Water 2.1 There are seven types of water with which cleanliness can be achieved: (1) rainwater; (2) seawater; (3) river water; (4) well water; (5) water from melted ice; (6) water from melted hail; (7) and spring water. 2.2 Water (with regards to its states) can be one of five types: (1) Mutlaq (pure) water: water which is intrinsically pure and purifying for others but is not makruh (def: 1.6) [Z: the last clause will become clearer whilst discussing the next type]. (2) Water which is intrinsically pure and purifying for others, but is makruh. This is a small quantity of water (def: 2.2 (4)) from which a cat or a similar animal has partaken. (3) Water which is intrinsically pure, but not purifying for others; that which has been used (musta`mal) to remove a state of ritual impurity, or used for the sake of attaining rewards, such as wudu’ performed afresh by one who already has wudu’ with the intention of wudu’ [Z: in order to obtain reward and not merely for the sake of cooling oneself down or removing dust from one’s limbs, ai: p.8]. Water becomes used (musta`mal) by its mere separation from the body. [Z: If a junbi (one in a state of major ritual impurity) inserts his hand which is free from any apparent najasa into a bowl of water, then that water will be rendered musta`mal. This is provided that other means of extracting the water are available. If there is no other means then the water shall remain mutlaq. (def: 2.2 (1)), Ahf: 1/140]. Cleanliness cannot be attained by using water from a tree or fruit even if it has come forth without being squeezed. Nor can it be attained from water, which has lost its nature through being cooked or through the predominance of something else over it. Predominance when water is mixed with a solid substance occurs when that water loses its thinness and liquidity, and thus such water no longer remains fit for wudu’. When mixed with a solid substance, such as saffron, fruit and leaves of a tree, then the water shall continue to be purifying even though all its qualities [colour, smell and taste] have changed. Predominance when water is mixed with a liquid, which has two qualities, is that one of these qualities becomes apparent in the water, such as milk, which has the qualities of colour and taste but not smell. Thereby, when water is mixed with a liquid that has three qualities, when two of these qualities become apparent in the water this signifies predominance, an example of such a liquid is vinegar. Predominance when water is mixed with those liquids, which have no qualities, will be judged according to proportion such as in the case of used water or rose water from which the smell has diminished. Thus if two litres of used water are mixed with one litre of pure water, then wudu’ is not permissible with it. It would be permissible if the proportion is to the contrary. (4) Impure water: A small quantity of stagnant water in which najasa (def: 10.1) has fallen. A small quantity of water is that amount which is less than ten by ten. [Z: Ten by ten in current measurements in a surface, the product of its width and length being 225ft or 20.9m]. It will be regarded impure [if najasa falls into it] even though the signs of najasa are not visible. The signs of najasa are; taste, colour and smell. [Z: The death of those animals which have no flowing blood does not make the water impure, whether they died in the water, or outside and thereafter were thrown into it. (Lub:1/22) Similarly the death of those animals which live in the water do not make it impure, such as fish, frogs or crayfish, Lub: 1/23]. (5) Water in whose quality of cleansing there is a doubt; from which a donkey or mule has drunk. When some pure pots of water are mixed with impure ones, but the majority are pure, then one is obliged to discern the pure ones if intending to do wudu’ or drink water. If on the other hand the majority are impure then one is exempted from doing this, unless one intends to drink water, [because as a substitute for wudu’ one may perform tayammum, Mf: p.76]. If pure and impure clothes are mixed then one is required to discern the pure from the impure regardless whether the majority are pure or impure.
Posted on: Thu, 28 Nov 2013 15:27:44 +0000
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