Abu
Sa’id Al-Khudry ask the Prophet, “can we make ablution from the well of Buda
‘ah (i.e., a well in Medina)?” the Prophet, upon whom be peace, told him, “water
is pure and nothing makes it impure.”
This
hadith is related by Ahmad, Ashad, Ash-Shafi’y Abu Dawud, An-Nasa’y and
At-Tirmidhy, who classified it as Hasan. Ahmad said, “This hadith is sahih
Yahya bin Ma’in and Muhammad bin Hazm classified it as such.”This is also the
opinion of the Ibn ‘abuHurairah, Al-Hasan Al-Basry, Ibn Al-Musyyab, IKrimah,
Ibn Abu Laila, Al-Thawry, DawudAzh- Zhahiry, Anakha’y, Malik and others. Says
Al-Ghazaly, “I wish Ash- Shafi ‘y’s opinion was like Malik’s.”
There
is a hadith from ‘Abullah bin ‘Umar in which the Messenger of Allah is reported
to have said, “If there are at least two buckets of water, it will not carry
any impurity. This hadith is related by the “five.”However, this hadith is
uncertain both in text and chain of narrators. Ibn ‘Adul-Barr said in
At-Tamhid, “As to the opinion of Ash-Shafi’y which is based on this hadith, it
is weak on scrutiny and is not confirmed by historical reports.”
Leftover
water
“Leftover
water “is what remains in a pot after some has been drunk. These are five
different types of leftover water.
Water
leftover after people have drank from the pot
According
to the shari’ah, such water is considered pure regardless of whether the one
who drank from the pot was a Muslim, an unbeliever, a person in post-sex
impurity or a menstruating woman.
Although
Allah says in the Qur’an, ”Verily, the Mushrikun (polytheists, pagans,
idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah and in the Message of Muhammad)
are najasun (impure)” (At-Tawbah,9:28)
This
is a reference not to their physical state, but to their false beliefs and
creed. They may come into contact with dirt or impurities, but this does not
mean that their possessions or bodies are delegations used to visit the
Messenger of Allah and enter his mosque. The prophet, upon whom be peace, did
not order that the objects they touched be cleansed. As for menstruating woman,
Aisha said, “I used to drink (from a container) While I was menstruating. I
would then pass it to the messenger of Allah and he would drink from the same
spot where had put my lips.”(Recorded by Muslim.)
Water
left in a container after an allowable animal has drunk from it
Such
water is considered pure. Since the animal qualifies for consumption, its
saliva is also pure. Abu Bakr bin Al-Mundhir said, the scholars are agreed that
such water is permissible to drink or use for ablution.”
Water
remaining in a pot after it has been drank by a donkey, mule, and beasts of
birds of prey
Such
water is also considered pure, based on the hadith of Jabir in which the
Messenger of Allah was asked about making ablution with drinking water left by
donkeys? The Prophet (peace be upon him) answered, “Yes and from drinking water
left by any of the beasts of prey.” This hadith was related by Ash-Shafi’y, Ad-Daraqutny
and Al-Baihaqy who said; when its different chains are put together they become
strong. It has also been related from Ibn Umar that the Messenger of Allah went
out at night while he was on a journey, He passed by a man who was siting by a
pond. Said Umar, “Did a beast of prey drink four pond tonight?” The Messenger
of Allah told him, “O owner of the pond, do not inform him. It is not necessary
for him (the beast of prey) is what he carried in his stomach and for us is
what he left ,waterbe to use for drinking and purifying.” This is related by
Ad-Daraqutny. Yahya bin Sa’id reported that once Umar was among a group that included Amr bin
Al-As and, when they came upon a pond, Amr said; “O owner of the pond, have the
beasts of prey discovered your pond?” Umar said; do not inform us, since the
people drink after the wild beasts and the wild beasts after the people.” This
is lamented by Malik in Al-Muwatta’.
Water
left in a pot after a cat drunk from it
Such
water is also considered pure. This is proven by the hadith of KabshahbintKa’b,
when she was under the care of Abu Qutadah, entered the room to pour some water
for him. A cat came, drank some of the water and Qatadah proceeded to tilt the
container so the cat could drink more. Kabshah said; “He noticed that I was
watching him.” He asked “Are you surprised, O niece?” I answered yes he said.
The Messenger of Allah upon whom be peace, said it (the cat) is not impure.
They intermingle with you.’”
Water
left in a pot until a pig or dog has drank from it
Such
water is considered impure and must be avoided. Al-Bukhary and Muslim have
recorded on the authority of Abu Hurairah that the messenger of Allah said; “If
a dog drinks from one of your containers, wash it seven times.” Ahmad and
Muslim also have this addition, “Cleanse one of your containers if a dog licks
it by washing it seven times, the first washing being with dirt .” as for the
leftover water of a pig, it is clearly considered filth and impure.
Impurities
Najasha
refers to impure substances that the Muslim must avoid and wash off if they
should happen to contaminate his clothes, body and so on. Says Allah in Qur’an,
“And your garments purify! And He says; “truly, Allah loves those who turn unto
Him in repentance and loves those who purify themselves (by taking a bath,
cleaning and washing thoroughly their private parts, bodies for their prayers,
etc.) “(AL-Baqarah, 2:222)
The messenger of Allah also said,” Purity is
half of the faith”.
TYPES
OF IMPURITIES
DEAD
ANIMALS
This
refers to animals which die from “natural causes, “that is without the proper
Islamic way of slaughtering. It also includes anything that is cut off of a
live animal. Abu Waqid Al-Laithy reported that the Prophet, upon whom be peace,
said, “What is cut off of a live animal is considered dead,” i.e it is
considered like an animal that has not been properly slaughtered. This is
related by Abu Dawud and by At-Tirmidhy, who classifies it as hasan and says
that the scholars act according to this hadith.
To be continued.
