Ibn Majah

� Fiqh al-Hadith
◈ Allamah Zayla'i Hanafi, quoting Imam Ibn Hibban, writes:
«وهذا مخصوص بحديث القلتين، وكلاهما بالإجماع أن الماء المتغير بنجاسة ينجس، قليلا كان الماء أو كثيرا.» [نصب الرايه : ج1، ص 95]
That is, this hadith is specified due to the hadith regarding the two qullahs (qallatayn), and both of these are further specified by consensus (ijma‘), which is that if impurity falls into water and causes it to change—whether the water is little or much—then it becomes impure. Thus:
◈ It is narrated in al-Bayhaqi:
«ان النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم قال اذا كان الماء قلتين لم ينجسه شئ الا ما غلب على ريحه او طعمه» [السنن الكبريٰ : ج1، ص259]
The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “When the water reaches two qullahs, nothing makes it impure except that its taste or smell changes.”
Similarly, see Sunan al-Tirmidhi, hadith 67, and its benefits and issues.

Benefits and Issues
«لا يخرجه عن الوصفين إلا ما غير ريحه أو لونه او طعمه من النجاسات»
“Nothing removes it from these two qualities except only such impurity that changes its smell, color, or taste.”

❀ It is narrated from Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri radi Allahu anhu that it was asked of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam: Can we perform ablution (wudu) with the water of the well of Budā‘ah? (The well of Budā‘ah was an ancient well into which menstrual cloths, pieces of dog flesh, and foul-smelling things were thrown.) In response, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: «الْمَاءُ طَهُورٌ لَا يُنَجِّسُهُ شَيْءٌ» “Water is pure; nothing makes it impure.” [صحيح : أبوداود 66] 1

❀ It is narrated from Abu Umamah al-Bahili radi Allahu anhu that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:
«إِنَّ الْمَاءَ لَا يُنَجِّسُهُ شَيْءٌ، إِلَّا مَا غَلَبَ عَلَى رِيحِهِ، وَطَعْمِهِ، وَلَوْنِهِ»
“Indeed, nothing makes water impure except when the smell, taste, or color of that impurity becomes dominant over the water.” [ضعیف : ابن ماجه 521] 2

Hafiz Busiri rahimahullah states that due to the weakness of Rushdin, the chain of this hadith is weak. [الزوائد 170/1]

❀ In the narration of al-Bayhaqi, the wording is:
«الماء طهور إلا إن تغير ريحه أو طعمه أو لونه بنجاسة تحدث فيه»
“Water is pure except when its smell, taste, or color is changed due to impurity falling into it.” [بيهقي 209/1] 3

In its chain as well, Rushdin ibn Sa‘d is a narrator who is abandoned, therefore this hadith is also not a valid proof. [فيض القدير 383/2، نيل الاوطار 67/1]

Imam Abu Hatim rahimahullah has considered its mursal form to be authentic. [علل الحديث 44/1]

Imam al-Daraqutni rahimahullah holds the position that this hadith is not established. [دارقطني 29/1]

Imam al-Nawawi rahimahullah has transmitted the consensus of the hadith scholars on the weakness of this hadith. [المجموع 110/1]

Imam Ibn al-Mulaqqin rahimahullah says that the mentioned exception is weak. [البدر المنير 832]

Imam Haythami rahimahullah has also declared Rushdin ibn Sa‘d to be weak. [المجمع 214/1]

(Preferred Opinion) Although the narrations containing the exception are weak, there is consensus on the correctness and applicability of their meaning and implication, as transmitted by Imam Ibn al-Mundhir, Imam al-Nawawi, Imam Ibn Qudamah, and Imam Ibn al-Mulaqqin rahimahum Allah ajma‘in. This is also the position of Ibn ‘Abbas radi Allahu anhuma, Abu Hurayrah radi Allahu anhu, Hasan al-Basri, Sa‘id ibn al-Musayyib, ‘Ikrimah, Ibn Abi Layla, al-Thawri, Dawud al-Zahiri, al-Nakha‘i, Jabir ibn Zayd, Malik, al-Ghazali, al-Qasim, and Yahya rahimahum Allah ajma‘in. [والإجماع لابن المنذر 10 ص 33] 4

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1 [صحيح : صحيح أبوداود 20، كتاب الطهارة : باب ما جاء فى بئر بضاعة ' ابوداود 67، ترمذي 66، نسائي 174/1، أحمد 31/3، مسند شافعي 30، ابن الجارود 47، شرح معاني الآثار 11/1، دار قطني 29/1، بيهقي 207/1]
2 [ضعيف : ضعيف ابن ماجة 117، كتاب الطهارة : باب الحياض، الضعيفة 2644، ابن ماجه 521، دار قطني 208/1، طبراني كبير 123/8]
3 [بيهقي 209/1، دار قطني 28/1]
4 [والإجماع لابن المنذر 10 ص 33، المجموع للنوري 110/1، المغني لابن قدامة 03/1، البدر المنير لابن الملقن 83/2، نيل الأوطار 69/1]
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Commentary:
Although this narration is considered weak by some of the Imams, there is consensus on the matter that when, due to impurity, any characteristic of the water changes, then the water no longer remains purifying.

Lexical Explanation:
«لَا يُنَجِّسُهُ» is derived from «تَنْجِيس».
«شَيْءٌ» refers to impurity (najasah), meaning that merely some impurity falling into water does not render it impure. This applies when the quantity of water is abundant, i.e., equal to the amount of two large pitchers.
«إِلَّا مَا» “ma” is either a described noun (mawsoofah) or a relative pronoun (mawsoolah), meaning except for such impurity.
«غَلَبَ عَلَى رِيحِهِ وَطَعْمِهِ, وَلَوْنِهِ» which changes any of these three characteristics, then the water will become impure due to it. If any of the three characteristics are altered, the water necessarily becomes filthy, whether it is a small or large quantity. And “wa” here is in the meaning of “aw” (or).
«تَحْدُثُ فِيهِ» means: impurity falls into the water.

Benefit:
From this hadith, it is understood that if the water is in a large quantity, for example: two qullahs (large pitchers) or more, then nothing renders it filthy. However, if due to impurity falling into it, its color, smell, or taste changes, then it becomes filthy.

Narrator of the Hadith:
SR Sayyiduna Abu Umamah al-Bahili radi Allahu anhu ER. Abu Umamah is his kunyah. “Umamah” is with a dammah on the hamzah. He is called Bahili due to being from the Bahilah tribe, which is a well-known and famous tribe. His name is Suday’ (diminutive) bin ‘Ajlan. He is a renowned Companion of the Messenger. He is among those Companions radi Allahu anhum from whom many narrations are transmitted. He resided in Egypt, then moved towards Hims. He passed away there in 81 or 86 Hijri. He is the last Companion to pass away in Sham... radi Allahu anhu...