; nothing renders it impure.” Or he might say:

“One sheep is due for every five camels, and two sheep for ten. This zakat is obligatory on grazing camels.”

Likewise, Allah said:

“And whoever among you cannot afford to marry free believing women…”

He initially left the wording unrestricted and general, then said at the end:

“That is for those of you who fear falling into sin.”

There is no disagreement that such a statement is not understood according to the general scope of its opening words. Rather, it establishes only the purity of water amounting to two qullahs or more, and the obligation of zakat on grazing camels.

However, those who reject the authority of implication say: “The statement neither affirms nor denies the ruling in other cases. We therefore deny it in those cases on the basis of the default presumption, unless evidence establishes a departure from that presumption.” The majority say: “Rather, we deny it on the evidence furnished by this statement, which accords with the default presumption.”

The distinction between connected and separate statements can be illustrated by a man saying: “I bequeath this wealth to the scholars; they are to receive from it if they are poor.” Alternatively, he might say on one occasion, “I bequeath it to the scholars,” and then say, “Give from my wealth to the scholars if they are poor.” In the latter case, one may speak of a conflict between the general wording and the implication.

Such a situation, however, does not arise with an endowment. Once a person establishes an endowment for beneficiaries described in general or specific terms, he cannot change those terms, unlike a bequest. Moreover, if a testator explains his wording in a way that differs from its apparent meaning, his explanation is accepted, unlike that of the founder of an endowment.

This is why we have said that restricting this statement by the qualification appearing at its end is obligatory according to everyone, both those who recognize the authority of implication and those who reject it. This does not belong to that category at all; rather, it is a statement restricted by a qualification at its end.