Is ritual impurity (janabah or hadath) removed if a person immerses their entire body in water less than two qullas while intending to remove the impurity?
Chapter on what purification is achieved with regarding water
Al-Mughni
Book of Purification
Primary text
If a person in a state of major or minor ritual impurity immerses themselves completely in water less than two qullas while intending to remove the state, the water becomes 'used' (musta'mal), but the impurity is not removed from the person. This is based on the saying of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him): "None of you should perform ghusl (major ablution) in stagnant water while being in a state of janabah," narrated by Muslim. The prohibition implies the invalidity of the act performed under that prohibition. Furthermore, when the first part of the water separates from the body, that water becomes used, and thus the impurity is not removed from the rest of the body, similar to the case where another person washes in the same water.
Supporting text
The view of Al-Shafi'i holds that the water becomes used, and the impurity is removed, because the water only becomes used simultaneously with the removal of the impurity.