Two Chapter 2: Purification (Tahārat) )Rules of Purity

Purification and Cleanliness are half the faith, and God loves people who are pure. In Islamic jurisprudence, purity is a primary condition of worship.

Lesson 9: Types of Water

Water is one of the most important purifiers (Mutahharāt), which is pure and makes other things pure.

There are two types of water:

1. Pure water (Mutlaq Water)
2. Mixed water (Muḍāf Water)

A- Pure Water (Mutlaq Water)

There are six types of pure water:

1) Kurr water;
2) Less than Kurr Water (Qalīl water);
3) Flowing water (Jārī water);
4) Rainwater;
5) Well water;

6) Water that springs up from the earth.

1. Kurr Water
2. In Kurr water, an amount of water fills a container

whose length, width, and depth are three and a half medium-sized spans each, and its weight is 384 kg (384 kg) (Issue 52).

2. If an intrinsic impurity (Original Najāsat), such as urine or blood, falls in Kurr water, or something that has become impure (Mutanajjis), such as impure clothing, comes into contact with Kurr water and the smell, color, or taste of the Kurr water changes, it becomes impure (Najis). But if those three characteristics (its smell, color, or taste) do not change, it will not become impure (Najis) (Issue 53).
3. When an impure thing (Najis object) is washed under a tap that is connected to Kurr water, the water that drips from it is pure (ṭāhir) under three conditions:
4. Kurr water is connected to it.
5. It has not acquired the impurity’s smell, color, or taste (najāsat).
6. The same impurity is not present in water

(Issue 57).

2. Less Than Kurr Water (Qalīl Water)
3. less than Kurr water does not spring from the earth, and its quantity is less than Kurr water (Issue 61).
4. If Qalīl water is poured on an impure object or an impure object contacts it, the Qalīl water becomes impure (Najis) (Issue 62).
5. When Qalīl water is poured on an impure object to make it pure (Tāhir) and then separated from it (it is called Ghusālah), It is impure (Najis). When the impurity is removed and the place is purified by washing it once, the water separated from the place is pure. When a place is purified by washing it twice, the first wash (Ghusālah) must be avoided as a precaution, and the second wash (Ghusālah) is pure (Tāhir) (Issue 63).
6. Flowing Water (Jārī Water)
7. Flowing water is the water that springs up from the earth and flows on it, like the water of a natural spring or a canal (Ghanāt). If Flowing water springs from the ground without flowing, it is similar to flowing water.
8. If flowing water meets impurity (Najāsat), its smell, color, or taste changes, it becomes impure (Najis)

(Issues 65 & 66).

3. The water in the pipelines of bathrooms and homes, which flows through taps and showers, is treated as flowing water if it is connected to the Kurr water

(Issues 215 & 71).

4. Rainwater
5. Rainwater is treated as flowing water. If rain falls once on an impure object that does not contain an intrinsic impurity (Original Najāsat), it will become pure (Tāhir); there is no need to apply pressure to carpets, clothes, and the like (Issues 73).
6. When rain falls on a pure carpet, spread on the impure ground, and the water flows on the ground, the carpet will not become impure (Najis), and the earth becomes pure (Issues 73).
7. If there is an intrinsic impurity (Original Najāsat) in the ceiling or roof of a building when it rains on the roof, the water that flows from the roof or the gutters is pure. After the rain stops, if the water that falls reaches an impure thing, it is impure (Issues 75).
8. Well Water
9. Well water, which springs up from the earth, is pure and makes impure things pure, although it is less than Kurr. If an impurity reaches it, but the water’s smell, color, or taste does not change, the water is pure

(Issue 80).

2. If an impurity (Original Najāsat) falls into well water and changes the smell, color, or taste of its water, then if the change disappears, the water will become pure

(Issue 81).

6. Water That Springs Up from the Earth
7. The water that springs up from the earth and does not flow, is as flowing water. Therefore, if it meets an impure thing, it does not become impure unless its color, smell, or taste change (Issue 83).

 B- Mixed Water (Muḍāf Water)

The mixed water is taken from things such as fruit juice or mixed with soil or something like that ( Issue 51).

 Laws of Mixed Water

1. Mixed water (muḍāf water) does not make any impure object pure, regardless of its amount.
2. If an impure particle contact with mixed water, it becomes impure, regardless of its quantity.
3. 3. Ablutions (Wuḍūʾ) and bathes (Ghusl) with it are invalids (bāṭil) (Issue 84 & 85).

 Exercises:

1. What are the types of water?
2. What are the laws of flowing water?
3. How are impure carpets and objects purified with rainwater?
4. How is impure well water purified?