In summary, scholars hold three views concerning liquids:

The first is that they are like water.

The second is that there are stronger grounds for holding that they do not become impure than there are for water, because they serve as food and condiments, so destroying them entails harm. Moreover, they transform impurity more effectively than water does, or differ more markedly from it than water does.

The third is that water has a stronger claim than these liquids to remaining pure, because it is purifying.

We have discussed this issue at length elsewhere and presented the argument of those who hold that these liquids become impure. They cite the Prophet’s statement, may Allah bless him and grant him peace:

“If it is solid, discard the mouse and what surrounds it, and eat your clarified butter. But if it is liquid, do not go near it.”

This was reported by Abū Dāwūd and others. We have explained the weakness of this hadith. Al-Bukhārī, al-Tirmidhī, Abū Hātim al-Rāzī, al-Dāraqutnī, and others criticized it and showed that Ma‘mar had erred in transmitting it from al-Zuhrī.

Abū Dāwūd said:

“Chapter on a Mouse Falling into Clarified Butter. Musaddad narrated to us: Sufyān narrated to us: al-Zuhrī narrated to us, from ‘Ubayd Allāh ibn ‘Abd Allāh, from Ibn ‘Abbās, from Maymūnah, that a mouse fell into some clarified butter. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was informed, and he said: ‘Discard it and what surrounds it, and eat the butter.’

He also said: Ahmad ibn Sālih and al-Husayn ibn ‘Alī narrated to us—the wording is al-Husayn’s—