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Sahih al-BukhariAblutions (Wudu')

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to take a ritual bath with one Sā‘ up to five Mudds, and he used to perform ablution with one Mudd

Chapter: To perform ablution with one Mudd of water. (Mudd is practically 2/3 of the kilogram)

Authentic hadith of Sahih al-Bukhari Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 201

Narrator:Anas ibn Mālik

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مِسْعَرٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي ابْنُ جَبْرٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَنَسًا، يَقُولُ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم

يَغْسِلُ ـ أَوْ كَانَ يَغْتَسِلُ ـ بِالصَّاعِ إِلَى خَمْسَةِ أَمْدَادٍ، وَيَتَوَضَّأُ بِالْمُدِّ‏.‏

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported:

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to take a ritual bath with one Sā‘ up to five Mudds, and he used to perform ablution with one Mudd.

Reported by Al-Bukhari (No. 201) and Muslim (No. 325b).

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Explanation

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to take a bath for Janābah (sexual impurity) with one Sā‘ to five Mudds and perform ablution with one Mudd. A Sā‘ equals four Mudds, and a Mudd is the amount that would fill the palms of an average-sized person.

Lessons

  • It is prescribed to use less water for ablution and ritual bathing and not to use it wastefully, even if water is abundant.
  • It is recommended to use little water for ablution and ritual baths - as needed. This is the guidance of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
  • The bottom line is to perform ablution and take a ritual bath thoroughly while observing the relevant Sunnahs and etiquettes, without extravagance or stinginess. One should take into account the time, the abundance or shortage of water, and so on.
  • Janābah: applies to anyone who has ejaculated or engaged in sexual intercourse. It was called as such because the one in a state of Janābah should keep away (Ijtināb) from prayer and other acts of worship until he is purified from it.
  • Sā‘: a well-known measure. It refers to the Prophetic Sā‘, which weighs 480 Miskals of good wheat, or 3 liters.
  • Mudd: a Shar‘i unit of measurement, which is the handful of a moderate person when he fills his hand with and extends it. Mudd is a quarter of a Sā‘, by consensus among the scholars, and it equals 750 milliliters.

Explanation in Arabic

كان النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يغتسل من الجنابة بالصاع إلى خمسة أمداد، ويتوضأ بالمد. والصاع: أربعة أمداد، والمد: مِقْدار ملء كفَّي إنسانٍ مُعتدلِ الخِلْقة.

  • مشروعية الاقتصاد في ماء الوضوء والغسل، وعدم الإسراف ولو كان الماء مُتيسرًا.
  • استحباب التقليل في ماء الوضوء والغسل بقدر الحاجة، وأن هذا هو هدي النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم.
  • المقصود الاستيفاء في الوضوء والغسل مع مراعاة السنن والآداب بلا إسراف ولا تقتير ويراعى الوقت وكثرة الماء وقلته وغير ذلك.
  • تطلق الجنابة على كل من أنزل المني أو جامع، وسميت بذلك لاجتناب صاحبها الصلاة والعبادات حتى يطهر منها.
  • الصاع: مكيال معروف، والمراد به الصاع النبوي، ويبلغ وزنه (480) مثقالاً من البر الجيد، وباللتر (3 لترات).
  • المد: وحدةُ كيلٍ شرعية، وهي ملء كفي الإنسان المعتدل إذا ملأهما ومد يده بهما، والمد ربع الصاع باتفاق الفقهاء، ومقداره (750) ملل.

Classical commentary

Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani — Fath al-Bari

قَوْله : ( اِبْن جَبْر ) بِفَتْحِ الْجِيم وَسُكُون الْمُوَحَّدَة , وَمَنْ قَالَهُ بِالتَّصْغِيرِ فَقَدْ صَحَّفَ ; لِأَنَّ اِبْن جُبَيْر وَهُوَ سَعِيد لَا رِوَايَة لَهُ عَنْ أَنَس فِي هَذَا الْكِتَاب , وَالرَّاوِي هُنَا هُوَ عَبْد اللَّه بْن عَبْد اللَّه بْن جَبْر بْن عَتِيك الْأَنْصَارِيّ , وَقَدْ رَوَاهُ الْإِسْمَاعِيلِيّ مِنْ طَرِيق أَبِي نُعَيْمٍ شَيْخ الْبُخَارِيّ قَالَ : حَدَّثَنَا مِسْعَر حَدَّثَنِي شَيْخ مِنْ الْأَنْصَار يُقَال لَهُ اِبْن جَبْر. وَفِي الْإِسْنَاد كُوفِيَّانِ أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ وَشَيْخه , وَبَصْرِيَّانِ أَنَس وَالرَّاوِي عَنْهُ. قَوْله : ( يَغْسِل ) أَيْ : جَسَده , وَالشَّكّ فِيهِ مِنْ الْبُخَارِيّ أَوْ مِنْ أَبِي نُعَيْمٍ لَمَّا حَدَّثَهُ بِهِ , فَقَدْ رَوَاهُ الْإِسْمَاع…

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Scholars’ grades

ScholarGradeApplies toWork
Al-Bukharid. 256 AH Authenticصحيح The hadith صحيح البخاري No. 201

Other versions

Not graded Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Bulugh al-Maram 56

Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) used only one Mudd of water for ablution and one Sa’ to five Mudd of water for his bath [ Agreed upon].

