What is the meaning of the time elapsed since the impurity, and does that purify it?

"Lapse of time is not among the purifiers of impurity. However, the jurists mentioned the purification of abundant water if its change (due to impurity) disappears with stagnation. This view was favored by Al-Nawawi, Ibn Taymiyyah, and Ibn Qudamah. Al-Shirazi justified this by stating that the cause of impurity is the change, and that has now disappeared.

The Hanafis, the Shafi'is in their old মত (qaul qadim), and some Hanbalis held the view that the earth becomes pure by dryness (i.e., the disappearance of its wetness due to sun and wind). They supported this with narrations from the predecessors (Salaf). Imam Abu Dawud titled a chapter "Chapter on the Purification of the Earth if it Dries Up" and narrated from Ibn Umar that dogs used to urinate in the mosque during the time of the Prophet, peace be upon him, and they (the Companions) did not sprinkle anything (water), which indicates the purification of the earth by dryness. Ibn Taymiyyah, Al-Abadi, and Al-Mubarakfuri inclined towards this view.

The majority (Jumhur) disagreed with this, obliging the purification of the earth by pouring water over it. They cited the hadith of the Bedouin who urinated in the mosque, and the Prophet, peace be upon him, ordered water to be poured over his urine. They responded to Abu Dawud's evidence by stating that Ibn Umar did not explicitly state that he saw the dogs urinate in the mosque, and that some versions of Sahih Al-Bukhari do not contain the word "urinate." Al-Nawawi and Ibn Qudamah favored the view of the majority.

No specific time limit was mentioned for the stagnation of water or the drying of the earth."