3. Purification

وَعَن أبي سعيد الْخُدْرِيّ قَالَ: قيل يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَنَتَوَضَّأُ مِنْ بِئْرٍ بُضَاعَةَ وَهِيَ بِئْرٌ يُلْقَى فِيهَا الْحِيَضُ وَلُحُومُ الْكِلَابِ وَالنَّتْنُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِنَّ الْمَاءَ طَهُورٌ لَا يُنَجِّسُهُ شَيْءٌ» . رَوَاهُ أَحْمد وَالتِّرْمِذِيّ وَأَبُو دَاوُد وَالنَّسَائِيّ

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri said that some people asked God’s messenger whether they might perform ablution out of the well of Buda‘a, which was a well into which menstrual cloths, dead dogs and stinking things were thrown, and he replied, “Water is pure and is not defiled by anything.” Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: سَأَلَ رَجُلٌ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّا نَرْكَبُ الْبَحْرَ وَنَحْمِلُ مَعَنَا الْقَلِيلَ مِنَ الْمَاءِ فَإِنْ تَوَضَّأْنَا بِهِ عَطِشْنَا أفنتوضأ من مَاء الْبَحْرِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «هُوَ الطَّهُورُ مَاؤُهُ الْحِلُّ مَيْتَتُهُ» . رَوَاهُ مَالك وَالتِّرْمِذِيّ وَالنَّسَائِيّ وَابْن مَاجَه والدارمي

Abu Huraira said that a man told God’s messenger that he sailed on the sea taking a small quantity of water with him. As he would suffer from thirst if he used this for ablution, he asked whether he might use sea water for that purpose, and received the reply, “Its water is pure, and what dies a natural death in it is lawful food.” Malik, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasa'i, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَبِي زَيْدٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ لَهُ لَيْلَةَ الْجِنِّ: «مَا فِي إِدَاوَتِكَ» قَالَ: قلت: نَبِيذ. فَقَالَ: «تَمْرَةٌ طَيِّبَةٌ وَمَاءٌ طَهُورٌ» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَزَادَ أَحْمَدُ وَالتِّرْمِذِيُّ: فَتَوَضَّأَ مِنْهُ وَقَالَ التِّرْمِذِيُّ: أَبُو زيد مَجْهُول وَصَحَّ عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ: لَمْ أَكُنْ لَيْلَةَ الْجِنِّ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ. رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ

Abu Zaid quoted ‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud as saying that on the night when the jinn listened to the Qur’an* the Prophet asked him what was in his skin vessel, and when he replied that he had some nabidh, he said, “It consists of fresh dates and pure water.” *Lit "the night of the jinn" After Abu Talib’s death the Prophet went to at-Ta’if to proclaim his message, but was driven out. Returning to Mecca, he spent a night in the valley of Nakhla and we are told that a company of the jinn listened to him reciting the Qur’an See sura lxxii. Abu Dawud transmitted it, and Ahmad and Tirmidhi added that he performed ablution from it. Tirmidhi said that Abu Zaid is unknown, and there is a sound tradition in which ‘Alqama quotes ‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud as saying, “I was not with God’s messenger on the night when the jinn listened.” Muslim transmitted it.

وَعَن كَبْشَة بنت كَعْب بن مَالك وَكَانَتْ تَحْتَ ابْنِ أَبِي قَتَادَةَ: أَنَّ أَبَا قَتَادَة دخل فَسَكَبَتْ لَهُ وَضُوءًا فَجَاءَتْ هِرَّةٌ تَشْرَبُ مِنْهُ فَأَصْغَى لَهَا الْإِنَاءَ حَتَّى شَرِبَتْ قَالَتْ كَبْشَةُ فَرَآنِي أَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهِ فَقَالَ أَتَعْجَبِينَ يَا ابْنَةَ أخي فَقُلْتُ نَعَمْ فَقَالَ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «إِنَّهَا لَيست بِنَجس إِنَّهَا من الطوافين عَلَيْكُم والطوافات» . رَوَاهُ مَالِكٌ وَأَحْمَدُ وَالتِّرْمِذِيُّ وَأَبُو دَاوُدَ وَالنَّسَائِيُّ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ وَالدَّارِمِيُّ

Kabsha daughter of Ka‘b b. Malik and wife of Ibn Abu Qatada said that Abu Qatada visited her and she poured out water for him for ablution. A cat came and drank some of it, and he tilted the vessel for it till it had had a drink. Kabsha said that when he saw her looking at him he asked, “Are you surprised, my niece?” When she replied that she was, he declared that God’s messenger said, “It is not unclean; it is one of those who go round among you.” Malik, Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasa’i, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it.

