❖ Purity of Water and Rulings Related to Wudu ❖
❀ Explanation of Purity (Ṭahārah)
Performing Wudu is a fundamental condition for the validity of Salah, and the water used for Wudu must be pure. If the water is impure, Wudu is not valid. The following Ahadith discuss various rulings regarding different types of water.❀ Purity of Well and River Water
◈ Wudu from the Well of Budā‘ahNarrated by Sayyiduna Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (رضي الله عنه):
People asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ):
"Can we perform Wudu using water from the well of Budā‘ah?"
This well was known to have dirty and foul-smelling things thrown into it. It was located in a sloping area where rainwater or runoff would carry impurities into the well.
The Prophet (ﷺ) replied:
"اَلْمَآءُ طَہُوْرٌ لَا یُنَجِّسُہٗ شَیْءٌ"
"Water is pure (and has the ability to purify); nothing can render it impure."
(Abu Dawud, Book of Purification, Chapter: What Has Been Reported About the Well of Budā‘ah, Hadith 66
Tirmidhi, Book of Purification, Chapter: What Has Been Reported About Water Not Becoming Impure, Hadith 66)
Tirmidhi graded it as Hasan, and it was also declared authentic by Imams Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Yahya ibn Ma‘in, Ibn Hazm, and Nawawi.
Ruling:
This indicates that well water — even if impurities flow into it — remains pure.
◈ River and Sea Water
The Prophet (ﷺ) said:
"The water of the sea is purifying, and its dead (creatures) are lawful (to consume)."
(Abu Dawud, Book of Purification, Chapter: Wudu with Sea Water, Hadith 83
Tirmidhi, Book of Purification, Chapter: On Sea Water Being Purifying, Hadith 96)
This Hadith has been authenticated by Tirmidhi, Al-Hakim (1/140–141), Imam Dhahabi, and Imam Nawawi (Al-Majmu‘ 1/28).
❀ Rulings on Standing (Stagnant) Water
➊ Janābah and Bathing in Standing WaterNarrated by Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه):
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
"A person in the state of Janābah should not bathe in standing water."
The companions asked:
"Then what should he do?"
Abu Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) replied:
"He should draw out the water and bathe elsewhere."
(Muslim, Book of Purification, Chapter: Prohibition of Bathing in Standing Water: 283)
➋ Prohibition of Urinating and Bathing in Standing Water
The Prophet (ﷺ) said:
"Do not urinate in standing water and then bathe in it."
(Bukhari, Book of Ablution, Chapter: Urinating in Standing Water, Hadith 236
Muslim, Hadith 282)
➌ Prohibition of Wudu from Standing Water After Urination
The Prophet (ﷺ) said:
"Do not urinate in standing water and then perform Wudu from it."
(Tirmidhi, Book of Purification, Chapter: Dislike of Urinating in Standing Water, Hadith 86)
Tirmidhi graded this Hadith as Hasan Sahih, and its narrators are agreed upon. Refer to Sahifah Hammām ibn Munabbih.
➍ Prohibition of Urinating in Bathing Areas
Narrated by Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه):
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prohibited urinating in places used for bathing.
(Abu Dawud, Book of Purification, Chapter: Urinating in the Bathing Area, Hadith 82)
