in its entirety three times. Rather, they reported that, after performing ablution and working water through the roots of his hair, he poured a handful of water over one side of his head, then poured water over the rest of his body. Those who recommended washing three times did so only by analogy with ablution, whereas the Sunnah distinguishes between the two. It is also established that:

“The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to perform ablution with one mudd of water and bathe with one sā‘, which is four mudds.”

Clearly, had washing three times been the Sunnah when bathing, that amount would not have sufficed, since the parts of the body other than those washed in ablution are more than four times as extensive.

Another example concerns dry ablution. Some maintain that it need not be renewed for every prayer, as Abū Hanīfah held. Others maintain that it must be renewed for every prayer, as al-Shāfi‘ī held. Mālik’s position is that it should be renewed for each prayer time. This is the most balanced opinion and accords with the reports transmitted from the Companions and those concerning women with non-menstrual bleeding. Hence this is the well-known position on both matters among the jurists versed in hadith.

Another example is that the people of Medina require zakat on the combined property of two owners as though it belonged to a single owner. When the number of camels exceeds one hundred and twenty, they prescribe one two-year-old she-camel for every forty and one three-year-old she-camel for every fifty. This accords with the Prophet’s letter