Nasai

Explanation:
A measure was prevalent in Arabia in which one ratl and a third of a ratl would fit, and it was called a mudd. In light of this hadith, the Sunnah is that one should not perform ablution (wudu) with less than one mudd of water, and should not perform ritual bath (ghusl) with less than one sa’ of water. A sa’ is equal to four mudd, and one ratl and a third of a ratl, according to our country’s weight, makes a sa’ about two and a quarter seer, and a mudd is a little more than half a seer. In another narration, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “Two ratl of water are sufficient for ablution.” The correct view is that, depending on individuals and circumstances, this amount varies. In any case, wasting water and letting it flow unnecessarily is prohibited. It is best not to exceed the practice of the Noble Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).

From the chapter and the narrated hadith, it is evident that Imam Bukhari rahimahullah holds the view of specifying the amount for ablution and ritual bath. Among the Hanafi Imams, Imam Muhammad rahimahullah also holds the view of specifying the amount and is in agreement with Imam Bukhari rahimahullah.

Allamah Ibn Qayyim has, in Ighathat al-Lahfan, refuted in great detail those people afflicted with obsessive doubts who, considering the Prophetic measure as a concession, use excessive water in ablution and ritual bath. This is a deception of Shaytan in which these people are badly trapped, and instead of earning reward, they become deserving of punishment. For details, see Tahdhib al-Iman, translation of Ighathat al-Lahfan, published in Bareilly, p. 146.

The sa’ mentioned above is called the Hijazi sa’, while the Iraqi sa’, which is the practice among the Hanafis, is eight ratl, and according to Indian calculation, the Iraqi sa’ is three seer and six chhatank. In the blessed era of the Noble Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), only the Hijazi sa’ was in use. Fakhr al-Muhaddithin, Hazrat Allamah Abdur Rahman Sahib Mubarakpuri quddisa sirruh, states:
«والحاصل انه لم يقم دليل صحيح على ماذهب اليه ابوحنيفة من ان المدرطلان ولذلك ترك الامام ابويوسف مذهبه واختار ماذهب اليه جمهور اهل العلم ان المدرطل و ثلث رطل قال البخاري فى صحيحه باب صاع المدينة ومدالنبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وبركته و ماتوارث اهل المدينة من ذلك قرنا بعدقرن انتهي الي آخره.» [تحفة الاحوذي،ج1،ص: 59, 60]
In summary, there is no sound evidence for the mudd being two ratl in weight, as is the view of Imam Abu Hanifah rahimahullah. That is why Imam Abu Yusuf rahimahullah, who was the foremost student of Imam Abu Hanifah rahimahullah, abandoned the Hanafi view regarding the sa’ and adopted the view of the majority of scholars, that without doubt, the mudd is one ratl and a third of a ratl. Imam Bukhari rahimahullah, in his Jami’ al-Sahih, has established a chapter under the title “Sa’ of Madinah and Mudd of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam)” and has shown that this was the blessed sa’ which was passed down in Madinah from elders to youngsters as inheritance. When Imam Abu Yusuf rahimahullah visited Madinah al-Munawwarah and met Imam Malik rahimahullah, the Imam of Dar al-Hijrah, the topic of the sa’ came up. Imam Abu Yusuf rahimahullah presented the sa’ of eight ratl. Upon hearing this, Imam Malik rahimahullah went to his house, brought a sa’, and said: “This is the customary sa’ of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).” When it was weighed, it was found to be five ratl and a third. Imam Abu Yusuf rahimahullah immediately abandoned the Iraqi sa’ and adopted the Madinan sa’ as his view.

It is astonishing that some Hanafi scholars have denied this incident of Imam Abu Yusuf rahimahullah, even though Imam Bayhaqi, Imam Ibn Khuzaymah, and Hakim have mentioned it with authentic chains of narration, and the greatest evidence for its authenticity is the statement of Hazrat Imam Tahawi rahimahullah himself,

which Allamah Mubarakpuri rahimahullah has quoted in Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi, Volume 1, p. 60, in these words:
«واخرج الطحاوي فى شرح الآثار قال حدثنا ابن ابي عمران قال اخبرنا على بن صالح وبشربن الوليد جميعا عن ابي يوسف قال قدمت المدينة فاخرج الي من اثق به صاعافقال هذا صاع النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم فقدرته فوجدته خمسة ارطال وثلث رطل وسمعت اين ابي عمران يقول يقال ان الذى اخرج هذا لابي يوسف هو مالك ابن انس.»
That is, Imam Tahawi Hanafi rahimahullah has narrated this incident with his chain in Sharh al-Athar. Imam Bayhaqi rahimahullah has also narrated the incident of Imam Abu Yusuf rahimahullah’s Hajj journey with an authentic chain, that when he went to Madinah Sharif during Hajj and sought to verify the sa’, fifty elderly men from among the Ansar and Muhajirin brought their sa’ from their homes. All were weighed, and contrary to the Iraqi sa’, it was five ratl and a third. All these elders stated that this is the sa’ which has been in use among us since the blessed era of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). Upon hearing this, Imam Abu Yusuf rahimahullah adopted the view of the people of Madinah regarding the sa’.

The interpretations employed by the Hanafi scholars in this matter, and the way they have refuted and diminished the Hijazi sa’ to prove their rigid adherence, is truly regrettable. More detailed light will be shed on this at another occasion. «ان شاءالله»

All praise is due to Allah, even in the present era, the Hijazi sa’ with chain of transmission is present among the senior scholars of hadith. They, at appropriate times, grant their distinguished students permission to narrate it with an authentic chain. Our late Shaykh, Hazrat Maulana Abu Muhammad Abdul Jabbar Sahib, Shaykh al-Hadith of Darul Uloom Shakrawah, also possessed a copy of this sa’ with an authentic chain. «والحمدلله على ذلك»

Hadith Commentary:
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah’s intent is to show that whether the water is in a cup, a basin, or any other vessel, what should be its quantity that suffices for ablution (wudu). He has established from this narration that the general practice of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was to perform ablution with one mudd of water, meaning that most of the time, this amount of water was sufficient for ablution.

