Ibn Majah

Commentary:
(1)
If a nursing infant (who has not yet been weaned) urinates on clothing, it is not necessary to wash the garment, but if a baby girl urinates, then the garment must be washed.

(2)
The command to sprinkle water instead of washing due to a baby boy’s urine has been given because a baby girl’s urine remains in one place on the garment, making it easy to wash, whereas a baby boy’s urine spreads over a larger area or onto more garments, thus washing it would be difficult. And since a nursing infant does not have the awareness of whether or not to urinate while in someone’s lap, this situation often occurs. For this reason, Allah Ta’ala has granted ease to His servants by not making it obligatory to wash the garment due to a baby boy’s urine, just as, due to hardship, the leftover water of a cat has been declared pure, because avoiding it is very difficult. However, when the child reaches the age of eating food, he has gained enough awareness that he can indicate when he needs to urinate, so at that time, avoiding his urine becomes easily possible.

375. Commentary:
These ahadith mention the noble character and humility of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). He (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) used to show great affection towards children, and for the urine of a suckling boy, it is sufficient to sprinkle water over it; however, for the urine of a girl, it is necessary to wash it.

«والنجاسات هي غائط الإنسان وبوله إلا الذكر الرضيع»

“And impurities are these: absolutely, the urine and feces of a human being. Except for the urine of a nursing infant (which is not impure).”

As the following evidences indicate:

➊ It is narrated from Abu al-Samh radi Allahu anhu that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:
«يُغْسَلُ مِنْ بَوْلِ الْجَارِيَةِ، وَيُرَشُّ مِنْ بَوْلِ الْغُلَامِ»
“The garment soiled by a boy’s urine should be washed, and the garment soiled by a girl’s urine should have water sprinkled on it.” [أبو داود 376] 1

➋ In this meaning, there is also a marfu‘ narration from Ali radi Allahu anhu: «بول الغلام الرضيع ينضح و بون الجارية يغسله» [أبو داود 378] 2

➌ It is narrated from Umm Qays bint Mihsan radi Allahu anha that she brought her small child, who had not yet eaten food, to the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. The child urinated on his garment, so he sallallahu alayhi wa sallam called for water and «وفنضحه ولم

يغسله» sprinkled water on the garment and did not wash it. [بخاري 223] 3

➍ In the hadith narrated from Umm Fadl radi Allahu anha, it is mentioned that Hasan radi Allahu anhu urinated in the lap of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and he sallallahu alayhi wa sallam did not wash it (rather, he sufficed with sprinkling water). [أبوداود 375] 4

➎ It is narrated from Aisha radi Allahu anha that a child was brought to the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and he urinated on him. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam called for water and poured it over the spot «ولم يغسله» “and did not wash it.” [بخاري 222] 5

In this issue, the scholars have adopted three positions.

➊ (Ali radi Allahu anhu, Ahmad rahimahullah, Ishaq rahimahullah, Zuhri rahimahullah) Their position is in accordance with the apparent meaning of the hadith. From Umm Salamah radi Allahu anha, Imam Thawri, Imam Nakhai, Imam Dawud, Imam Ata, Imam Ibn Wahb, Imam Hasan, and Imam Malik rahimahumullah ajma‘in, this same position is narrated in one report. [شرح زرقاني على مؤطا 129/1] 6

➋ (Awza‘i rahimahullah) For both boy and girl, sprinkling water alone is sufficient. From Imam Malik rahimahullah and Imam Shafi‘i rahimahullah, a similar report is also narrated. [المجموع 548/2] 7

➌ (Hanafis, Malikis) Washing is necessary for the urine of both. [الدر المختار 293/1] 8

(Preferred) The first position is preferred.
Those who hold the third position have argued from those hadiths in which, in general, urine is mentioned as impure. However, “it is obligatory to interpret the absolute in light of the restricted,” and likewise, “it is obligatory to interpret the general in light of the specific.” Furthermore, making an analogy between the urine of a girl and that of a boy is invalid, because it is contrary to the clear text, and the aforementioned explicit hadiths refute the last two positions. [فتح الباري 390/1] 9

(Ibn Hazm rahimahullah) is unique in his view that for any male (even if he is grown), it is sufficient to sprinkle water on his urine. (Whereas the hadith mentions only the nursing infant.) [نيل الأوطار 95/1] 10

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1 [صحيح : صحيح أبو داود 362، كتاب الطهارة : باب بول الصبي يصيب الثو ب، أبو داود 376، نسائي 158/1 ابن ماجة 566، ابن خزيمة 283، بيهقي 415/2، دارقطني 130/1، حاكم 166/1]

2 [صحيح : صحيح أبو داود 364، كتاب الطهارة : باب بول الصبي يصيب الثوب، أبو داود 378، ترمذي 610، ابن ماجة 020، أحمد 76/1، شرح معاني الآثار 92/1، دارقطني 129/1، حاكم 160/1، بيهقي 415/2، ابن خزيمة 284، ابن حبان 247]

3 [بخاري 223، كتاب الوضوء : باب بول الصبيان، مسلم 287، أحمد 355/6، أبوداود 374، ترمذي 71، نسائي 157/1 ابن ماجة 524، حميدي 343، ابن الجارود 139، ابوعوانة 202/1، ابن خزيمة 144/1، شرح معاني الآثار 92/1، بيهقي 414/2، شرح السنة 284/1]

4 [صحيح : صحيح أبوداود 361، كتاب الطهارة : باب بول الصبي يصيب الثو ب، أبوداود 375، ابن ماجة 522، شرح معاني الآثار 92/1، حاكم 166/1، بيهقي 414/2 ابن خزيمة 282، شرح السنة 385/1، طبراني كبير 5/3]

5 [مسلم 286، كتاب الطهارة : باب حكم بول الطفل الرضيع و كيفية غسله، بخاري 222، ابن ماجة 523، احمد 52/6]

6 [شرح زرقاني على مؤطا 129/1، الكافي 91/1، قوانين الأحكام الشرعية ص/ 47، مغني المحتاج 84/1، كشاف القناع 217/1، المهذب 49/1]

7 [المجموع 548/2، مغني المحتاج 84/1، شرح زرقاني على مؤطا 129/1]

8 [روضة الطالبين 141/1، شرح المهذب 409/2، بداية المجتهد 77/1، فتح القدير 140/1، الدر المختار 293/1]

9 [نيل الأوطار 96/1، تلخيص الحبير 37/1، فتح الباري 390/1، عون المعبود 33/2، فقو الأثر 62/1، الفقه الإسلامي وأدلته 311/1، سبل السلام 69/1]

10 [نيل الأوطار 95/1، الروضة الندية 76/1]
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