during wet dreams. Since no one has transmitted that he commanded its removal, whether by washing or rubbing, despite how frequently it comes into contact with bodies and clothes—in his time and until the Day of Resurrection—it is known that he did not command this. It is inconceivable that removing it should be obligatory without his commanding it, given how commonly this occurs, just as he commanded cleansing after defecation and urination, and instructed a menstruating woman to remove menstrual blood from her garment.

The same applies to ablution after touching women or after ritually impure substances emerge from somewhere other than the two private passages. He did not command Muslims to perform ablution for these things, despite their frequent occurrence. Had it been obligatory, he would have had to command it; and had he commanded it, Muslims would necessarily have transmitted it, since there were ample reasons and motives for transmitting such a command.

His commands to perform ablution after touching the penis and after eating food cooked over fire indicate recommendation. Thus, in these cases, it is all the more appropriate that ablution should be no more than recommended.

If the established Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, grants a menstruating woman concessions not granted to someone in major ritual impurity because she needs them and cannot purify herself, and forbids her only what she has no need to do—just as she is prohibited from fasting because of the ritual impurity of menstruation and because she has no need to fast then, and is prohibited from prayer with even greater reason, since her prayers during purity take the place of those during menstruation—then she is prohibited from circumambulating the Ka‘bah if she is able to do so in a state of purity. For circumambulation resembles prayer in some respects, but not in every respect.