Abu Dawud

Lexical Explanation:
«عَنْ رَجُلٍ صَحِبَ» is a past tense verb and, in terms of grammatical construction, is functioning as an attribute of «رَجُلٍ». The fact that the name of the Companion is not mentioned does not harm the narration of the hadith, because there is consensus among all Ahl al-Sunnah that «الصَحابةُ كُلّهم عَدُولٌ» all the Companions (radi Allahu anhum) are upright (‘adil).
«بِفضلِ الرَجل» refers to the water left over after a person has performed ritual bath (ghusl).
In «وَلْیَغتَرفا», the “lam” is for command, and the meaning of «غْتِراف» is to take water with both hands joined together in a scoop.

Benefits and Issues:
➊ In this hadith, the prohibition (nahi) refers to a discouragement of a lesser degree (nahi tanzihi). In the following hadith, its permissibility is transmitted, so that no one assumes that a man cannot use the water left over from a woman’s ritual bath (ghusl) for his own ritual bath.
➋ Taking water at the same time by both man and woman with a scoop is an act in which the effect of one is transferred to the other, but there was no objection to performing ritual bath (ghusl) in this manner, therefore its permission was granted.

«ومستعمل وغير مستعمل»
“There is no difference between used and unused (water).”
Used (musta‘mal) water is pure (tahir), and its evidences are as follows:
❀ It is narrated from ‘Urwah and Miswar radi Allahu anhuma that
«وَإِذَا تَوَضَّأَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَادُوا يَقْتَتِلُونَ عَلَى وَضُوئِهِ»
when the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam performed ablution (wudu), the Companions radi Allahu anhum would come close, lest they begin to quarrel over the leftover water from his ablution. [بخاري/ كتاب الوضوء /باب استعمال فضل وضوء الناس/ ح : 189، أحمد 329/4 - 330]
❀ It is narrated from Abu Juhaifah radi Allahu anhu that “Water for ablution was brought to the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and he performed ablution with it. The people were such that they would obtain the leftover water from his ablution and apply it (to their bodies).” [بخاري/ كتاب الوضوء /باب استعمال فضل وضوء الناس/ ح : 187]
❀ When Jabir radi Allahu anhu was ill, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam poured his ablution water over him. [صحيح البخاري/كتاب المرضى/ بَابُ وُضُوءِ الْعَائِدِ لِلْمَرِيضِ:/ ح: 5676]
Used water is also purifying (mutahhir, i.e., it purifies). Although reasoning from the following evidences presented by the scholars for establishing this issue is questionable, the issue itself is correct.
❀ Rabi‘ bint Mu‘awwidh radi Allahu anha states that
«أَنّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَسَحَ بِرَأْسِهِ مِنْ فَضْلِ مَاءٍ كَانَ فِي يَدِهِ»
“The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam wiped his head with the excess water that was in his hand.” [سنن ابي داود ح: 130] 1
❀ It is narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas radi Allahu anhuma that one of the wives of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam performed a ritual bath (ghusl) in a tub, then the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam came to perform ablution or ritual bath from that tub. She said: O Messenger of Allah! Indeed, I was in a state of major ritual impurity (junub). The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam replied:
«إِنَّ الْمَاءَ لَا يُجْنِبُ»
“Indeed, water does not become impure.” [أبو داود 68] 2
It should be noted that, according to the jurists (fuqaha), used water refers to water that has been used for removing major ritual impurity (janabah), or for removing minor ritual impurity (i.e., ablution or ritual bath), or for removing filth (najasa), or for acts done with the intention of drawing near to Allah for reward (such as performing ablution upon ablution, or for the funeral prayer, or for entering the mosque, or for holding the Qur’an, etc.). [فتح القدير 58/1] 3

