for his community, for he, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was compassionate and merciful towards the believers. This interpretation is supported by his specifying seven washings for the vessel, since seven is a preferred number in medical treatment, particularly when guarding against poison. During his illness, he said, may Allah bless him and grant him peace: “Pour over me water from seven waterskins whose ties have not been undone, so that I may give instructions to the people.” He also said, may Allah bless him and grant him peace: “Whoever eats seven ʿajwa dates in the morning will not be harmed that day by poison or magic.”
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According to this interpretation, one should not drink water from which a dog has lapped, in keeping with the Prophet’s guidance, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, concerning the harm to guard against. Washing the vessel with that water serves no purpose, but it is permissible to perform ablution with it, whether or not other water is available.
According to the view that the vessel is washed seven times because of impurity, it is impermissible either to drink that water or to wash the vessel with it, because it is impure. If no other water is available, there are three opinions concerning ablution with it. The first is that one performs ablution with it and does not perform dry ablution; this is Ibn al-Qāsim’s position. The second is that one performs both ablution with it and dry ablution, then prays; this is Ibn al-Mājishūn’s position. The third is that one performs dry ablution and prays, then performs ablution with that water and prays again; this is Sahnūn’s position.
According to the view that the vessel is washed seven times as an act of worship rather than because of impurity, drinking the water is permissible. However, one should not perform ablution with it if other water is available, out of consideration for the disagreement over its impurity. Likewise, one should not wash the vessel with it if other water is available, out of consideration for that disagreement. If no other water is available, it has been said that one may wash the vessel with it, just as one may perform ablution with it. The more evident view, however, is that one should not wash the vessel with it, even though one may perform ablution with it. This is because the Prophet’s command, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, to wash a vessel from which a dog has lapped is understood to mean washing it with water other than that which was in it. By analogy with this, it would be permissible to wash it with other water from which a dog has lapped.
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There is disagreement over the meaning of Ibn al-Qāsim’s statement in al-Mudawwana: “He used to