Section : Purification. The shari’ah has divided water into four kinds: 1. mutlaq water, 2. used water (for purification), 3. water mixed with pure elements and 4. water mixed with impure elements. We shall discuss each of them separately.
Section : Mutlaq water. This kind of water is considered pure because of its inherent purity and as such, it can be used by an individual to purify him or herself. It consists of the following categories:
Section : Rain water, snow, and hail. These substances are pure because Allah says so: “And sent down water from the sky upon you, that thereby He might purify you…” (al-Anfal 1), and “We send down purifying water from the…
Section : Sea water. Sea water’s purity is based on the following hadith: Abu Hurairah related that a man asked the Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, “O Messenger of Allah, we sail on the ocean and we carry…
Section : Water from the well of Zamzam. ‘Ali narrated that the Messenger of Allah, upon whom be peace, called for a bucket that contained water from the well of Zamzam. He drank from the bucket, then made ablution (with…
Section : Altered water. This involves water whose form has been altered because of its being in a place for a long period of time, or because of the place in which it is located, or because of its being…
Section : Used water. This category refers to water which drips from the person after he performs ablution or ghusl. It is considered pure because it was pure before its use for ablution, and there is no basis to think…
Section : Water mixed with pure elements. This category includes water that has been mixed with substances like soap, saffron, flowers, and so on, that is, objects considered pure by the shari’ah. Such water is considered pure as long as…
Section : Water mixed with impure elements. We can divide this category into two sub-categories: 1. The impure substance alters the taste, colour or odour of the water. In this case, it can not be used for purification. According to…
Section : Leftover water. “Leftover water” is what remains in a pot after some has been drunk. There are five different types of leftover water.
Section : Water leftover after people have drunk from the pot. According to the shari’ah, such water is considered pure regardless of whether the one who drank from the pot was a Muslim, an unbeliever, a person in post-sex impurity…
Section : Water left in a container after an allowable animal has drunk from it. Such water is considered pure. Since the animal qualifies for consumption, its saliva is also pure. Abu Bakr ibn al-Munzhir said, “The scholars are agreed…
Section : Water remaining in a pot after it has been drunk by a donkey, mule, beasts of birds of prey. Such water is also considered pure, based on the hadith of Jabir in which the Messenger of Allah was…
Section : Water left in a pot after a cat has drunk from it. Such water is also considered pure. This is proven by the hadith of Kabshah bint Ka’b who, when she was under the care of Abu Qatadah,…
Section : Water left in a pot after a pig or dog has drunk from it. Such water is considered impure and must be avoided. Al-Bukhari and Muslim have recorded, on the authority of Abu Hurairah, that the messenger of…