Nasai

241. Commentary: The vessel in which dough is kneaded retains, despite cleaning, some traces of flour. However, since these traces are minimal—and flour itself is a pure (tahir) substance—it is permissible to pour water into such a vessel and to perform ablution (wudu) or ritual bath (ghusl) with it. This is precisely the purpose of the Imam rahimahullah in this chapter heading.

«وعن الثاني ما أخرجه عن اسم الماء المطلق من المغيرات الطاهرة»
"And (the second characteristic of water) also excludes from it such pure substances which prevent it from remaining plain (i.e., absolute) water."
◈ Because the water which the Shari‘ah has commanded us to use for purification is only that upon which the term «مآء» (water) can be applied in an absolute sense, as is mentioned in the Noble Qur’an: «مَاءً طَهُورًا» [الفرقان : 48] and in the hadith: «إِنَّ الْمَاءَ طَهُورٌ» [صحيح : أبوداود 67]
(The majority: Malik, Shafi‘i) hold this view. [المجموع 95/1، هداية المجتهد 54/1]
(Ibn Qudamah al-Hanbali) The position of the majority is given preference. [المغني لابن قدامة 25/1]
(Ibn Hazm) As long as the term «مآء» (water) can be applied to it, it remains pure and purifying. [المحلى بالآثار 193/1]
(Shawkani) If, due to the mixing of a pure substance, the water can no longer be called absolute water, but rather is given a specific name, such as rose water, then it will be pure in itself but not purifying for others. [السيل الجرار 56/1]
(Hanafis) Water that has changed due to the mixing of a pure substance will still be purifying, as long as this change is not due to boiling. [هداية المجتهد 54/1]
(Preferred/Correct Opinion) The position of the majority is the preferred one. [المغني 20/1، السيل الجرار 56/1]
↰ To understand this issue, some detail is necessary, and it is as follows: If such a substance as saffron, soap, or flour, etc., is mixed with water—something that can generally be separated—and the term absolute water (ma’ mutlaq) can still be applied to it, then that water is both pure and purifying. However, if that substance causes the water to no longer be called absolute (plain) water, then the water will be pure in itself but not purifying for other things, as the following evidences testify:
➊ «فَلَمْ تَجِدُوا مَاءً» [4-النساء:43]
The Qur’an has mentioned only absolute water for purification.
➋ It is narrated from Umm ‘Atiyyah radi Allahu anha that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam came to us when we were washing his (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) daughter. He said: Wash her three or five times, or more if you feel it necessary «وَاغْسِلْنَهَا بِمَاءٍ وَسِدْرٍ وَاجْعَلْنَ فِي الْآخِرَةِ كَافُورًا» "Wash her with water and lotus leaves, and at the end add camphor." [صحيح مسلم 2173] 1
➌ Umm Hani bint Abi Talib radi Allahu anha narrates that on the day of the conquest of Makkah, I came to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam while he was in a tent. I saw that he sallallahu alayhi wa sallam performed a ritual bath (ghusl) in a tub in which traces of flour were visible. [نسائي 214]
➍ In another narration: «اغْتَسَلَ وَمَيْمُونَةُ مِنْ إِنَاءٍ وَاحِدٍ فِي قَصْعَةٍ فِيهَا أَثَرُ الْعَجِينِ» "The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and Maymunah radi Allahu anha performed a ritual bath (ghusl) in a tub in which there were traces of flour." [ابن ماجه 378] 2
◈ In these ahadith, the mixing and blending between water and camphor, and between water and flour, and the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam being washed with such water and himself using it, is proof that after the mixing of such pure substances, if the name absolute water (ma’ mutlaq) remains, then it is permissible to use that water for purification. [فقه السنه 14/1، السيل الجرار 56/1]
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1 [مسلم 2173 كتاب الجنائز : باب فى غسل الميت، بخاري مع الفتح 125/3، مؤطا 222/1، مسند شافعي 203/1، احمد 4 : 407/6، أبوداود 3142، ترمذي 990، نسائي 28/4، ابن ماجة 1458]
2 [صحيح : صحيح ابن ماجة 303، كتاب الطهارة وسننها : باب الرجل والمرأة يغتسلان من إناء واحد، ابن ماجة 378، نسائي 131/1، احمد 342/6، إرواء الغليل 64/1، المشكاة 485]
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Commentary:
(1)
Our esteemed researcher has declared this narration weak in terms of its chain of transmission, and writes that the narration from Sunan an-Nasa’i suffices in this regard, whereas Shaykh al-Albani rahimahullah has declared the mentioned narration to be authentic. See: (al-Irwa’: 1/64)
Therefore, it is evident that the mentioned narration is valid as evidence.

(2)
The meaning of “having dough stuck” is that dough was kneaded in the vessel, and later, while cleaning the vessel, a small amount remained here and there.
Water was then poured into the same vessel. Since dough is a pure (tahir) substance, and even if a small amount of it mixes with the water, there is no harm.