Explanation of the Book of Ablution, the Full Ritual Bath, Menstruation, and Dry Ablution-02a
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The reciter: Muhammad ibn Bashshar narrated to us, saying: Muhammad ibn Ja'far narrated to us, saying: Shu'bah narrated from Ata' ibn Abi Maimunah, who heard Anas ibn Malik say: Mishkat al-Masabih 342, Al-Nadr and Shadhan followed him from Shu'bah. The staff: a stick with a hook on it.
The Shaykh : In my copy: on it.
The reciter: Yes, yes, the staff: a stick with a hook on it.
The Shaykh : And it is permissible for it, but the discussion is about what exists,[Taha 20:18] so he used the feminine form.
These hadiths indicate that it is permissible to limit oneself to cleaning with water from urine and feces, and this is the stronger position, which is the view of the majority of the Muslim community.
It is reported from some of the early scholars that it is prohibited and that it is not permissible to limit oneself to cleaning with water. They reasoned this by saying that the one who cleans himself with his hand from feces contaminates his hand, so how would he contaminate it with impurity? Rather, he should use stones and limit himself to using stones, with no need for cleaning with water, because most of the hadiths from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) state that he used stones. However, the correct view is that it is permissible to clean with water, and that the contamination of the hand with filth is not intended for its own sake, but rather for removal, not for remaining or keeping it. The man did not contaminate his hand with filth to keep the filth in it, but to remove it, and he also removes it from another place. There is a difference between this and that.
For this reason, we said that if a man in the state of ihram has perfume on his ihram garments and he washes it off, he owes nothing, even though he will be touching the perfume, but he did not touch it to keep it, but rather to remove it.
And we also said that if a man usurps a piece of land and, during his presence in it, he says: "O Allah, I seek Your forgiveness and I repent to You," and he begins to uproot what he planted in it and take it out, is it said that this presence in the land acquires sin for him or not?
No, because this presence is for the sake of leaving, not for the sake of staying.
So the important point is that one who is contaminated by something in order to get rid of it is not considered to be doing it, but rather he is in the ruling of one who is getting rid of it, as is apparent. And in this issue, we say that purifying oneself from feces and urine has three states:
The first state: limiting oneself to stones only.
The second: water only.
The third: combining them. It is said that combining them is better, and it is said that it is a religious innovation and not recommended, because it is not recorded that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) combined them. The hadith of the people of Quba and the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):, this hadith is weak.
But the stronger position is that combining them is not a religious innovation, and that it is more thorough and cleaner. The fact that it is not recorded from the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) does not indicate its prohibition, but rather indicates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did what was easy. It may be that in a place where stones are easier, he uses them, and it may be that in a place where there are no stones, using water is easier, so he uses it. And this is the correct view: that combining stones and water is not a religious innovation, but rather it is purer and cleaner. And Allah knows best.
When God’s messenger entered the privy, a servant and I used to carry a skin of water and a pointed staff, and he would cleanse himself with the water.
كان رسول الله صلّى الله عليه وسلم يدخل الخلاء فأحمل أنا وغلام إداوة من ماء وعنزة يستنجي بالماءThe Shaykh : In my copy: on it.
The reciter: Yes, yes, the staff: a stick with a hook on it.
The Shaykh : And it is permissible for it, but the discussion is about what exists,
He said, "It is my staff
قال هي عصاThese hadiths indicate that it is permissible to limit oneself to cleaning with water from urine and feces, and this is the stronger position, which is the view of the majority of the Muslim community.
It is reported from some of the early scholars that it is prohibited and that it is not permissible to limit oneself to cleaning with water. They reasoned this by saying that the one who cleans himself with his hand from feces contaminates his hand, so how would he contaminate it with impurity? Rather, he should use stones and limit himself to using stones, with no need for cleaning with water, because most of the hadiths from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) state that he used stones. However, the correct view is that it is permissible to clean with water, and that the contamination of the hand with filth is not intended for its own sake, but rather for removal, not for remaining or keeping it. The man did not contaminate his hand with filth to keep the filth in it, but to remove it, and he also removes it from another place. There is a difference between this and that.
For this reason, we said that if a man in the state of ihram has perfume on his ihram garments and he washes it off, he owes nothing, even though he will be touching the perfume, but he did not touch it to keep it, but rather to remove it.
And we also said that if a man usurps a piece of land and, during his presence in it, he says: "O Allah, I seek Your forgiveness and I repent to You," and he begins to uproot what he planted in it and take it out, is it said that this presence in the land acquires sin for him or not?
No, because this presence is for the sake of leaving, not for the sake of staying.
So the important point is that one who is contaminated by something in order to get rid of it is not considered to be doing it, but rather he is in the ruling of one who is getting rid of it, as is apparent. And in this issue, we say that purifying oneself from feces and urine has three states:
The first state: limiting oneself to stones only.
The second: water only.
The third: combining them. It is said that combining them is better, and it is said that it is a religious innovation and not recommended, because it is not recorded that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) combined them. The hadith of the people of Quba and the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
Indeed, Allah has praised you. They said: We used to follow the stones with water.
إن الله أثنى عليكم . قالوا : كنا نتبع الحجارة بالماءBut the stronger position is that combining them is not a religious innovation, and that it is more thorough and cleaner. The fact that it is not recorded from the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) does not indicate its prohibition, but rather indicates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did what was easy. It may be that in a place where stones are easier, he uses them, and it may be that in a place where there are no stones, using water is easier, so he uses it. And this is the correct view: that combining stones and water is not a religious innovation, but rather it is purer and cleaner. And Allah knows best.