after eating sheep meat; thus, it has no general application. This is the meaning of Jābir’s statement:

“The latter of his two practices was to omit ablution after eating food touched by fire.”

For he saw him perform ablution, then saw him eat sheep meat without performing ablution. No wording of general application concerning this has been transmitted from the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). Even had Jābir transmitted such wording, this would entail abrogating a specific ruling by a general statement whose inclusion of that particular case had not been established. This is a principle that most Mālikīs, Shāfi‘īs, and Hanbalīs do not accept.

Moreover, it has not been established that the hadiths concerning ablution after eating food touched by fire were abrogated. Indeed, it has been said that they came later. However, one of the two positions within Ahmad’s school is that ablution after eating such food is recommended, not obligatory. The other position is that it is not recommended.

Just as the Sunnah enjoins avoiding physical impurities and purifying oneself of them, it likewise enjoins avoiding spiritual impurities and purifying oneself of them. The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) even said:

“When one of you rises during the night, let him draw water into his nostrils, for Satan spends the night in his nasal passages.”

He also said:

“When one of you wakes from a night’s sleep, let him not dip his hand into the vessel until he has washed it three times, for none of you knows where his hand has spent the night.”

He thus explained the command to wash by Satan’s spending the night in the nasal passages. This shows that this is a reason for purification apart from outward impurity. It should therefore not be considered far-fetched that it is also the reason for washing the hand upon waking from a night’s sleep.