Types of Water in Islam
An essential guide to understanding the classifications of water and their rulings for Islamic purification.
Māʾ Ṭahūr (مَاءٌ طَهُور) — Pure and Purifying Water 💧
This water is inherently pure and capable of purifying other things. It is the primary type of water used for all purification needs in Islam.
Ruling for Māʾ Ṭahūr:
This water is inherently pure and can purify others. It includes common sources such as rainwater, well water, river water, and seawater. As long as this water remains unchanged without any alterations (in color, taste, or smell), it can be used for:
- Removing impurities (Najāsah)
- Performing Wudu (ablution)
- Taking Ghusl (obligatory ritual bath)
- Fulfilling all purification needs required in Islamic practices
Moreover, if there are any changes in the water due to it being stagnant in a place for a long time, it will not become impure. Similarly, if changes occur in the water due to the soil of the land or due to a fault in the place where the water is stored, or if there are growths like algae in the water, the water will not become impure under such conditions.
Evidence for the cleanliness of the water:
Once, while the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his companions were sitting in the mosque, a Native Arabic came and urinated on the wall of the mosque. Immediately, the companions tried to stop him, but the Prophet (peace be upon him) stopped them and allowed the man to finish urinating. After the man had finished, the Prophet (peace be upon him) ordered them to bring a vessel of water. Then, he instructed that the clean water be poured over the spot where the urine had been, so that it could be purified.
Conclusion:
Thus, by pouring water, the spot that had become impure was purified.
Māʾ Ṭāhir (مَاءٌ طَاهِر) — Pure but not Purifying Water 💧
The ruling on this water is that it is pure in itself, but it cannot be used to purify other things (e.g., for Wudu or Ghusl).
This water is divided into two types:
1st Type: Water used for a necessary purification (e.g., ablution) but has become insufficient for further purification.
This water, once used, cannot be employed for purifying other things. For example, it cannot be used for performing wudu (ablution) or for taking a bath.
Evidence for this comes from a hadith:
It is narrated in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim that Jabir ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "When I was ill, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) came to visit me. The Prophet (peace be upon him) performed wudu and then poured the leftover water from his wudu over me."
The ruling derived from this hadith is:
When a certain purification has been done using water, and that water is pure, it cannot be used to purify anything else. This is why the Prophet (peace be upon him) poured his wudu water on Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him); if the water had been impure, he would not have done that.
2nd Type: Water that has something pure mixed with it.
This water remains pure but cannot be used to purify others. For example, if water is mixed with a clean substance like honey, vinegar, or buttermilk, that water remains pure in its own right, but it cannot be used to purify others.
Such water can be used in its current state as long as it remains suitable for the purpose it is used for. However, it cannot be used for wudu or for the ritual bath.
Māʾ Najīs (مَاءٌ نَجِس) — Impure Water 💧
Impure water cannot be used for any purification purposes.
Impure water can be classified into two types:
1st Type: Water that is insufficient for purifying (a small quantity of water).
If any impure substance falls into this water, there is no requirement for any other change to occur in the water. Simply due to the impurity falling into the water, the water becomes impure.
2nd Type: Water in a larger quantity (sufficient for general use).
If any impure substance falls into such water, the water will not immediately become impure just because of the impurity. However, if the water undergoes changes due to the impurity — such as a change in smell, taste, or color — then the water becomes impure.
Size of the Kullathani (Water Container):
According to the Fiqh calculation, the water should be at least 500 Raathel (a traditional unit of measurement). In terms of our local kilograms, this equals approximately 192.857 kg of water.
To make this easier to understand, it can be measured using the hand of an average person. In other words, to measure 1 1/4 "full hand" (in volume), imagine a box-shaped container. The container should have a length, width, and height each measuring one full hand's span.
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