Mishkat al-Masabih #415
Purification
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
عَنْ أُبَيِّ بْنِ كَعْبٍ قَالَ: إِنَّمَا كَانَ الْمَاءُ مِنَ الْمَاءِ رُخْصَةً فِي أَوَّلِ الْإِسْلَامِ ثمَّ نهي عَنْهَا
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.
Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Darimi transmitted it.
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About Mishkat al-Masabih
This hadith is #415 from Mishkat al-Masabih, in the Book of Purification.