Addendum to the benefits of the hadith (The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to enter the place of relief . . . ).
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The Shaykh : Among them is: the permissibility of performing istinja' (cleaning oneself after relieving oneself) with water instead of stones, because Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) did not mention that he used to carry stones with him, but only mentioned that he used to carry water, and the water was only for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to perform istinja' with. Accordingly, the hadith indicates the permissibility of relying solely on water for istinja'. Although the indication in this is somewhat weak, this is the apparent meaning: that they carried this for the purpose of performing istinja' with it.
Some of the Salaf (the earliest generations) disliked relying solely on water, and the reason for their dislike is: if a person performs istinja' with water, he must necessarily touch the impurity with his hand, is that not so? Yes, indeed.
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : Fine.
They said: It is not befitting for a person to touch impurity because it clings to him, and at the very least, its odor clings to him, so it is not befitting for him to do so. However, the correct view—and I think consensus was established thereafter on the permissibility—and this is the correct view, is that it is permissible for a person to rely solely on water for istinja'.
The response to the objection of touching impurity is that this contact is for the purpose of removing it, not for keeping it. He touches it in order to remove it, just as we say regarding the person in ihram (the consecrated state of pilgrimage): if perfume falls on him and he wants to wash it off, he may touch it with his hand, because his touching it with his hand is for the purpose of removing it, not for keeping it. So we do not obligate him to bring a stick or something similar to wash the perfume with; rather, we say: he may wash it with his hand and there is no blame on him, because this is for the purpose of removing it.
The analogy to this is if a person usurps a piece of land, and when he is in the middle of it, he regrets and repents, what do we say?
We say: he remains standing in his place and he is not allowed to use the land by walking on it? No, the second option. And his walking here does not incur sin for him, even though he is occupying it with this walking, because this walking is what, O brothers?
It is for the purpose of getting rid of it. Therefore, the correct view is the permissibility of relying solely on water for istinja' in purifying what comes out from the two passages.
Some of the Salaf (the earliest generations) disliked relying solely on water, and the reason for their dislike is: if a person performs istinja' with water, he must necessarily touch the impurity with his hand, is that not so? Yes, indeed.
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : Fine.
They said: It is not befitting for a person to touch impurity because it clings to him, and at the very least, its odor clings to him, so it is not befitting for him to do so. However, the correct view—and I think consensus was established thereafter on the permissibility—and this is the correct view, is that it is permissible for a person to rely solely on water for istinja'.
The response to the objection of touching impurity is that this contact is for the purpose of removing it, not for keeping it. He touches it in order to remove it, just as we say regarding the person in ihram (the consecrated state of pilgrimage): if perfume falls on him and he wants to wash it off, he may touch it with his hand, because his touching it with his hand is for the purpose of removing it, not for keeping it. So we do not obligate him to bring a stick or something similar to wash the perfume with; rather, we say: he may wash it with his hand and there is no blame on him, because this is for the purpose of removing it.
The analogy to this is if a person usurps a piece of land, and when he is in the middle of it, he regrets and repents, what do we say?
We say: he remains standing in his place and he is not allowed to use the land by walking on it? No, the second option. And his walking here does not incur sin for him, even though he is occupying it with this walking, because this walking is what, O brothers?
It is for the purpose of getting rid of it. Therefore, the correct view is the permissibility of relying solely on water for istinja' in purifying what comes out from the two passages.