1/45. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 92 — Water Used for Wudu and Ghusl
The Amount Of Water That Is Acceptable For Performing Wudu'
Hadith About the Prophet’s Water Amount for Wudu and Ghusl
Sunan Abi Dawud : 92
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 92
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ كَثِيرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا هَمَّامٌ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ صَفِيَّةَ بِنْتِ شَيْبَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ يَغْتَسِلُ بِالصَّاعِ وَيَتَوَضَّأُ بِالْمُدِّ . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ رَوَاهُ أَبَانُ عَنْ قَتَادَةَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ صَفِيَّةَ .
Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin: The Prophet (ﷺ) used to wash himself with a sa' (of water) and perform ablution with a mudd (of water). Abu Dawud said: This tradition has also been narrated by Aban on the authority of Qatadah. In this version he said: "I herd safiyyah."
[1] Ṣā' is a measurement of volume. It is four scoops with the two hands held together.[2] A Mudd is roughly one-fourth the size of a Ṣā' .Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 92In-book reference : Book 1, Hadith 92English translation : Book 1, Hadith 92
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 92
This hadith about the Prophet’s water amount gives a simple picture of his purification. Aishah narrated that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) used to wash himself with a sa' of water and perform ablution with a mudd of water. The report focuses on the amount used, not on a full step-by-step description of wudu or ghusl. It is often searched by people who want to know how much water the Prophet used for ablution and bathing. The teaching is easy to understand: purification was done with measured water, and the Prophet’s practice shows that wudu and ghusl do not need wasteful use of water.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) used a sa' of water for bathing in this report.
- He used a mudd of water for ablution in this report.
- The hadith points to measured use of water in purification.
