Benefits of the Hadith (None of you should bathe in stagnant water while in a state of major ritual impurity).
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The Shaykh : This hadith contains many benefits, among which is the Shari'ah's care for health. For there is no doubt that if a person bathes in stagnant water while in a state of major ritual impurity, water that does not flow in or out, it will contaminate it and become a cause of harm for him and others.
Another benefit is the comprehensiveness of the Shari'ah brought by Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). It encompasses the interests of people in both the Hereafter and this world, contrary to those who say that the Shari'ah is merely the regulation of worship between a person and his Lord, leaving the rest to people. This is incorrect, and it is feared that this falls under the category of disbelieving in part of the Shari'ah and believing in part of it. The Shari'ah is comprehensive, but people differ in knowledge and understanding. A person's knowledge may fall short of encompassing the Shari'ah, which is common, or his understanding may fall short of what he has encompassed of the Shari'ah, leading him to think that the Shari'ah is deficient or lacking in this matter.
Another benefit of this hadith is the prohibition or dislike of a person bathing in stagnant water while in a state of major ritual impurity. Where is this derived from? From the prohibition. The scholars of usul al-fiqh (principles of jurisprudence) have differed on whether a prohibition indicates dislike or prohibition, or whether they distinguish between what is based on worship and what is based on etiquette and cleanliness. They said that the first is prohibited, and the prohibition in it is for prohibition, while the second is for dislike. They stated that the prohibition is for prohibition because it is in the realm of worship, and man was created for what? For worship. Therefore, he must realize it by doing what is commanded and leaving what is forbidden. As for etiquette, what relates to health, and the like, it is taken as dislike. One who reflects on the hadiths containing prohibitions sees that this view is the closest to the truth, because one encounters hadiths with prohibitions that were not for prohibition, and one cannot say they are for prohibition. And one encounters others that are for prohibition. So, if one finds an absolute prohibition not accompanied by what indicates it is for prohibition, the closest of the views is the middle one: that what is of the nature of worship is for prohibition, and what is for cleanliness, etiquette, and the like is for dislike.
Now, among the benefits of this hadith is the permissibility of bathing in water that is not stagnant. Water that is not stagnant is divided into two categories: a category that is currently flowing, like rivers and canals. The canals that flow allow a person to purify himself with them, and there is no issue in that, whether he is in a state of major ritual impurity or not. He intends to bathe and bathes, immersing himself in them. But there is no doubt that what is flowing will renew the water on the body. Do we say that every flow is a wash? The answer is yes, every flow is a wash. For this reason, al-Muwaffaq (may Allah have mercy on him) said in al-Mughni that if a man moves his hand in the water, he has washed it three times, because the water is renewed by the movement. Similarly, if the water is flowing, every flow that covers the body is considered what? A wash. Now, the second category of water that is not stagnant is what is currently stagnant, but we know that it will be opened up after an hour or two and flow, with new water replacing it, as found in the ponds of gardens. You find the pond now full, not flowing now, but it will be opened by one who intends to distribute the water and distribute it over the wall, and new water will come. Do we consider this stagnant or flowing?
The student: Flowing.
The Shaykh : Flowing. This is undoubtedly flowing because this water will go away. So, what is stagnant water? Stagnant water is what is in the pools. Do you know what pools are? Hmm?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : They are not the wells!
The student: Puddles.
The Shaykh : Puddles, puddles of rain. Yes, these are stagnant because the rain may fall or may not fall, and the pool may remain in this state permanently. This is what the hadith applies to.
Another benefit of this hadith, from its implication, is that it is permissible to bathe in stagnant water for reasons other than major ritual impurity, such as bathing for cleaning or bathing a recommended bath, as if one recovers from fainting and bathes. This is recommended. Do we say this implication is general, or do we say there is a distinction in the implication? We say there is a distinction in the implication, because if a person bathes in stagnant water without being in a state of major ritual impurity, his body may be contaminated with much filth, much filth that offends people with its smell, even if he does not immerse himself in the water. In this case, we say he is prohibited from bathing in stagnant water. But do we take this from this hadith or from the general rules?
The student: The general rules.
The Shaykh : That a person is not allowed to harm the Muslims, and this harms the Muslims. Because it is assumed that in a pool, everyone comes to bathe or drink from it. If a person has much dirt that changes the water until what is like oil from the filth on the skin floats on the surface of the water, then there is no doubt that he is prohibited from doing so because it makes it disgusting. And this falls under what? The general rules. However, if the body is clean and he bathes in it without being in a state of major ritual impurity, the hadith indicates permissibility.
