Purification

Ibn ʿUmar said that the Messenger of Allah was asked about water in the open country, which animals and wild beasts visited. He replied: ‘When the water amounts to two qullahs, it does not carry impurity.’

Aḥmad, Abū Dāwūd, al-Tirmidhī, al-Nasāʾī, al-Dārimī, and Ibn Mājah transmitted it. Another version from Abū Dāwūd says: ‘It does not become impure.’

Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī said that people asked: ‘Messenger of Allah, may we perform ablution with water from the well of Buḍāʿa? Menstrual cloths, dog flesh, and foul matter are thrown into it.’ The Messenger of Allah replied: ‘Water is purifying; nothing makes it impure.’ Aḥmad, al-Tirmidhī, Abū Dāwūd, and al-Nasāʾī transmitted it.

Abū Hurayra said that a man asked the Messenger of Allah: ‘We travel by sea and carry only a little water with us. If we use it for ablution, we will be thirsty. May we perform ablution with seawater?’ The Messenger of Allah replied: ‘Its water is purifying, and its dead creatures are lawful.’ Mālik, al-Tirmidhī, al-Nasāʾī, Ibn Mājah, and al-Dārimī transmitted it.

Abū Zayd reported from ʿAbd Allāh ibn Masʿūd that, on the Night of the Jinn, the Prophet asked him: ‘What is in your waterskin?’ He replied: ‘Nabīdh [date infusion].’ The Prophet said: ‘A date is wholesome, and water is purifying.’ Abū Dāwūd transmitted it; Aḥmad and al-Tirmidhī add that the Prophet performed ablution from it.

Al-Tirmidhī said that Abū Zayd is unknown. It is authentically reported from ʿAlqama, from ʿAbd Allāh ibn Masʿūd, that he said: ‘I was not with the Messenger of Allah on the Night of the Jinn.’ Muslim transmitted this report.

Kabsha bint Kaʿb ibn Mālik, who was married to Ibn Abī Qatāda, said: ‘Abū Qatāda came in, and I poured water for his ablution. A cat came and drank from it, so he tilted the vessel for it until it had drunk. He saw me watching and asked: “Are you surprised, my niece?” I said yes, and he said: “The Messenger of Allah said: ‘It is not impure; it is among those—male and female—that move about among you.’”’ Mālik, Aḥmad, al-Tirmidhī, Abū Dāwūd, al-Nasāʾī, Ibn Mājah, and al-Dārimī transmitted it.

Dāwūd ibn Ṣāliḥ ibn Dīnār al-Tammār reported from his mother that her mistress sent her with some harīsa to ʿĀʾisha. She found ʿĀʾisha praying, and ʿĀʾisha gestured for her to set it down. A cat came and ate from it. When ʿĀʾisha finished praying, she ate from the place where the cat had eaten and said: ‘The Messenger of Allah said: “It is not impure; it is one of those that move about among you.”’ She added: ‘I saw the Messenger of Allah perform ablution with the water left over by it.’ Abū Dāwūd transmitted it.

Jābir said that the Messenger of Allah was asked: ‘May we perform ablution with water left over by donkeys?’ He replied: ‘Yes, and with what all predatory animals leave behind.’ Al-Baghawī transmitted it in Sharḥ al-Sunna.

Umm Hāniʾ said: ‘The Messenger of Allah and Maymūna performed the ritual bath in a basin containing traces of dough.’ Al-Nasāʾī and Ibn Mājah transmitted it.

Yaḥyā ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān said: ‘ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb set out with a party of riders that included ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ. When they reached a watering place, ʿAmr asked its owner: “Do wild beasts come to drink here?” ʿUmar said: “Owner of the watering place, don’t tell us. We go to where the wild beasts go, and they come to where we go.”’ Mālik transmitted it.

Rāzīn added that some transmitters include these words from ʿUmar: ‘I heard the Messenger of Allah say: “They have what they have taken into their bellies, and what remains is purifying and drinkable for us.”’

Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī reported that the Prophet was asked about the watering places between Mecca and Medina, which wild beasts, dogs, and donkeys visit, and about their water’s purity. He replied: ‘They have what they carry in their bellies, and what remains for us is purifying.’ Ibn Mājah transmitted it.

ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb said: ‘Do not bathe with water heated by the sun, for it causes baras.’ Al-Dāraquṭnī transmitted it.

Abū Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah said: ‘When a dog drinks from one of your vessels, wash it seven times.’

In a version transmitted by Muslim, he said: ‘The purification of a vessel from which a dog has lapped is to wash it seven times, the first with earth.’

He also said that a Bedouin stood up and urinated in the mosque. People moved against him, but the Prophet said: ‘Leave him, and pour a bucketful—or a large vessel—of water over his urine. You have been sent to make things easy, not difficult.’ Al-Bukhārī transmitted it.

Anas said: ‘While we were in the mosque with the Messenger of Allah, a Bedouin came and began urinating there. The Companions said: “Stop! Stop!” The Messenger of Allah said: “Do not interrupt him; leave him.” They let him finish. Then the Messenger of Allah called him and said: “These mosques are not suitable for urination or filth. They are for remembering Allah, Mighty and Majestic, for prayer, and for reciting the Qurʾān”—or words to that effect.’ Anas said that the Prophet then ordered a man to bring a bucket of water, which he poured over the urine.

Asmāʾ bint Abī Bakr al-Ṣiddīq said that a woman asked the Messenger of Allah: ‘If menstrual blood gets on one of our garments, what should she do?’ The Messenger of Allah replied: ‘When menstrual blood gets on one of your garments, rub it off, sprinkle it with water, and then pray in it.’

Sulaymān ibn Yasār said: ‘I asked ʿĀʾisha about semen getting on a garment. She replied: “I used to wash it from the Messenger of Allah’s garment, and he would go out to prayer with the marks of the washing—water spots—still on it.”’

Al-Aswad and Hammām reported that ʿĀʾisha said: ‘I used to scrape semen from the Messenger of Allah’s garment.’ Muslim transmitted it. In a similar version from ʿAlqama and al-Aswad, it adds: ‘Then he prayed in it.’

Umm Qays bint Miḥṣan said: ‘I brought a young son of mine, who had not yet begun eating solid food, to the Messenger of Allah. He sat him on his lap, and the child urinated on his garment. He called for water and sprinkled it over the spot without washing it.’

ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbbās said: ‘I heard the Messenger of Allah say: “When a hide is tanned, it becomes pure.”’ Muslim transmitted it.

Ibn ʿAbbās said: ‘A sheep was given in charity to a woman under Maymūna’s patronage, and it died. The Messenger of Allah passed by it and said: “Why did you not take its hide, tan it, and make use of it?” They said: “It is carrion.” He replied: “Only eating it is forbidden.”’