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Hadith 36
اُردوEn
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : " طَهُورُ إِنَاءِ أَحَدِكُمْ إِذَا وَلَغَ الْكَلْبُ فِيهِ : فَلْيَغْسِلْهُ سَبْعَ مَرَّاتٍ "
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "When a dog licks the utensil of any one of you, he should wash that utensil seven times (to purify it)."
Explanation & Benefits
Hafiz Abdullah Shameem
Explanation of the Hadith:
In the aforementioned hadith, this issue has been clearly stated: that if a dog puts its mouth into a vessel, then to purify it, it must be washed seven times.
Imam Shafi‘i rahimahullah states that the dog is impure, and the hadith in which the impurity of the dog is to be washed seven times is a devotional command (ta‘abbudi). The Shafi‘is, in support of their position, present the blessed statement of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, in which the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:
«إِذَا وَلَغَ الْكَلْبُ فِي إِنَاءِ أَحَدِكُمْ، فَلْيُرِقْهُ، ثُمَّ لِيَغْسِلْهُ سَبْعَ مِرَارٍ .»
[صحيح مسلم، كتاب الطهارة، رقم: 648]
“When a dog puts its mouth into the vessel of any one of you, pour it out, then wash it seven times.”
They say that just as, in the case of ghee into which a mouse falls, there is a command to throw away that ghee, in exactly the same way, for a vessel into which a dog puts its mouth, there is a command to pour out its water.
Imam Abu Hanifah rahimahullah and his companions state regarding this issue: the dog is impure, but for purifying a vessel which a dog has put its mouth to, it is sufficient to wash it two or three times without any fixed number, just as impurity is usually washed.
The Hanafis have rejected all the hadiths related to this issue.
Tahawi rahimahullah states:
The narrator of this hadith is Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah radi Allahu anhu, and he was well aware of its meaning and purport, yet despite this, he used to issue the fatwa that a vessel licked by a dog should be washed two or three times.
After this, Imam Tahawi writes: This fatwa of Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah radi Allahu anhu indicates that, according to him, either this hadith is not authentic, or he had come to know of its abrogation.
But Imam Shafi‘i rahimahullah does not consider this answer of the Hanafis worthy of attention, because the proof is the Sunnah of the Messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, not what is contrary to the Sunnah. For details, see: [الاستذكار: 1/ 258 ، 260]
Furthermore, Imam Baghawi rahimahullah states: The position of most hadith scholars regarding this issue is that any vessel from which a dog has drunk water—whether it is a small amount of water or there is any other preventing factor—it is impure, and that vessel cannot be purified until it is washed seven times with water, and one of those seven times with earth (soil).
And the position of the people of opinion (Ahl al-Ra’y) regarding this is that there is no specific number for purifying a vessel which a dog has put its mouth to; rather, that vessel will be treated like other impurities, i.e., it will be washed two or three times. The reason for washing a vessel licked by a dog seven times with water, and once with earth, is to rid the vessel of those harmful germs that have been contracted by the dog’s licking.
[الاسلام والطب، ص: 286 - السنة والعلم والحديث، ص: 76 ,77]
In the aforementioned hadith, this issue has been clearly stated: that if a dog puts its mouth into a vessel, then to purify it, it must be washed seven times.
Imam Shafi‘i rahimahullah states that the dog is impure, and the hadith in which the impurity of the dog is to be washed seven times is a devotional command (ta‘abbudi). The Shafi‘is, in support of their position, present the blessed statement of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, in which the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said:
«إِذَا وَلَغَ الْكَلْبُ فِي إِنَاءِ أَحَدِكُمْ، فَلْيُرِقْهُ، ثُمَّ لِيَغْسِلْهُ سَبْعَ مِرَارٍ .»
[صحيح مسلم، كتاب الطهارة، رقم: 648]
“When a dog puts its mouth into the vessel of any one of you, pour it out, then wash it seven times.”
They say that just as, in the case of ghee into which a mouse falls, there is a command to throw away that ghee, in exactly the same way, for a vessel into which a dog puts its mouth, there is a command to pour out its water.
Imam Abu Hanifah rahimahullah and his companions state regarding this issue: the dog is impure, but for purifying a vessel which a dog has put its mouth to, it is sufficient to wash it two or three times without any fixed number, just as impurity is usually washed.
The Hanafis have rejected all the hadiths related to this issue.
Tahawi rahimahullah states:
The narrator of this hadith is Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah radi Allahu anhu, and he was well aware of its meaning and purport, yet despite this, he used to issue the fatwa that a vessel licked by a dog should be washed two or three times.
After this, Imam Tahawi writes: This fatwa of Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah radi Allahu anhu indicates that, according to him, either this hadith is not authentic, or he had come to know of its abrogation.
But Imam Shafi‘i rahimahullah does not consider this answer of the Hanafis worthy of attention, because the proof is the Sunnah of the Messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, not what is contrary to the Sunnah. For details, see: [الاستذكار: 1/ 258 ، 260]
Furthermore, Imam Baghawi rahimahullah states: The position of most hadith scholars regarding this issue is that any vessel from which a dog has drunk water—whether it is a small amount of water or there is any other preventing factor—it is impure, and that vessel cannot be purified until it is washed seven times with water, and one of those seven times with earth (soil).
And the position of the people of opinion (Ahl al-Ra’y) regarding this is that there is no specific number for purifying a vessel which a dog has put its mouth to; rather, that vessel will be treated like other impurities, i.e., it will be washed two or three times. The reason for washing a vessel licked by a dog seven times with water, and once with earth, is to rid the vessel of those harmful germs that have been contracted by the dog’s licking.
[الاسلام والطب، ص: 286 - السنة والعلم والحديث، ص: 76 ,77]
Source: Sahifa Hammam bin Munabbih: Commentary by Hafiz Abdullah Shameem, Page: 36
