Abu Dharr reported God’s messenger as saying, "Good earth is a means of ablution for a Muslim, even if he does not find water for ten years; but when he finds water he should make it touch his skin, for that is better.”
Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it, and Nasa’i has something similar up to "ten years”.
وَعَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ: خَرَجْنَا فِي سَفَرٍ فَأَصَابَ رجلا منا حجر فَشَجَّهُ فِي رَأسه ثمَّ احْتَلَمَ فَسَأَلَ أَصْحَابه فَقَالَ هَل تَجِدُونَ لي رخصَة فِي التَّيَمُّم فَقَالُوا مَا نجد لَك رخصَة وَأَنت تقدر على الْمَاءِ فَاغْتَسَلَ فَمَاتَ فَلَمَّا قَدِمْنَا عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أخبر بذلك فَقَالَ قَتَلُوهُ قَتلهمْ الله أَلا سَأَ…
Jabir said: We went out on a journey, and one of our men was struck by a stone which wounded him in the head. He had a nocturnal emission and asked his companions whether they could find any permission for him to perform…
Abu Sa’id al-Khudri said: Two men went out on a journey, and when the time for prayer came, having no water with them, they performed ablution with good earth and then prayed. Immediately afterwards they found water, and…