت عليه فلم يرد علي ثم صلى صلاة أتمها وأحسنها وأطولها فلما فرغ رد علي قلت أنت أبو ذر قال إن أهلي ليزعمون ذلك قال كنت كافرا فهداني الله للإسلام وأهمني ديني وكنت أعزب عن الماء ومعي أهلي فتصيبني الجنابة فوقع ذلك في نفسي قال هل تعرف أبا ذر قلت نعم قال فإني اجتويت المدينة قال أيوب أو كلمة نحوها فأمر لي رسول الله ﷺ بذود من إبل وغنم فكنت أكون فيها فكنت أعزب من الماء ومعي أهلي فتصيبني الجنابة فوقع في نفسي أني قد هلكت فقعدت على بعير منها فانتهيت إلى رسول الله ﷺ نصف النهار وهو جالس في ظل المسجد في نفر من أصحابه فنزلت عن البعير وقلت يا رسول الله هلكت قال وما أهلكك فحدثته فضحك فدعا إنسانا من أهله فجاءت جارية سوداء بعس فيه ماء ما هو بملآن إنه ليتخضخض فاستترت بالبعير فأمر رسول الله ﷺ رجلا من القوم فسترني فاغتسلت ثم أتيته فقال إن الصعيد الطيب طهور ما لم تجد الماء ولو إلى عشر حجج فإذا وجدت الماء فأمس بشرتك