tayammum (dry ablution), in order to apply his analogy consistently. Both views are to be rejected. The imams explicitly stated that rainwater purifies the ground on which it falls. Most water poured onto the ground is not water previously used for ritual purification, since most water people pour out has neither been used to remove major ritual impurity nor undergone any change.

The third argument:

Suppose that an actual impurity has fallen into the basin, or that someone in a state of major ritual impurity has immersed himself in it: this is a large quantity of water. It is authentically reported from Abū Sa‘īd that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked:

“O Messenger of Allah, you perform ablution with water from the well of Budā‘ah, yet menstrual cloths, dog flesh, and foul matter are thrown into it?”

He replied:

“Water is pure and purifying; nothing renders it impure.”

Imam Ahmad said: “The hadith concerning the well of Budā‘ah is authentic.”

The Sunan collections report from Ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about water found in open country, which beasts of prey and other animals frequent. He replied:

“When water reaches two qullahs, nothing renders it impure.”

Another wording reads:

“It does not take on impurity.”

The well of Budā‘ah is a well like any other, and it still exists today on the eastern side of Medina. Whoever claims that it was a flowing spring is plainly mistaken. In the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), there were no flowing springs whatsoever in Medina. There were only wells there, whose water they used for ablution and bathing