If Water Reaches Two Qullahs...

05/12/2013 02:47

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If Water Reaches Two Qullahs...

Purification [1]
Date:
Wed, 01/01/2003
Author:
Sheikh Salman al-Oadah
Body:

[2]

`Abd Allah b. `Umar relates that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: If water reaches two
qullahs in volume, it will not become impure due to impurities.
This hadth was related by al-Tirmdh, Ab Dwd, al-Nas, and Ibn Mjah, al-Bayhaq and
others.
It is an authentic hadth. It was declared authentic by many eminent scholars, including Ibn
Khuzaymah, al-Hkim, Ibn Hibbn, Ibn Hazm, al-Nawaw, Ibn Taymiyah, and Ibn Hajar.
The meaning of the hadth and its legal implications:
We have already mentioned this hadth in our article entitled Water has the Power to
Purify, wherein we discussed its legal significance and the disagreements the scholars
have had about it. Therefore, we only intend here to elaborate on this hadth a little further.
This hadth has a story behind it. The Prophet (peace be upon him) was asked about water
found in open country, since this water is frequented by beasts of prey and other animals that
could contaminate it when they drink from it. To this question the Prophet (peace be upon
him) replied: If water reaches two qullahs in volume, it will not become impure due to
impurities.
The meaning of this hadth is that water of this quantity will not become contaminated even if
impurities fall into it.
As for a qullah, it is a volume measure. However, there has been considerable disagreement
as to the size of one qullah. There are at least nine different opinions on the matter that were
mentioned by Ibn al-mundhir in al-Awsat.
Ibn `Abd al-Barr writes: This matter has been discussed by a number of scholars and
narrators. The quantity of two qullahs cannot been determined by textual evidence, nor is
there juristic consensus on the matter. [al-Tamhd (1/335)]
Al-Tahw [Sharh Ma`n al-Athr (1/16)] and Ibn al-Qayyim [Tahdhb al-Sunan (1/63)] also
maintain that this quantity is unknown.
Many scholars have given estimates for a qullah running the gamut from 400 ratl and 1000
ratl, with a ratl being equivalent to 375 milliliters. Even this range is uncertain.

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If Water Reaches Two Qullahs...

05/12/2013 02:47

Some scholars, like al-Shf` have used this hadth to make a distinction between large and
small quantities of water. They claim that if water less then two qullahs in volume comes in
contact with any impurity, then that water becomes impure, even if the water suffers no visible
change. Ibn Qudmah explains their argument for this interpretation as follows: If the same
ruling applied to water that was under two qullahs in volume, then the mention of two qullahs
in the hadth would have no meaning. [al-Mughn (1/27)]
However, the uncertainty surrounding the volume of a qullah makes this interpretation
problematic. It is also untrue that there is no other meaning to be understood from the mention
of two qullahs.
If the Prophet (peace be upon him) had been expressing a precise, quantitative ruling in
Islamic Law, he would have been more exacting in his answer. He would have clarified the
matter in the same detail as he clarified the number of prayers and the monetary value of
Zakh. If there was a different ruling for water that is under two qullahs in volume, then it
would have been of paramount importance for the people to know the precise measurement
of a qullah . Therefore, it is inconceivable that the most prominent Companions would have
been at a loss to determine this volume precisely. This shows us that not only was the
Prophet (peace be upon him) not making a distinction between large and small quantities of
water, but also that the Companions did not understand there to be such a distinction.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) was merely saying that a large quantity of water generally
does not become contaminated by the impurities that come in contact with it, whereas a small
volume often does. Since his reference to two qullahs is merely to indicate a large volume of
water, there was never any need to determine the precise quantity of a qullah.
It is clear that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was speaking in generalities, since it is quite
obvious that water in excess of two qullahs can definitely become contaminated if enough
impurities are mixed in with it. If a large body of water acquires the smell, taste, or color of the
impurities it contains, then that water will definitely be impure itself. Therefore, we cannot
assume that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was speaking in absolute terms.
This is further supported by the context of the hadth. The Prophet (peace be upon him) was
asked about the water found in open country. This water is typically found in considerably
large volumes and the impurities that come in contact with this water are usually insignificant,
such as the blood that remains on the mouth of a carnivore when it comes to the water to
drink from it. Such large bodies of water do not become impure on account of such small
amounts of impurity. This is all the Prophet (peace be upon him) was trying to say.
And Allah knows best.
Purification
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