وَعَن دَاوُد بن صَالح بن دِينَار التمار عَنْ أُمِّهِ أَنَّ مَوْلَاتَهَا أَرْسَلَتْهَا بِهَرِيسَةٍ إِلَى عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ: فَوَجَدْتُهَا تُصَلِّي فَأَشَارَتْ إِلَيَّ أَنْ ضَعِيهَا فَجَاءَتْ هِرَّةٌ فَأَكَلَتْ مِنْهَا فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفَتْ عَائِشَةُ مِنْ صَلَاتِهَا أَكَلَتْ مِنْ حَيْثُ أَكَلَتِ الْهِرَّةُ فَقَالَتْ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «إِنَّهَا لَيست بِنَجس إِنَّمَا هِيَ من الطوافين عَلَيْكُم» . وَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يتَوَضَّأ بفضلها. رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

Dawud b. Salih b. Dinar quoted his mother as saying that her mistress sent her to ‘A'isha with some hari a. She said that she found her praying and that she signed to her to lay it down. A cat came and ate some of it, but when ‘A'isha finished praying she ate from the place where the cat had eaten, stating that God’s messenger had said, “It is not unclean; it is one of those who go round among you adding that she had seen God’s messenger using water it had left to perform his ablution. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَن جَابر قَالَ: سُئِلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَتَوَضَّأُ بِمَا أَفْضَلَتِ الْحُمُرُ؟ قَالَ: «نَعَمْ وَبِمَا أَفْضَلَتِ السِّبَاعُ كُلُّهَا» . رَوَاهُ فِي شَرْحِ السّنة

Jabir said that when God’s messenger was asked whether ablution might be performed with water which asses had left, he replied, “Yes, and with what all beasts of prey leave.” Baghawi transmitted it in Sharh as-sunna.

وَعَن أم هَانِئ قَالَتْ: اغْتَسَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ هُوَ وَمَيْمُونَةُ فِي قَصْعَةٍ فِيهَا أَثَرُ الْعَجِين. رَوَاهُ النَّسَائِيّ وَابْن مَاجَه

Umm Hani’ said that God’s messenger and Maimuna washed in a bowl containing traces of dough. Nasa’i and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

عَن يَحْيَى بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ قَالَ: إِنَّ عُمَرَ بن الْخطاب خَرَجَ فِي رَكْبٍ فِيهِمْ عَمْرُو بْنُ الْعَاصِ حَتَّى وَرَدُوا حَوْضًا فَقَالَ عَمْرُو: يَا صَاحِبَ الْحَوْضِ هَلْ تَرِدُ حَوْضَكَ السِّبَاعُ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ يَا صَاحِبَ الْحَوْضِ لَا تُخْبِرْنَا فَإِنَّا نَرِدُ عَلَى السِّبَاعِ وَتَرِدُ عَلَيْنَا. رَوَاهُ مَالك وَزَاد رزين قَالَ: زَاد بعض الروَاة فِي قَول عمر: وَإِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «لَهَا مَا أَخَذَتْ فِي بُطُونِهَا وَمَا بَقِي فَهُوَ لنا طهُور وشراب»

Yahya b. Abd ar-Rahman said that ‘Umar went out with a party of riders among whom was ‘Amr b al-‘As. When they came to a cistern and ‘Amr asked its owner whether beasts of prey came down to it, ‘Umar said, “Don't tell us, owner of the cistern, for we go down to what beasts of prey leave, and they go down to what we leave.” Malik transmitted it and Razin made an addition saying that some transmitters add to ‘Umar’s words that he said he had heard God’s messenger say, “They have in their bellies what they have taken, and what remains is pure for us and drinkable.”

وَعَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ سُئِلَ عَنِ الْحِيَاضِ الَّتِي بَيْنَ مَكَّةَ وَالْمَدِينَةِ تَرِدُهَا السبَاع وَالْكلاب والحمر وَعَن الطُّهْرِ مِنْهَا فَقَالَ: " لَهَا مَا حَمَلَتْ فِي بُطُونِهَا وَلَنَا مَا غَبَرَ طَهُورٌ. رَوَاهُ ابْنُ مَاجَه

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri said that God's messenger was asked about the purity of the cisterns between Mecca and Medina to which beasts of prey, dogs and asses go down, and replied, “They have what they carry in their bellies, and we have what is left as pure water.” Ibn Majah transmitted it.

وَعَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: لَا تَغْتَسِلُوا بِالْمَاءِ الْمُشَمَّسِ فَإِنَّهُ يُورِثُ البرص. رَوَاهُ الدَّارَقُطْنِيّ

‘Umar b. al-Khattab said, “Do not wash in water which has been exposed to the sun, for it produces leprosy.” Daraqutni transmitted it.

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِذَا شَرِبَ الْكَلْبُ فِي إِنَاء أحدكُم فليغسله سبع مَرَّات» وَفِى رِوَايَةٍ لِمُسْلِمٍ: «طَهُورُ إِنَاءِ أَحَدِكُمْ إِذَا وَلَغَ فِيهِ الْكَلْبُ أَنْ يَغْسِلَهُ سَبْعَ مَرَّاتٍ أولَاهُنَّ بِالتُّرَابِ»

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “When a dog drinks out of a vessel belonging to any of you, he must wash it seven times,” (Bukhari and Muslim) In a version by Muslim he said, “When a dog laps the water in a vessel belonging to any of you, he must wash it seven times, using earth the first time.”

وَعَنْهُ قَالَ: قَامَ أَعْرَابِيٌّ فَبَالَ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فَتَنَاوَلَهُ النَّاسُ فَقَالَ لَهُمُ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «دَعُوهُ وَهَرِيقُوا عَلَى بَوْلِهِ سَجْلًا مِنْ مَاءٍ أَوْ ذَنُوبًا مِنْ مَاءٍ فَإِنَّمَا بُعِثْتُمْ مُيَسِّرِينَ وَلَمْ تُبْعَثُوا مُعَسِّرِينَ» . رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ

He also said that when a desert Arab got up and passed water in the mosque the people took hold of him, but the Prophet said to them, “Leave him alone, and pour a bucket* of water over what he has passed, for you have been sent only to make things easy and not to make things difficult.” *The text has sajl au dhanub, the transmitter not being sure which word was used. Both mean a bucket. Bukhari transmitted it.

وَعَن أنس قَالَ: بَيْنَمَا نَحْنُ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذْ جَاءَ أَعْرَابِيٌّ فَقَامَ يَبُولُ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فَقَالَ أَصْحَابُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَهْ مَه قَالَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَا تَزْرِمُوهُ دَعُوهُ» فَتَرَكُوهُ حَتَّى بَالَ ثُمَّ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ دَعَاهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ: «إِنَّ هَذِهِ الْمَسَاجِدَ لَا تصلح لشَيْء من هَذَا الْبَوْل وَلَا القذر إِنَّمَا هِيَ لذكر الله عز وَجل وَالصَّلَاةِ وَقِرَاءَةِ الْقُرْآنِ» أَوْ كَمَا قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ فَأمر رَجُلًا مِنَ الْقَوْمِ فَجَاءَ بِدَلْوٍ مِنْ مَاءٍ فسنه عَلَيْهِ

