And I perceive that it has appeared from him [Ahmad] that it is recommended to be cautious with other water, although he did not specify that. This indicates that flowing water is not rendered impure except by [a change in its properties due to] impurity; for if it were to become impure, its status as flowing water would have no effect. It also indicates the recommendation (43) of caution along with ruling that the water is pure; for bathhouse water is pure for the reason we mentioned previously. He only categorized it as the equivalent of flowing water when the water flows out of the basin and exits, for the water that arrives last pushes out what is in the basin, and it [the water] remains in its place, as evidenced by the fact that if what was in the basin were murky, and successive amounts of clean water were poured into it, its murkiness would dissipate, and Allah knows best.
Section: There is no harm in mentioning Allah in the bathhouse; for mentioning Allah is good in every place, so long as no prohibition against it has been reported. It has been narrated that Abu Hurayrah entered the bathhouse and said: "There is no god but Allah." It was also narrated from the Prophet (peace be upon him) that he used to remember Allah in all of his states (44). As for reciting the Quran, Ahmad said: "It was not built for this." Abu Wa'il, Al-Sha'bi, Al-Hasan, Makhul, and Qabisah ibn Dhu'ayb (45) disliked reciting the Quran in it. Al-Nakha'i and Malik did not dislike it, for the reason we mentioned regarding mentioning Allah in it. The viewpoint of the former [who disliked it] is that it is a place of exposure, and actions are performed therein that are not considered seemly to do elsewhere, so it is recommended to protect the Quran from it [and if he recites it in the bathhouse, there is no harm] (46); because we know of no argument in it that prohibits its recitation. As for offering the greeting of peace (taslim) in it, Ahmad said: "I do not know that I heard anything regarding it." The better view is its permissibility, due to its inclusion in the generality of his statement (peace be upon him): "Spread the greeting of peace among yourselves (47)."
(43) In [manuscript] M: "recommendation".
(44) Extracted by Al-Bukhari, in: The Chapter on the menstruating woman performing all the rites except circumambulating the House, from Kitab al-Hayd; and in: The Chapter on whether the muezzin follows his mouth here and there and whether he turns during the Adhan, from Kitab al-Adhan. Sahih al-Bukhari 1/83, 163. And Muslim, in: The Chapter on mentioning Allah the Almighty in the state of major impurity and otherwise, from Kitab al-Hayd. Sahih Muslim 1/282. And Abu Dawud, in: The Chapter on the man who mentions Allah [the Almighty] without being in a state of purity, from Kitab al-Taharah. Sunan Abi Dawud 1/5. And Ibn Majah, in: The Chapter on mentioning Allah the Almighty in the lavatory and wearing a ring in the lavatory, from Kitab al-Taharah. Sunan Ibn Majah 1/110. And Imam Ahmad, in: Al-Musnad 6/70, 153.
(45) Abu Sa'id Qabisah ibn Dhu'ayb ibn 'Amr al-Khuza'i, one of the jurists (tabi'in) in Medina, died in the year eighty-seven. Tabaqat al-Fuqaha' by Al-Shirazi, 62.
(46) In [manuscript] M: "And the better view is the permissibility of reciting in it."
(47) Extracted by Muslim, in: The Chapter on clarifying that only believers enter Paradise, from Kitab al-Iman. Sahih Muslim 1/74.
