and washing is fulfilled by a single washing, for it is authentically established that the Prophet ﷺ performed ablution washing each limb once. (1) The second and third washings are therefore recommended acts of purification, so water used for them remains purifying, though its use is disliked. The reason is the scholarly disagreement over whether it loses its purifying quality. (2)

The correct view in all these cases is that its use is not disliked, because dislike is a legal ruling that requires evidence. How can we say to Allah’s servants, “It is disliked for you to use this water,” when we have no evidence for this in the Sacred Law?

Therefore, we must understand that preventing people from what the Sacred Law has not indicated is forbidden is like permitting them what the Sacred Law has indicated is forbidden; for Allah has made the two alike, saying:

“Do not say, falsely describing with your tongues, ‘This is lawful and this is unlawful.’” [al-Nahl 16:116]

Indeed, someone might say that declaring what is lawful to be unlawful is worse than declaring what is unlawful to be lawful, because the basic presumption is permissibility, and Allah loves ease for His servants.

“If it reaches two qullahs, which is a large quantity, …”

His statement, “If it reaches two qullahs”: the pronoun refers to purifying water.

Two qullahs is the dual form of qullah. A qullah was well known among the Arabs; it is said to hold approximately two and a half waterskins.

His statement, “which is a large quantity,” is a parenthetical clause placed between the conditional verb and its response.

That is, two qullahs constitute a large quantity according to the terminology of the jurists,