Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Some people from Banu Mudlij came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah! We are people who live by the sea, sitting on planks and hunting, and then we remain absent for a night or two, three nights, or even four nights. We carry sweet water with us for our lips. If we perform ablution with it, our lives will be at risk, and if we give preference to ourselves and perform ablution with sea water, we feel uneasy in our hearts, fearing that this water might be impure. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:“Perform ablution with the water of the sea, its water is pure and its dead (animals) are lawful.”

It is narrated from Mughira bin Abi Burda that he heard Sayyiduna Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) saying: A man from Banu Abd al-Dar asked the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): We travel by sea, and we have only a little sweet water with us. If we use it for ablution, we will remain thirsty. Can we perform ablution with sea water? The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Its water is pure and its dead (animals) are lawful."