appears in the bathhouse during winter smoke from impure substances, and does it render a man impure when he bathes while his body is wet? Is the water flowing over the bathhouse floor from people’s bathing pure or impure? Give us a ruling so that these obsessive doubts may be dispelled.

He replied:

Praise be to Allah. It is established in the two Sahīh collections that ‘Ā’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, would bathe together with the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, “from a single vessel, both drawing water from it.”

In another narration, she would say, “Leave some for me,” and he would say, “Leave some for me,” because there was little water. It is also established in the Sahīh that “he would bathe from a single vessel with Mothers of the Believers other than ‘Ā’ishah, such as Maymūnah bint al-Hārith and Umm Salamah.”

It is also established that ‘Ā’ishah said: “The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and I would bathe from a single vessel holding one faraq.” A faraq amounts to sixteen of the old Iraqi ratls, or fewer than fifteen Egyptian ratls.

It is established in the Sahīh that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, “would perform ablution with one mudd and bathe with one sā‘.” It is also established in the Sahīh that Ibn ‘Umar said: “During the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, men and women would perform ablution using the same water.”

These established reports concerning the practice of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and his Companions who lived in his city during his lifetime demonstrate several points.