al-Namlah says...

al-Namlah says, After the demonstration of the scholars’ opposing opinions about this question, which belongs to the principles of the Muslim jurisprudence, and the demonstration of each group’s evidences, it seems necessary to mention, seeking the guidance of Almighty Allah, some practical examples on the Sahabah’s absolute violation of the Hadith that they themselves reported from the Holy Prophet in order that the question will be clearer and that the dear readers will comprehend the question more obviously: First Example Al-Bukhariy, in (his book entitled) al-Sahih ; Muslim, in al-Sahih ; Abu-Dawud, in al-Sunan ; al-Tirmidhiy, in al-Sunan ; al-Nassa'iy, in al-Sunan ; Ibn Majah, in al-Sunan ; al-Darimiy, in al-Sunan ; Malik ibn Anas, in al-Muwatta' , Ahmad ibn Hanbal, in al-Musnad —all these have recorded on the authority of Abu-Hurayrah that the Prophet said, “If a dog licks a vessel, you should wash that vessel seven times and in the eighth time it should be smeared with dust.”[^5] As has been mentioned, although this Hadith has been narrated by Abu-Hurayrah, he did not act upon it; rather he violated it and washed a vessel that had been licked by a dog three times only!

Al-Tahawiy, in Sharh Ma`ani al-Āthar ; al-Darqutniy, in al-Sunan ; ibn al-Jawziy, in al-`Ilal al-Mutanahiyah —all these have recorded that Abu-Hurayrah used to wash a vessel that had been licked by a dog three times only.[^6] Thus, this Sahabiy violated the Hadith that he himself reported from the Prophet. The adopters of the first belief, who are the majority, have believed that a vessel that is licked by a dog must be washed seven times.

They have thus provided the Hadith as their evidence and neglected Abu-Hurayrah’s violation of it. The adopters of the second belief have clung to their belief that entails that when a Hadith is violated by an act of a Sahabiy, the Hadith should be neglected and the act of the Sahabiy should be adopted as true.[^7] They therefore decided that a vessel that is licked by a dog must be washed three, not seven, times.

In other words, they have assumed the act of Abu-Hurayrah and rejected that which he had reported from the Prophet.