What is the prescribed measure of water sufficient for purification (Ghusl)?
Chapter on Ghusl from Janabah (Major Impurity)
Al-Mughni
Book of Purification
Primary text
The sufficient measure for Ghusl is one Sa' (a measure of volume), and one Mudd for Wudu (ablution), which constitutes effective cleansing. This is the position held by Malik, Shafi'i, Ishaq, Abu 'Ubayd, and Abu Yusuf. Evidence for this includes the narration of Sufyan stating that the Prophet (peace be upon him) used one Sa' for Ghusl and one Mudd for Wudu. Furthermore, Jabir confirmed this when he told questioners that one Sa' sufficed the Prophet (peace be upon him), who had more hair than them and was better than them. The consensus is that the Iraqi Sa' is five ratls and one-third, and the Mudd is a quarter of that, amounting to one ratl and one-third.
Supporting text
Abu Hanifa maintains that the Sa' is eight ratls, based on the narration of Anas ibn Malik stating that the Prophet (peace be upon him) used two ratls (a Mudd) for Wudu and a Sa' for Ghusl. However, the majority view holds that the evidence pointing to specific measures applies only to the usual case (Ghalib), not as a strict limitation, since the core command is to wash, which was fulfilled, as evidenced by Aisha and 'Abdullah ibn Zayd using less water.