The jurists have differed regarding the ruling of used water.
(Abu Hanifah rahimahullah, Shafi‘i rahimahullah) It is not permissible under any circumstance to attain purification with such water. This is also the view transmitted from Imam Layth rahimahullah, Imam Awza‘i rahimahullah, Imam Ahmad rahimahullah, and according to one narration, from Imam Malik rahimahullah as well.
(Malikis) In the presence of used water, dry ablution (tayammum) is not permissible.
(Abu Yusuf rahimahullah) Used water is impure (najis) (note that he is unique in this opinion).
(Ahl al-Zahir) There is no difference between used water and absolute (unrestricted) water (i.e., just as absolute water is pure and purifying, so too is used water pure and purifying). This is also narrated in one report from Imam Hasan, Imam ‘Ata’, Imam Nakha‘i, Imam Zuhri, Imam Mak‘hul, and Imam Ahmad rahimahumullah ajma‘in. [بدائع الصنائع 66/1] 4
(Preferred/Correct View) Used water is pure and purifying, as the evidences have been mentioned at the beginning.
(Shawkani rahimahullah) It is valid to attain purification with used water. [نيل الأوطار 85/1]
(Ibn Rushd rahimahullah) Used water, in its ruling, is just like absolute water. [بداية المجتهد 55/1]
(Siddiq Hasan Khan rahimahullah) The truth is that water does not lose its purifying quality merely by being used. [الروضة الندية 68/1]
(Ibn Hazm rahimahullah) It is permissible to perform ritual bath for major impurity (ghusl janabah) and ablution with used water, regardless of whether other water is available or not. [المحلى بالآثار 182/1]

The evidences of those who do not consider used water purifying, and a critique of them
❀ The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam forbade a man and woman from bathing with each other’s leftover water, but if they both scoop water together, then there is no harm in it. [سنن ابن ماجه/ ح: 374] 5
The answer given is that, due to the context of the hadiths permitting it, the prohibition in this hadith should be understood as a discouragement (nahi tanzihi). [سبل السلام 26/1]
As in the narration from Ibn ‘Abbas radi Allahu anhuma, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam used to perform ritual bath with the leftover water of his wife Maymunah radi Allahu anha. [صحيح مسلم/ 323] 6
❀ The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam forbade urinating and bathing in standing water. [صحيح بخاري/ ح 239]
According to them, the reason for the prohibition (in the mentioned hadith) is that the water may become used and thus not purifying, so the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam forbade it. However, there is no evidence for this; rather, the most that can be said is that the reason for the prohibition is to prevent the water from becoming spoiled and its benefit being lost. This is supported by the statement of Abu Hurayrah radi Allahu anhu: “Let him take it (i.e., the water) out and use it.” [نيل الأوطار 58/1] 7
Imam Ibn Hazm rahimahullah writes that the strangest of the opinions we have quoted from the Hanafis is that the used water from the ablution of a clean, pure Muslim is more impure than a dead mouse. [المحلى بالآثار 150/1]
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1 [حسن : صحيح أبو داود 120، كتاب الطهارة : باب صفة وضوء النبى، أبو داود 130، تر مذي 33]
2 [صحيح : صحيح أبو داود 16، كتاب الطهارة : باب الماء لا يجنب أبو داود 68، ابن ماجة 364، عارضة الأحوذي 82/1]
3 [كشاف القناع 31/1-37، المغني 10/1، ہداية المجتهد 26/1، بدائع الصنائع 69/1، الدر المختار 182/1، فتح القدير 58/1]
4 [والمجموع 151/1، المبسوط 46/1، بدائع الصنائع 66/1، مختصر الطحاوي 16، المغني 47/1، قوانين الأحكام الشرعية ص/40، اللباب 76/1، الأصل 125/1]
5 [صحيح : صحيح ابن ماجه 300، كتاب الطهارة وسننها : باب النهي عن ذلك، ابن ماجة 374، طحاوي 64/1، دار قطني 26/1]
6 [مسلم 323، كتاب الحيض : باب القدر المستحب من الماء فى غسل الجنابة . . .، احمد 366/1، بيهقي 188/1]
7 [نيل الأوطار 58/1، السيل الجرار 57/1، المحلي 186/1]
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