Benefits of the Hadith (If water is two qullahs, it does not carry impurity).
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The Shaykh : The scholars differed regarding the text and the chain of narration of this hadith. Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned in "Tahdhib al-Sunan" a long discussion about this hadith, which contains great hadithological benefits that you will not find elsewhere. Whoever wishes to review it will find great benefit in it. He mentioned the weakening of this hadith from sixteen angles. As you know, when Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) speaks about an issue, his discourse is lengthy. This hadith is weak, even though some of the imams who authenticated it did so, but the discussion is about the reality of the matter.
Now, let us look at this: if the water is two qullahs, it does not carry impurity, meaning it does not become ritually impure. Is this applicable in its generality? There is no doubt that it is not applicable in its generality by consensus, because if we took it in its generality, its apparent meaning would be that it does not become ritually impure whether it changes or not, and this contradicts the consensus. The scholars are in agreement that if water changes due to impurity, it is ritually impure. Therefore, it is not correct to take it in its generality. Is that clear?
Second: it has a implication (mafhum), which is that if it does not reach two qullahs, it becomes ritually impure. If it does not reach two qullahs, it becomes ritually impure. The apparent meaning of this implication is that it is so whether it changes or not. In that case, it would contradict the aforementioned hadith of Abu Umamah, which indicates that water does not become ritually impure except by change. The indication of the hadith of Abu Umamah that water does not become ritually impure except by change is an explicit indication (manṭūq), while the indication of this hadith of Ibn 'Umar is an implied indication (mafhum). The scholars say that if the explicit and implied indications conflict, the explicit one is given precedence. Moreover, regarding the implied indication, it is sufficient to act upon it in one instance. If the implication is true in one instance, that is enough. For example, we say: its implication is that if it does not reach two qullahs, it does not carry impurity, or if it reaches two qullahs, it becomes ritually impure. We say that this covers both what changes and what does not change, and it is sufficient to say that it is restricted to the changed water. In that case, we have acted upon what?
The student: The implication.
The Shaykh : We acted upon the implication. And the implication, as the scholars of usul al-fiqh said, is sufficient to act upon in one instance. In any case, as long as the hadith is weak, and we have a previous hadith that supports it with athar evidence and theoretical evidence, it is not acted upon. It is said: if it reaches two qullahs and impurity occurs in it, if it changes it? Answer?
The student: Then it is ritually impure.
The Shaykh : Then it is ritually impure absolutely. And if it does not change, it is pure. If it does not reach two qullahs, the ruling is the same: if impurity occurs in it, if it changes, it is ritually impure, and if it does not change, it is pure. But there is no doubt that the less the water and the greater the impurity, the closer the water is to changing due to it. In that case, we must take the path of precaution. We must take the path of precaution, because there is no doubt that if a small drop, the size of a locust's eye, falls into water that reaches, for example, a full water skin, does this change it or not?
The student: No.
The Shaykh : It does not change it and does not affect it. According to the requirement of this hadith, if we take the generality of the implication, it would be ritually impure, but it is not ritually impure. And if a large impurity fell into less than that, would the water change due to it?
The student: Clearly.
The Shaykh : Strongly, strongly. So, O person, take precaution for yourself. If you are convinced that the impurity affects it, take precaution and do not use it except for a need. But if you are convinced that the impurity does not affect it, or you are certain that it does not affect it, do not worry about whether it is little or much. This is what the evidences and the general principles in the Shari'ah indicate, and Allah does not burden a soul beyond its capacity.
Now, let us look at this: if the water is two qullahs, it does not carry impurity, meaning it does not become ritually impure. Is this applicable in its generality? There is no doubt that it is not applicable in its generality by consensus, because if we took it in its generality, its apparent meaning would be that it does not become ritually impure whether it changes or not, and this contradicts the consensus. The scholars are in agreement that if water changes due to impurity, it is ritually impure. Therefore, it is not correct to take it in its generality. Is that clear?
Second: it has a implication (mafhum), which is that if it does not reach two qullahs, it becomes ritually impure. If it does not reach two qullahs, it becomes ritually impure. The apparent meaning of this implication is that it is so whether it changes or not. In that case, it would contradict the aforementioned hadith of Abu Umamah, which indicates that water does not become ritually impure except by change. The indication of the hadith of Abu Umamah that water does not become ritually impure except by change is an explicit indication (manṭūq), while the indication of this hadith of Ibn 'Umar is an implied indication (mafhum). The scholars say that if the explicit and implied indications conflict, the explicit one is given precedence. Moreover, regarding the implied indication, it is sufficient to act upon it in one instance. If the implication is true in one instance, that is enough. For example, we say: its implication is that if it does not reach two qullahs, it does not carry impurity, or if it reaches two qullahs, it becomes ritually impure. We say that this covers both what changes and what does not change, and it is sufficient to say that it is restricted to the changed water. In that case, we have acted upon what?
The student: The implication.
The Shaykh : We acted upon the implication. And the implication, as the scholars of usul al-fiqh said, is sufficient to act upon in one instance. In any case, as long as the hadith is weak, and we have a previous hadith that supports it with athar evidence and theoretical evidence, it is not acted upon. It is said: if it reaches two qullahs and impurity occurs in it, if it changes it? Answer?
The student: Then it is ritually impure.
The Shaykh : Then it is ritually impure absolutely. And if it does not change, it is pure. If it does not reach two qullahs, the ruling is the same: if impurity occurs in it, if it changes, it is ritually impure, and if it does not change, it is pure. But there is no doubt that the less the water and the greater the impurity, the closer the water is to changing due to it. In that case, we must take the path of precaution. We must take the path of precaution, because there is no doubt that if a small drop, the size of a locust's eye, falls into water that reaches, for example, a full water skin, does this change it or not?
The student: No.
The Shaykh : It does not change it and does not affect it. According to the requirement of this hadith, if we take the generality of the implication, it would be ritually impure, but it is not ritually impure. And if a large impurity fell into less than that, would the water change due to it?
The student: Clearly.
The Shaykh : Strongly, strongly. So, O person, take precaution for yourself. If you are convinced that the impurity affects it, take precaution and do not use it except for a need. But if you are convinced that the impurity does not affect it, or you are certain that it does not affect it, do not worry about whether it is little or much. This is what the evidences and the general principles in the Shari'ah indicate, and Allah does not burden a soul beyond its capacity.