Fath al-Rabbani

Benefits: … Soaking dates in water and drinking the beverage prepared from it is permissible; this is called nabidh. Nabidh is also prepared from grapes. When this beverage begins to ferment, it becomes wine, the consumption of which is forbidden for the believers. This hadith is weak; nevertheless, performing ablution (wudu) with nabidh is not valid, because it is not absolute water (ma’ mutlaq). Try to understand the following discussion. Allah the Exalted says: {فَلَمْ تَجِدُوْا مَائً فَتَیَمَّمُوْا صَعِیْدًا طَیِّبًا} … When you do not find water, then perform tayammum with pure earth. (Surah al-Nisa: 43). He also says: {وَاَنْزَلْنَا مِنَ السَّمَائِ مَائً طَھُوْرًا} … We sent down from the sky water by which purity is obtained. (Surah al-Furqan: 48). Furthermore, He says: {ویُنَزِّل عَلَیْکُمْ مِنَ السَّمَائِ مَائً لِیُطَھِّرَکُمْ بِہِ} (al-Anfal: 11), meaning: And He sent down upon you water from the sky so that He may purify you thereby. In these blessed verses, absolute water (ma’ mutlaq) is mentioned, from which it is understood that as long as water can be called absolute water, it will be both pure (tahir) and purifying (mutahhir). This is the position of the majority, including Imam Shafi‘i rahimahullah and Imam Malik rahimahullah. However, when water is attributed to a particular quality, such as lemon water, rose water, grape water, date water, etc., then in such a case it is no longer absolute water, with which purification has been commanded. If a pure substance is present in the water in such a small amount that the term absolute water (ma’ mutlaq) still applies to it, then that water is suitable for performing ablution (wudu) and ritual bath (ghusl), as is understood from the following hadith: ((From Umm Hani radi Allahu anha: The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and his wife Maymunah radi Allahu anha both performed ritual bath (ghusl) from a single vessel in which there were traces of kneaded dough.)) Umm Hani radi Allahu anha narrates that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and his wife Maymunah radi Allahu anha both performed ritual bath in a tub in which there were traces of kneaded dough.
(Ibn Majah: 378, Nasa’i: 241, Musnad Ahmad: 6/342)
That is, the traces of dough were so minimal that the water could still be called absolute water (ma’ mutlaq), not dough water, as Shaykh Muhammad Ataullah Bhojiani rahimahullah said: “This indicates that a small amount of a pure substance does not remove the purifying quality of water.” (From this hadith it is understood that the addition of a small amount of a pure substance does not make water cease to be purifying.)
(al-Ta‘liqat al-Salafiyyah: 1/30)
Imam Shawkani said: If, due to the addition of a pure substance, water can no longer be called absolute water (ma’ mutlaq), but rather is given a specific name, such as rose water, etc., then in itself it will be pure, but it will not be purifying for others. (al-Sayl al-Jarrar: 1/56) Imam Ibn Hazm said: As long as the term water (absolute water) can be applied to it, it will remain pure and purifying. (al-Muhalla bi’l-Athar: 1/193)
Conclusion of the discussion: … Grape water and nabidh, etc., are themselves pure, but purification cannot be obtained by performing ablution or ritual bath with them, because the term absolute water (ma’ mutlaq) cannot be applied to them. Qadi Khan Hanafi has also supported this fatwa. The position of Imam Abu Hanifah is that if nabidh is so thin that it can flow over the limbs and is sweet, not intoxicating, then a person may perform ablution with it and not perform tayammum. But the opinion of Imam Abu Yusuf is that tayammum should be performed and ablution should not be done with nabidh; this is also the position of the majority and the other Imams. Imam Tahawi also chose this view and said: Imam Abu Hanifah, relying on the hadith of Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud radi Allahu anhu, initially held the opinion (of performing ablution with nabidh), but this hadith has no basis.