وَعَن عبد الله بن عمر قَالَ كَانَتِ الصَّلَاةُ خَمْسِينَ وَالْغُسْلُ مِنَ الْجَنَابَةِ سبع مرار وَغسل الْبَوْل من الثَّوْب سبع مرار فَلَمْ يَزَلْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُسْأَلُ حَتَّى جعلت الصَّلَاة خمْسا وَالْغسْل من الْجَنَابَة مرّة وَغسل الْبَوْل من الثَّوْب مرّة. رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد
Ibn ‘Umar said that the original requirement was fifty times of prayer, seven washings to remove sexual defilement, and seven washings when urine fell on a garment. God’s messenger therefore kept on making requests till five times of prayer were appointed, one washing for sexual defilement, and one washing of a garment because of urine.
‘Ali reported that a man came to the Prophet and said, “I washed because of sexual defilement, then prayed the dawn prayer but noticed a spot about the size of a nail which had not been touched by the water.” God’s messenger replied, “If you had rubbed your hand over it, it would have been enough for you.”
God’s messenger met me when I was sexually defiled, took my hand and I walked with him. When he sat down I withdrew, and after I had gone home and washed I came back and found the Prophet still seated. He asked, “Where have you been, Abu Huraira?” I told him, and he said, “Glory be to God! The believer does not become impure.”
This is Bukhari's wording and Muslim has something to the same effect, but after “I told him” he adds: I said to him, “You met me when I was sexually defiled, and I did not like to sit with you till I had washed.” Bukhari has the same in another version.
Ubayy b. Ka'b said that “Water is necessary only when there is an emission” was a licence granted in the early days of Islam, but that afterwards it was renounced.