وَعَنْهُ قَالَ: { كَانَ رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ ‏- صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏-يَتَوَضَّأُ بِالْمُدِّ, وَيَغْتَسِلُ بِالصَّاعِ إِلَى خَمْسَةِ أَمْدَادٍ } مُتَّفَقٌ عَلَيْه ِ 1‏ .‏ ‏1 ‏- صحيح.‏ رواه البخاري (201)‏، ومسلم (325)‏ (51)‏.‏

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Mishkat al-Masabih 439

Anas said that the Prophet used to perform ablution with a mudd of water and wash with a sa‘ up to five mudds. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ: كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَتَوَضَّأُ بِالْمُدِّ وَيَغْتَسِلُ بِالصَّاعِ إِلَى خَمْسَةِ أَمْدَادٍ

Narrated by Anas ibn Mālik

Also reported by… (7)
  • الأنوار في شمائل النبي المختار (499)يَغْتَسِلُ بِالصَّاعِ إِلَى خَمْسَةِ أَمْدَادٍ ، وَكَانَ يَتَوَضَّأُ بِالْمُدِّ
  • السنن الكبرى للبيهقي (862)يَغْتَسِلُ بِالصَّاعِ إِلَى خَمْسَةِ أَمْدَادٍ وَكَانَ يَتَوَضَّأُ بِالْمُدِّ
  • المعجم الكبير للطبراني (11102)كَانَ يَتَوَضَّأُ بِالْمُدِّ ، وَيَغْتَسِلُ بِالصَّاعِ
  • شرح السنة (275)يَغْتَسِلُ بِالصَّاعِ إِلَى خَمْسَةِ أَمْدَادٍ ، وَكَانَ يَتَوَضَّأُ بِالْمُدِّ
  • فضائل الصلاة للفضل بن دكين (50)يَغْتَسِلُ بِالصَّاعِ إِلَى خَمْسَةِ أَمْدَادٍ
  • مستخرج أبي عوانة (479)يَغْتَسِلُ بِالصَّاعِ إِلَى خَمْسَةِ أَمْدَادٍ ، وَكَانَ يَتَوَضَّأُ بِالْمُدِّ
  • معرفة السنن والآثار للبيهقي (376)يَغْتَسِلُ بِالصَّاعِ إِلَى خَمْسَةِ أَمْدَادٍ ، وَكَانَ يَتَوَضَّأَ بِالْمُدِّ

On the same subject

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 258

Whenever the Prophet (ﷺ) took the bath of Janaba (sexual relation or wet dream) he asked for the Hilab or some other scent. He used to take it in his hand, rub it first over the right side of his head and then over the left and then rub the middle of his head with both hands.

دَعَا بِشَىْءٍ نَحْوَ الْحِلاَبِ، فَأَخَذَ بِكَفِّهِ، فَبَدَأَ بِشِقِّ رَأْسِهِ الأَيْمَنِ ثُمَّ الأَيْسَرِ، فَقَالَ بِهِمَا عَلَى رَأْسِهِ‏.‏

Narrated by Ā’ishah + 3 other versions

Authentic Sahih Muslim 326a

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to perform Ghusl (ritual bath) from Janābah (major ritual impurity) using one Sā‘ of water, and he would perform Wudū’ (ablution) with one Mudd

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to perform Ghusl (ritual bath) from Janābah (major ritual impurity) using one Sā‘ of water, and he would perform Wudū’ (ablution) with one Mudd.

يُغَسِّلُهُ الصَّاعُ مِنَ الْمَاءِ مِنَ الْجَنَابَةِ وَيُوَضِّؤُهُ الْمُدُّ ‏.‏

Narrated by Safīna Explained

Authentic Sahih al-Bukhari 251

`Aisha's brother and I went to `Aisha and he asked her about the bath of the Prophet. She brought a pot containing about a Sa` of water and took a bath and poured it over her head and at that time there was a screen between her and us.

فَدَعَتْ بِإِنَاءٍ نَحْوًا مِنْ صَاعٍ، فَاغْتَسَلَتْ وَأَفَاضَتْ عَلَى رَأْسِهَا، وَبَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَهَا حِجَابٌ‏.‏

Narrated by Ā’ishah + 1 other version

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