Another benefit of this hadith is the mention of the person in a state of major ritual impurity. What is a person in a state of major ritual impurity? It is the one who is obligated to perform the full ritual bath due to intercourse or ejaculation. This is the state of major ritual impurity. Many people, especially young men who have recently married, think that there is no full ritual bath for mere intercourse. This is a mistake, and it is necessary for students of knowledge to spread among people that intercourse obligates the full ritual bath even if there is no ejaculation. Some people ask us, saying they have not bathed from major ritual impurity for a month, two months, or more, unless there is ejaculation. This is a mistake. Now, why did the author bring this hadith in this chapter? As a reference to the saying of some scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) that if one bathes in stagnant water while in a state of major ritual impurity, he becomes ritually impure. Some of them say he becomes pure but not purifying. And we say: the hadith does not indicate either this or that. As for the first, how far is its indication of it? How can he become ritually impure and the body of the person in a state of major ritual impurity?
The student: Pure.
The Shaykh : Pure. Abu Hurayrah was with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) on some of the road, so he slipped away quietly and bathed, then returned. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him, "Where were you, Abu Hurayrah?" He said, "I was in a state of major ritual impurity, and I disliked to sit with you without purity." He said:Sunan an-Nasa'i 269Sahih (Darussalam) So, he does not become ritually impure while in a state of major ritual impurity. Therefore, the saying that the water becomes ritually impure is a very weak saying.
The saying that it is pure but not purifying, where do you get that from? First, we do not accept the existence of a category of water called "pure" because there is no evidence for it. Second, even if we accepted this or there was evidence for it, this hadith does not indicate it, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not address the ruling of the water at all, but rather directed the address to whom? To the one who bathed. As for the water, he did not address it.
Yes, he said: "And al-Bukhari has:Sahih al-Bukhari 239" This contains specificity and generality, like what came before. Here he said: and he did not say "from major ritual impurity," but he said: However, he qualified this prohibition of bathing with the condition that one urinated in it. If one urinated in it, his saying: Urine is well known. And his saying: He explained it by saying: And his saying: means: to immerse, because "in" indicates location, and the location is general for the located thing. So, if we make the water a location, it necessitates that the person does what? Immerses himself in it. Now, this hadith is not the hadith, because the first hadith is the prohibition of a man bathing while in a state of major ritual impurity, whereas this is the prohibition of a man urinating in the water and then bathing in it. And there is no doubt that this prohibition is in accordance with wisdom, because how can one urinate in it, and urine is ritually impure, and then go to purify oneself with it or clean oneself with it? This is not fitting, even nature and instinct contradict it.
It is derived from this hadith benefits, among which are what came before and what came before that, which are the Shari'ah's care for health and its comprehensiveness for the interests of the servants in this world and the Hereafter.
Among these is the prohibition against urinating in standing water that does not flow and then bathing in it. From this, it is understood that urinating in flowing water is permissible. However, this understanding requires detailed analysis: if the flowing water does not pass by anyone who would become ritually impure if it touched them, then there is no harm in urinating in it, because in this case, you have not harmed anyone. But if the water is going to flow down to someone who benefits from it for drinking or purification, then it is not permissible to urinate in it if the urine could alter the water. However, if it is not possible for it to be altered, such as a person urinating in a great valley or a river, this has no effect, and there is no harm in it.
Another benefit is the comprehensiveness of the Shari'ah brought by Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). It encompasses the interests of people in both the Hereafter and this world, contrary to those who say that the Shari'ah is merely the regulation of worship between a person and his Lord, leaving the rest to people. This is incorrect, and it is feared that this falls under the category of disbelieving in part of the Shari'ah and believing in part of it. The Shari'ah is comprehensive, but people differ in knowledge and understanding. A person's knowledge may fall short of encompassing the Shari'ah, which is common, or his understanding may fall short of what he has encompassed of the Shari'ah, leading him to think that the Shari'ah is deficient or lacking in this matter.
Another benefit of this hadith is the prohibition or dislike of a person bathing in stagnant water while in a state of major ritual impurity. Where is this derived from? From the prohibition. The scholars of usul al-fiqh (principles of jurisprudence) have differed on whether a prohibition indicates dislike or prohibition, or whether they distinguish between what is based on worship and what is based on etiquette and cleanliness. They said that the first is prohibited, and the prohibition in it is for prohibition, while the second is for dislike. They stated that the prohibition is for prohibition because it is in the realm of worship, and man was created for what? For worship. Therefore, he must realize it by doing what is commanded and leaving what is forbidden. As for etiquette, what relates to health, and the like, it is taken as dislike. One who reflects on the hadiths containing prohibitions sees that this view is the closest to the truth, because one encounters hadiths with prohibitions that were not for prohibition, and one cannot say they are for prohibition. And one encounters others that are for prohibition. So, if one finds an absolute prohibition not accompanied by what indicates it is for prohibition, the closest of the views is the middle one: that what is of the nature of worship is for prohibition, and what is for cleanliness, etiquette, and the like is for dislike.
