then wash it with water.” He also said concerning the vessels of the Magians:

“Wash them, then wash them with water.”

And in the hadith about the Bedouin who urinated in the mosque, he said:

“Pour a bucketful of water over his urine.”

Thus, he commanded that impurity be removed with water in particular cases; he did not issue a general command that every impurity must be removed with water.

He also permitted its removal without water in several instances. These include cleansing oneself with stones after relieving oneself, and his words concerning sandals:

“Then let him rub them on the earth, for the earth purifies them.”

They also include his words concerning the trailing hem of a garment:

“What it passes over afterward purifies it.”

Another instance is that dogs used to come and go and urinate in the mosque of the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—yet the people did not wash those places.

Another is his statement concerning cats:

“They are among those who move about among you, male and female.”

Cats ordinarily eat mice, yet there was no water channel to which they would go to purify their mouths with water. Rather, their saliva purified them.

Another instance is that wine which transforms of its own accord becomes pure, by the agreement of the Muslims. Accordingly, the stronger view in this matter is that whenever impurity is removed, by whatever means, its ruling as impure ceases to apply. For a ruling established on account of a cause ceases when that cause ceases. However, food and drink may not be used to remove impurity without a need, because doing so wastes wealth, just as they may not be used to cleanse oneself after relieving oneself.