ABLUTION SECTION · 44 – Sufficient Amount of Water for Ablution
92 – Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) related that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would bathe with a *sa'* of water and perform ablution with a *mud*. [99]
*Explanation:* A *sa'* is 1040 *dirhams*, which amounts to approximately 3333 grams according to modern measurements. A *mud* is a measure equivalent to the volume of one’s cupped hands; it is close to a liter. In one narration, a *mud* is equal to one-fourth of a *sa'*. (Compendium Translation, vol. 2, p. 15) Thus, a *mud* would be a container holding approximately 832 grams of water. Performing ablution with a handful of water and bathing with three thousand three hundred thirty-three grams of water may occur in times when water is scarce. In places where water is abundant, one should follow the Sunnah by washing each part (of the body) three times during ablution and bathing. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) sometimes used a *mud* and other times two-thirds of a *mud* for ablution. This honorable hadith is evidence that one may perform ablution with little or much water without extravagance.
93 – Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) related: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would bathe with a *sa'* of water and perform ablution with a *mud* (of water).
94 – Habib ibn al-Ansar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard Ubbat bin Tamim say: A vessel containing two-thirds of a *mud* of water was brought to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and he performed ablution with it. [100]
A *mud* is approximately 833 grams, and two-thirds of a *mud* is 555 grams.
*Explanation:* This is the least amount of water reported to have been used by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) for ablution. Two-thirds of a *mud* is a small amount of water. His performing ablution with it shows us a concessionary path; it does not mean that only this amount of water should be used for ablution. It means that even a small amount of water may be used when less is available.
95 – Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) related: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would perform ablution with a vessel holding two *ratls* of water, and he would bathe with a measure of a *sa'*.
Abdullah bin Jabir heard Anas say: "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to bathe with a *makkuk* (of water)." He did not mention the two *ratls*.
Abu Dawud said: “I heard Ahmad ibn Hanbal say, ‘A *sa'* is five *ratls*.’”
Again, Abu Dawud said: "This measure is the *sa'* of Sa’d ibn Abi Zubayr. His *sa'* is also the Prophet's (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) *sa'." [101]
*Explanation:* *MAKKUK*: A drinking cup and a measure that holds one and a half *sa’*. According to one narration, it holds half a *ratl*, or the Messenger of Allah’s (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) *mud* is twenty-four *muds* (Compendium Translation, vol. 3, p. 1122). We may say that a *makkuk* is a container holding approximately five liters of water. If a *ratl* is one-fifth of a *sa'*, then it would be a container holding approximately 665 grams of water.