in which menstrual rags, dog flesh, and filth are thrown." He said: "Indeed, water is pure, and nothing makes it impure." It was narrated by Abu Dawud, Al-Nasa'i, and Al-Tirmidhi (26), who said: "A hasan (sound) hadith" (27).

Al-Khallal said: Ahmad said: "The hadith of the well of Bida'ah is sahih (authentic)."

It was reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was asked about the cisterns (hiyad) between Mecca and Medina, which are approached by wild beasts, dogs, and donkeys, and about performing purification with them. He said: "They have what they have carried in their bellies, and for us is what remains (ghabara) (28) as pure water (29)." He did not distinguish between a small or large amount, and because none of the attributes of impurity appeared in it, it does not become impure thereby, just as in the case of water exceeding two qullahs.

The basis of the first narration is what Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrated: the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was asked about water and what comes to it from animals and wild beasts. He said: "If the water is two qullahs, it does not carry impurity." It was narrated by Abu Dawud, Al-Nasa'i (30), Al-Tirmidhi, and [Ibn Majah] (31). In another wording: "If water reaches two qullahs, nothing makes it impure." Specifying it with two qullahs indicates that what is less than them becomes impure; for if the ruling for the two qullahs and what is less than them were the same, the specification would have been of no benefit. It is also established that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "If one of you wakes up from his sleep, let him not dip his hand into the vessel until he has washed it three times, for he does not know where his hand spent the night (32)." Were it not that it (the impurity) causes a prevention, he would not have prohibited it.