Even if what they prescribed concerned only a small quantity and applied solely within the time of that particular prayer, this too shows that their ruling was one of recommendation rather than obligation.

Ismaʿil ibn Ishaq the judge, together with the Baghdadi Malikis who followed him, adopted the first view on the strength of Allah’s general statement: "We sent down from the sky water that is purifying" ⦗25:48⦘. The term "tahur" (purifying) here carries the sense of something that purifies other things, just as the Arabic forms ḍarūb (“given to striking”) and qayūl (“given to napping”) denote habitual action. Allah likewise says: "And He sends down upon you water from the sky so that He may purify you with it" ⦗8:11⦘.

Mālik and his companions drew no distinction between a case where impurity falls into the water and one where water is poured onto the impurity, whether the water is still or running.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Nothing renders water impure,” and in another report, “Nothing renders it impure except what overcomes it and alters its taste, smell, or color.”

It is disliked to use the leftover water (suʾr) of a Christian, any other non-Muslim, a habitual wine-drinker, or a person who eats carrion; nevertheless, whoever performs wuḍūʾ with such water incurs no blame unless he is certain that impurity is present. Wherever clear, unmixed water is found, it remains in its state of purity until it is established that impurity has entered it. Should its appearance be altered by mud or sludge, it is still deemed pure unless actual impurity is proven.

Likewise, if the water is affected by creatures that have no flowing blood—such as scorpions, flies, beetles, grasshoppers, wasps, earwigs, or locusts—its purity is not compromised so long as the smell is unchanged; but if it becomes putrid, it must not be used for wuḍūʾ.