What is the ruling on water that has been used to remove impurity?

Chapter on what purification is achieved with regarding water

Al-Mughni

Book of Purification

Book 2 · Issue 1 · Bab 2

Open in Qurani

Primary text

Water that separates from a locus after removing impurity is deemed impure if it is altered by the impurity, or if it separates before the locus has become purified. Such water is judged impure because it has been changed by impurity, or it is a small amount of water that encountered an impure locus without purifying it, thus remaining impure, similar to water flowing onto an impure area. If the water separates without being altered from the washing that purified the locus, it is pure if the locus is earth. This is supported by a single narration because the Prophet, peace be upon him, commanded pouring a bucket of water onto the urine of the Bedouin to purify the earth he urinated upon. If the separated water were impure, it would contaminate the earth it spread to, thus multiplying the impurity. If the locus is not earth, there are two views regarding the separated water; the soundest view holds it to be pure. This is the position of Al-Shafi'i, based on the principle that water separating from an area judged pure must also be pure, like the eighth washing, and that the separated water is a part of the connected (pure) entity. The Prophet, peace be upon him, commanded washing away the Bedouin's urine immediately after it was deposited, without stipulating that the original impurity must dry first.

Supporting text

The alternative view holds that the separated water is impure, which is the position of Abu Hanifa, favored by Abu Abdullah bin Hamid. This view reasons that it is a small amount of water that encountered an impure locus, resembling the case where it did not purify the locus. However, concerning the earth, Abu Al-Khattab specified that the purity of the separated water is ruled only if the essence of the urine has dried; if the essence remains, the water flowing over it purifies it.