Now, among the benefits of this hadith is the permissibility of bathing in water that is not stagnant. Water that is not stagnant is divided into two categories: a category that is currently flowing, like rivers and canals. The canals that flow allow a person to purify himself with them, and there is no issue in that, whether he is in a state of major ritual impurity or not. He intends to bathe and bathes, immersing himself in them. But there is no doubt that what is flowing will renew the water on the body. Do we say that every flow is a wash? The answer is yes, every flow is a wash. For this reason, al-Muwaffaq (may Allah have mercy on him) said in al-Mughni that if a man moves his hand in the water, he has washed it three times, because the water is renewed by the movement. Similarly, if the water is flowing, every flow that covers the body is considered what? A wash. Now, the second category of water that is not stagnant is what is currently stagnant, but we know that it will be opened up after an hour or two and flow, with new water replacing it, as found in the ponds of gardens. You find the pond now full, not flowing now, but it will be opened by one who intends to distribute the water and distribute it over the wall, and new water will come. Do we consider this stagnant or flowing?
The student: Flowing.
The Shaykh : Flowing. This is undoubtedly flowing because this water will go away. So, what is stagnant water? Stagnant water is what is in the pools. Do you know what pools are? Hmm?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : They are not the wells!
The student: Puddles.
The Shaykh : Puddles, puddles of rain. Yes, these are stagnant because the rain may fall or may not fall, and the pool may remain in this state permanently. This is what the hadith applies to.
Another benefit of this hadith, from its implication, is that it is permissible to bathe in stagnant water for reasons other than major ritual impurity, such as bathing for cleaning or bathing a recommended bath, as if one recovers from fainting and bathes. This is recommended. Do we say this implication is general, or do we say there is a distinction in the implication? We say there is a distinction in the implication, because if a person bathes in stagnant water without being in a state of major ritual impurity, his body may be contaminated with much filth, much filth that offends people with its smell, even if he does not immerse himself in the water. In this case, we say he is prohibited from bathing in stagnant water. But do we take this from this hadith or from the general rules?
The student: The general rules.
The Shaykh : That a person is not allowed to harm the Muslims, and this harms the Muslims. Because it is assumed that in a pool, everyone comes to bathe or drink from it. If a person has much dirt that changes the water until what is like oil from the filth on the skin floats on the surface of the water, then there is no doubt that he is prohibited from doing so because it makes it disgusting. And this falls under what? The general rules. However, if the body is clean and he bathes in it without being in a state of major ritual impurity, the hadith indicates permissibility.
Another benefit of this hadith is the mention of the person in a state of major ritual impurity. What is a person in a state of major ritual impurity? It is the one who is obligated to perform the full ritual bath due to intercourse or ejaculation. This is the state of major ritual impurity. Many people, especially young men who have recently married, think that there is no full ritual bath for mere intercourse. This is a mistake, and it is necessary for students of knowledge to spread among people that intercourse obligates the full ritual bath even if there is no ejaculation. Some people ask us, saying they have not bathed from major ritual impurity for a month, two months, or more, unless there is ejaculation. This is a mistake. Now, why did the author bring this hadith in this chapter? As a reference to the saying of some scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) that if one bathes in stagnant water while in a state of major ritual impurity, he becomes ritually impure. Some of them say he becomes pure but not purifying. And we say: the hadith does not indicate either this or that. As for the first, how far is its indication of it? How can he become ritually impure and the body of the person in a state of major ritual impurity?
The student: Pure.
The Shaykh : Pure. Abu Hurayrah was with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) on some of the road, so he slipped away quietly and bathed, then returned. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him, "Where were you, Abu Hurayrah?" He said, "I was in a state of major ritual impurity, and I disliked to sit with you without purity." He said:
Subhan Allah! The believer is not made impure (Najis).
سبحان الله! إنّ المؤمن لا ينجسThe saying that it is pure but not purifying, where do you get that from? First, we do not accept the existence of a category of water called "pure" because there is no evidence for it. Second, even if we accepted this or there was evidence for it, this hadith does not indicate it, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not address the ruling of the water at all, but rather directed the address to whom? To the one who bathed. As for the water, he did not address it.
Yes, he said: "And al-Bukhari has:
You should not pass urine in stagnant water which is not flowing then (you may need to) wash in it.
لا يبولنّ أحدكم في الماء الدائم الذي لا يجري، ثم يغتسل فيهand then bathe in it.
ثمّ يغتسل فيهand then bathe in it.
ثمّ يغتسل فيهLet none of you urinate
لا يبولنّin standing water
في الماء الدّائمthat does not flow
الذي لا يجريand then bathe in it.
ثمّ يغتسل فيهIt is derived from this hadith benefits, among which are what came before and what came before that, which are the Shari'ah's care for health and its comprehensiveness for the interests of the servants in this world and the Hereafter.
Among these is the prohibition against urinating in standing water that does not flow and then bathing in it. From this, it is understood that urinating in flowing water is permissible. However, this understanding requires detailed analysis: if the flowing water does not pass by anyone who would become ritually impure if it touched them, then there is no harm in urinating in it, because in this case, you have not harmed anyone. But if the water is going to flow down to someone who benefits from it for drinking or purification, then it is not permissible to urinate in it if the urine could alter the water. However, if it is not possible for it to be altered, such as a person urinating in a great valley or a river, this has no effect, and there is no harm in it.