unsatisfactory; for uncertainty about a ruling does not itself constitute a position on it. Water is of doubtful status only when there is doubt about whether an impurity entering it has changed one of its properties, or whether an impurity has entered it at all—according to the view that an impurity entering water renders it impure even without changing any of its properties. When, however, it is certain that none of its properties has been changed by the impurity entering it, the water is pure according to one opinion and impure according to another.
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Those of Mālik’s companions who met him and did not definitively declare this water impure disagreed about its ruling. Ibn al-Qāsim said that one should perform dry ablution and refrain from using it. If someone nevertheless performs ablution with it, he must repeat the prayer within its prescribed time. He made no distinction between someone who acted out of ignorance, deliberately, or forgetfully. Ibn Habīb said in al-Wādiha that someone who acted out of ignorance or deliberately must repeat the prayer, whether within its prescribed time or afterwards. Ibn al-Mājishūn said that one should perform both ablution and dry ablution, then pray. Sahnūn said that one should perform dry ablution and pray, then perform ablution and pray.
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The quantity of water to be avoided because an impurity has entered it is exemplified by enough water for ablution into which a drop of urine or wine falls, or a basinful in which someone in a state of major ritual impurity washes without first washing off the filth on his body. Other cases should be judged by analogy with these. The same applies when there is enough water for ablution and someone sees a cat, dog, or beast of prey lapping from it with an impurity in its mouth, or a bird that feeds on carrion and impurities drinking from it with an impurity on its beak.
If no impurity is seen in their mouths or on their beaks when they drink, distinctions must be made. According to Mālik and his companions, the cat is presumed pure, on account of the hadith concerning it: “They are among those, male and female, that move about among you.” As for beasts of prey and free-ranging chickens, according to Ibn al-Qāsim’s position as transmitted by him from Mālik, they are presumed