QUESTION:
What do the scholars and muftis of the mighty Shari’ah say regarding this matter: how much water did The Noble Prophet [may the peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him] use in the performance of wudū and ghusl?
Questioner: Kabir from UK
ANSWER:
بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم
الجواب بعون الملک الوھاب اللھم ھدایۃ الحق والصواب
During the era of the Noble Prophet (may the peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him), modern measurements were not used. In those times, measurements, such as mudd and sā’ were used, hence, there is mention of these [measurements] in the narrations. There is difference concerning these in the narrations. According to those narrations which the scholars have authenticated, the Messenger of Allāh (may the peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) used to perform wudū with one mudd of water and ghusl with one sā’ of water. When ghusl and wudu would be performed together, such as the ghusl which is performed in the state of janābah, then one sā’ and one mudd i.e. 5 mudd of water would be used, as researched by Imām Ahmad Ridā Khān (may Allāh shower mercy upon him) in al-Fatāwā al-Ridawiyyah. If this were to be evaluated according to modern measures, the Messenger (may the peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) would perform wudū with approximately 1.25 litres of water and ghusl alone with 5 litres of water and ghusl with wudū using 6.25 litres of water and sometimes with more or less than this.
Just as it is mentioned in the Blessed Hadīth of Sahīh al-Bukhārī,
“كَانَ النَّبِىُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَغْتَسِلُ بِالصَّاعِ إِلَى خَمْسَةِ أَمْدَادٍ ، وَكَانَ يَتَوَضَّأُ بِالْمُدِّ“
“The Prophet (may the peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) would perform ghusl with one sā’ to five mudd of water, and wudū with one mudd of water.”
[Sahīh al-Bukhārī, Hadīth no 198]
The one who reads Hadīths will be well aware that there are varying narrations regarding the Noble Prophet’s (may the peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) usage of water in wudū and ghusl. It is proven that He (may the peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) would perform wudū with one mudd of water, and in some narrations, more than one is mentioned. He (may the peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) used to perform ghusl with one sā’a of water, and in some narrations, there is mention of two sā’a, three sā’a and there is mention of other measures also.
My master A’lā Hazrat al-Imām Ahmad Ridā Khān (may Allāh shower mercy upon him) mentions that most of the Hadīths mention one sā’ and in the Hadīth of Sayyidunā Anas (may Allāh be pleased with him) 5 mudd is mentioned. He explains the conformity of the two narrations in that one mudd would have been for the performance of wudū and the remaining sā’ for ghusl, in this way [collectively] there were 5 mudd for ghusl.
[al-Fatāwā al-Ridawiyyah, vol 2, pg 495]
One sā’ is equal to four mudd, and according to modern measurements, one sā’ is 3.84kg; approximately 4kg. Meaning that the Messenger of Allāh (may the peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) would perform ghusl with water from a container which could hold approximately 4kg of wheat, because a sā’ is a tool which is used to measure wheat. If water was to be placed into this container, it would come to around 5 litres, as mentioned in Fatāwā Europe. If it [container] can hold one kilogram of wheat, then the water which it can hold will amount to approximately 25% more, i.e 1.25 litres. Thus, it is established that the Messenger of Allāh [may the peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him] would perform ghusl with approximately 5 litres of water, and wudū with 1.25 litres of water, sometimes it would be more or less than this. It is established then that the Prophet (may the peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) would perform wudū using approximately 1.25 litres of water, ghusl alone using 5 litres of water and ghusl and wudū together using 6.25 litres of water, and sometimes the water would be more or less than this.
واللہ تعالی اعلم ورسولہ اعلم صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم
کتبہ ابو الحسن محمد قاسم ضیاء قادری
Answered by Mufti Qasim Zia al-Qadri
Translated by Zameer Ahmed
Read the original Urdu answer here – [Q-ID0268] How much water did the Prophet ﷺ use to perform wudu and ghusl?