While avoiding extravagance, this amount can be increased or decreased as needed.

It is established from the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam that he performed ablution with even less than one mudd of water.

Thus, it is narrated from Umm ‘Ammarah radi Allahu anha that a vessel was brought to the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam which contained water equal to two-thirds of a mudd. He performed ablution with it. (Sunan Abi Dawud, al-Taharah, Hadith: 94)

It should be noted that one sa‘ (sā‘) contains four mudd.

According to modern research, the weight of a sa‘ is 2 kilograms and 100 grams.

Depending on the type of substance, this weight may vary.

Regarding the sa‘, according to the modern decimal system, we will state its exact weight in the chapters on zakat al-fitr.

For ablution (wudu) and ritual bath (ghusl), the amount of water may be increased or decreased depending on the person and circumstances.

In any case, it is not correct to be extravagant in this or to waste water without need. Thus, Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has written at the beginning of the book that the scholars have disliked extravagance in ablution and have also considered it reprehensible to go beyond the practice of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.

The quantities narrated from the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam regarding ablution and ritual bath are all approximate, not exact. However, it is completely incorrect for Islahi Sahib to say that a mudd is about two kilograms. (Tadabbur Hadith 1/299)

Because one mudd contains 1.33 ratl.

One ratl is ninety mithqal.

Thus, one mudd is one hundred and twenty mithqal. One mithqal is four and a half masha. In this way, one mudd is 540 masha. Since one tola is twelve masha, dividing by twelve gives forty-five tola in weight.

Which is one chhatank and five tola, so its weight is nine chhatank.

According to the modern decimal system, it should be 525 grams in weight.

Islahi Sahib’s calculation is beyond our understanding, because in no way does a mudd amount to about two kilograms.

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: In various narrations, different vessels are mentioned for the water used in ritual bath (ghusl) and ablution (wudu) at different times, from which it is understood that, according to necessity and circumstances, the amount of water may vary. Excessive use of water without need is not correct. Imam Nawawi rahimahullah has interpreted "mukuk" as referring to a "mudd." Because in the following narration, it is mentioned that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would perform ablution (wudu) with a mudd and would perform ritual bath (ghusl) with one sa’ up to five mudd.

Benefits and Issues:
➊ The mentioned quantity of water is not for restriction, but rather for sufficiency and encouragement, and it is an indication that one should use the minimum amount of water; unnecessary use and waste are impermissible.
➋ Sā‘ and mudd are measures for filling things. One sā‘ consists of four mudd, and their measurement has varied in different eras. According to the current standard of measurement, the amount of the Madinan sā‘ is three liters and two hundred milliliters, and the amount of one mudd is eight hundred milliliters.

Note:
The mudd from the Prophetic era, which is mentioned in the last chapter, a sample of it has been inherited by the humble translator from his esteemed father, Mawlana Abu Sa‘id Abdul Aziz Sa‘idi rahimahullah, whose chain of authentication and conformity reaches, through seventeen intermediaries, from Mawlana Ahmadullah Sahib Dehlawi rahimahullah to Zayd ibn Thabit radi Allahu anhu. This is a minor proof of the truthfulness of the religion of Islam, that its principles are preserved to this day. «الحمد لله على ذلك» Among the legal measures, only the measures of the Haramain are considered valid, as is found in Sunan Abi Dawud, hadith: 3340, that «الوزن وزن أهل مكة والمكيال مكيال أهل المدينة» “That is, the weight of the people of Makkah is valid, and the measure for filling is that of the people of Madinah.”

230. Commentary:
This hadith has already been mentioned verbatim. See Sunan an-Nasa'i, Fawa'id al-Hadith: [73].

73. Commentary:
➊ The intent here is that if someone possesses the aforementioned amount of water, then he cannot perform tayammum (dry ablution). This does not mean that ablution (wudu) or ritual bath (ghusl) cannot be performed with less or more than this amount.
➋ «مکوک» is a measure, which in another hadith has been explained as being equivalent to a mudd. In the case of a vessel, the quantity of each thing varies, but in terms of weight, it is slightly more than half a kilogram.

Lexical Explanation:
«اَلصَّاع» is equivalent to four mudd, and a mudd is one ratl and one third of a ratl. According to the measuring standards of the present era, a sa’ is approximately three liters and two hundred milliliters. From the apparent wording of the hadith, it is understood that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would generally use four or five mudd of water for ritual bath (ghusl).

Benefits and Issues:
➊ For ablution (wudu) and ritual bath (ghusl), one should try, as much as possible, to use only as much water as the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam used. Using more water than necessary without any valid reason will be considered extravagance, which is not liked in the Shari’ah.
➋ In Sahih Muslim, there is also a narration of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam performing ritual bath (ghusl) with a “farq” of water. [صحيح مسلم، الحيض، باب القدر المستحب من الماء فى غسل الجنابة . . .، حديث : 319] “Farq” was a vessel that held approximately nine liters and six milliliters of water. This does not indicate that it was filled to the brim; rather, in one narration it is mentioned that Sayyidah Aisha radi Allahu anha and the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would both perform ritual bath (ghusl) from one “farq.”
➌ On this basis, Imam Shafi’i and Imam Ahmad rahimahum Allah have stated that these ahadith do not specify a fixed amount of water; rather, the purpose is to mention that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would perform ablution (wudu) or ritual bath (ghusl) with that much water.