What should a man do if he experienced a nocturnal emission and did not find sufficient time for ghusl before an important appointment, and he had not yet prayed Fajr?

If one sleeps through a prayer or forgets it, it is obligatory for him to pray it when he wakes up or remembers it, based on the saying of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him: "Whoever forgets a prayer or sleeps through it, its expiation is to pray it when he remembers it." This is obligatory immediately. And if one wakes up before the end of the prayer's time, and fears that if he performs ghusl, the time will expire, then ghusl is obligatory for him, even if it leads to the expiration of the time according to the majority of scholars. Imam Malik, however, held that one should perform tayammum and pray within the time.

If missing a train or an exam would result in hardship or harm, and one wakes up before the end of the prayer's time, then it is permissible to adopt Imam Malik's view of performing tayammum and praying. If it is after the prayer's time has expired, then one should perform ghusl and pray. However, if time is short and there is fear of missing the intended objective with resulting harm, then performing tayammum and praying is permissible, relying on what the Malikis have decided regarding the permissibility of tayammum when fearing the loss of companionship, and missing a train or an exam could be more harmful than losing a companion.