Water for purification: its kinds and rulings (miyah)

Water (ma') is, in the lexicon, a fine flowing body by which every living thing lives; the word is a plural of miyah. Water is linked to purity, since it is the means of purification. ^{1 2}

Water is divided by its quality into four kinds: pure water (mutlaq), used water (musta'mal), water warmed (musakhkhan), and mixed water (mukhtalit). ¹

Pure water is what bears the name water without qualification; some say it is water that keeps its created nature. It is clean in itself and purifies others, by agreement. The jurists call it tahur. The majority read tahur as "clean and purifying", citing verses and hadiths on purification; the Hanafis read it as "clean". ^{2 5}

The jurists name rain and dew, sea water, river water, well water, spring water, snow and hail. The rule for the well follows the hadith of Bi'r Buda'a. ^{6 7}

The Hanafis, Malikis, Shafi'is and Hanbalis allow purification with sea water without disapproval; this is the view of most Companions and Successors, though some disliked it. Snow water before it melts has three views: the Malikis, Hanbalis and the adopted Hanafi view forbid its use unless it drips and runs over the limb; Abu Yusuf and al-Awza'i allow it; the Shafi'is distinguish running from non-running. ^{7 8}

The jurists differ on zamzam: the Hanafis, Shafi'is and some Malikis permit it for lesser impurity without disapproval but disapprove using it to remove najasa out of honour; the Malikis allow it without disapproval; a view of Ahmad disapproves it in all cases. Stagnant water changed by long standing is permitted without disapproval; Ibn Sirin disliked it. ^{8 9 10}

For the Hanafis, used water is water used to remove a minor impurity or used on the body for worship; it becomes used as soon as it leaves the body. It is clean but not purifying for ritual impurity, though it can remove najasa. The Malikis call it pure and purifying, but disliked for ritual impurity when other water is available. The Shafi'is call a small amount used for an obligatory purification pure and not purifying, while a large quantity reaching two qullatayn is purifying, according to the sounder view; the Hanbalis hold it pure and not purifying on the apparent school view, with a report that it is purifying. ^{10 11 12 13}

Sun-warmed water is permitted by the Hanbalis, most Hanafis, some Malikis and some Shafi'is without disapproval. The Malikis of the adopted view, the Shafi'is of their school and some Hanafis disapprove it, citing a report from Umar and the fear of vitiligo, mainly in hot lands. Water warmed by fire is not disliked by the Malikis and Shafi'is; very hot or very cold water is disliked for purification because it prevents full washing. ^{14 15}

When a clean substance mixes with water without changing any of its qualities, the water remains valid. When an unavoidable clean matter changes it, such as algae or leaves, purification is allowed. When a clean matter that can be avoided, such as saffron or soap, changes it, the Hanafis and a view of Ahmad hold it clean and purifying unless it was cooked or the mixture dominates; the Malikis, Shafi'is and another view of Ahmad hold it clean but not purifying. ^{15 16 17}

If water is changed by an adjacent clean object such as oil, wood or camphor without dissolving into it, the Hanafis, Hanbalis and some Malikis hold it clean and purifying; the Shafi'is prefer that view. The Malikis of the adopted view and the Shafi'is in the opposing view hold it clean but not purifying. ^{17 3}

When unclean matter changes one of the qualities of water, the water is unclean by agreement, whether little or much. If it is not changed, there are two views: the water remains clean in every quantity (a view of some Malikis, Shafi'is and Hanbalis); or little water becomes unclean and much does not, which is the view of the Hanafis, the Shafi'is in their school and the Hanbalis in the well-known view. ^{3 18}

The Hanafis divide by movement: water is much when a movement at one end moves the other end. The Malikis divide by change: water is little when its colour, taste or smell changes. The Shafi'is and Hanbalis divide by the two qullatayn, following the hadith of Ibn Umar that water of two qullatayn does not carry filth. ^{18 19}

The Hanafis distinguish running water from still water; running water with unseen filth remains clean unless it changes, and with seen filth the rule depends on how much flows over it. The Malikis count the bowl's worth as little. The Shafi'is treat still water by the kind of filth and by the two qullatayn, and running water in parts. The Hanbalis count running water as a whole or by each stream. ^{19 20 21 22}

The Hanafis describe ways of purifying unclean water in vessels. The Malikis hold that it is purified by pouring water on it until the change disappears. The Shafi'is and Hanbalis purify water under two qullatayn by adding water, and water that has changed by letting it stand or by drawing some out. Well water is purified, in the majority view, by drawing out or adding water, and in the Hanafi view by drawing alone. ^{22 23 4}

When pure and impure water in neighbouring vessels cannot be told apart and no other pure water is available, the jurists give five views: strive and choose; strive only when pure vessels are more numerous; refrain and make tayammum; perform ablution and prayer for the number of impure vessels plus one; or use any vessel. ^{4 24 25}

The Hanafis, Malikis, Shafi'is and Ibn Aqil hold that a crop watered with unclean water is clean, and that fruit touched by it must be washed. The adopted Hanbali view holds that crops and fruit watered or manured with unclean matter are forbidden, citing a report from Ibn Abbas on a lease that forbade manuring the land with human dung. ²⁵