While we were in the mosque with God’s messenger a desert Arab came and began to pass water in the mosque. The companions of God's messenger said, “Stop! Stop!” but God’s messenger said, “Don’t interrupt him; leave him alone.” They left him alone, and when he had finished God’s messenger called him and said to him, “These mosques are not suitable places for urine and filth, but are only for remembrance of God, prayer and recitation of the Qur’an,” or however God’s messenger expressed it.* Anas said that he then grave orders to one of the people who brought a bucket and poured water over it. *Indicating that the transmitter is not sure of the exact words. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْ أَسْمَاءَ بِنْتِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ الصّديق أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ: سَأَلَتِ امْرَأَةٌ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَتْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَرَأَيْتَ إحدانا إِذا أصَاب ثوبها الدَّم من الْحَيْضَة كَيْفَ تَصَنُّعُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِذا أصَاب ثوب إحداكن الدَّم مِنَ الْحَيْضَةِ فَلْتَقْرُصْهُ ثُمَّ لِتَنْضَحْهُ بِمَاءٍ ثُمَّ لتصلي فِيهِ»

Asma’ daughter of Abu Bakr said that a woman asked God's messenger to tell her what one should do when blood from her menses dropped on her garment. He replied, “When blood from her menses drops on the garment of any of you, she should rub it with her fingers and sprinkle water on it, then she may pray in it.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ يَسَارٍ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ عَائِشَةَ عَنِ الْمَنِيِّ يُصِيبُ الثَّوْبَ فَقَالَتْ كُنْتُ أَغْسِلُهُ مِنْ ثَوْبِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَيَخْرُجُ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ وَأَثَرُ الْغَسْلِ فِي ثَوْبه بقع المَاء

Sulaiman b. Yasir said that he asked ‘A’isha about the prostatic fluid which gets on to a garment, and she replied, “I used to wash it from the garment at God's messenger, and he would go out to prayer with the mark of the washing on his garment." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَن الْأسود وَهَمَّام عَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ: كُنْتُ أَفْرُكُ الْمَنِيَّ مِنْ ثَوْبِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ. رَوَاهُ مُسلم وَبِرِوَايَةِ عَلْقَمَةَ وَالْأَسْوَدِ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ نَحْوَهُ وَفِيهِ: ثمَّ يُصَلِّي فِيهِ

Al-Aswad and Hammam reported ‘A'isha as saying, “I used to rub the prostatic fluid from the garment of God's messenger." Muslim transmitted it. A version of ‘Alqama and al-Aswad quotes ‘A'isha to the same effect, with the addition that he then prayed in it.

وَعَن أم قيس بنت مُحصن: أَنَّهَا أَتَتْ بِابْنٍ لَهَا صَغِيرٍ لَمْ يَأْكُلِ الطَّعَامَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَأَجْلَسَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي حِجْرِهِ فَبَالَ عَلَى ثَوْبِهِ فَدَعَا بِمَاء فنضحه وَلم يغسلهُ

Umm Qais daughter of Mihsan told how she brought a young son of hers who was not yet weaned to God’s messenger. He set him on his lap, and the child passed water on his garment; so he called for water and sprinkled it, but did not wash it. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسلم يَقُول: «إِذَا دُبِغَ الْإِهَابُ فَقَدْ طَهُرَ» . رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ

‘Abdallah b. ‘Abbas said that he heard God’s messenger say, “When a skin is tanned it is pure." Muslim transmitted it.

وَعَن ابْن عبَّاس قَالَ: تُصُدِّقَ عَلَى مَوْلَاةٍ لِمَيْمُونَةَ بِشَاةٍ فَمَاتَتْ فَمَرَّ بِهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ: «هَلَّا أَخَذْتُمْ إِهَابَهَا فَدَبَغْتُمُوهُ فَانْتَفَعْتُمْ بِهِ» فَقَالُوا: إِنَّهَا مَيْتَةٌ فَقَالَ: «إِنَّمَا حُرِّمَ أكلهَا»

He also said that a sheep was given in alms to a female client of Maimuna, but it died. God’s messenger came along and asked, “Why did you not take its skin and tan it and get some good out of it?" They replied, "It died a natural death." He said, “It is only the eating of it that is prohibited. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْ سَوْدَةَ زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَتْ: مَاتَتْ لَنَا شَاةٌ فَدَبَغْنَا مَسْكَهَا ثُمَّ مَا زِلْنَا نَنْبِذُ فِيهِ حَتَّى صَارَ شنا. رَوَاهُ البُخَارِيّ

Sauda the Prophet’s wife said, "A sheep of ours died and we tanned its freshly flayed skin, then continued to steep dates in it till it was worn out." Bukhari transmitted it.