The extent of the permissibility of swimming pool water for ritual purity and prayer
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Fatwa number (9389)
Q: We inform your eminence that, with the help of Allah, the management, maintenance, and operation of the swimming pool belonging to the Municipality of Jeddah have been entrusted to us. Since this vital facility is visited by many brothers at various times, including times of prayer, and since their numbers are sometimes large, it is very difficult for them all to perform wudu' at the same time; first, due to water issues, and second, due to a lack of sufficient space for wudu', as their numbers sometimes reach 600 or more, and they are all swimming in the pools. Therefore, this submission is made to inquire about the extent of the permissibility of swimming pool water, according to the Shari'ah, for ritual purity and prayer, and we present to you a brief overview of the situation:
There are two swimming pools, one containing (2340) cubic meters of water, i.e., (585,000) gallons, and the other containing (1955) cubic meters, i.e., (495,505) gallons. Naturally, between 10,000 and 15,000 gallons are added daily to compensate for what is lost due to evaporation and filtration, purification, and disinfection work. The water is also disinfected—i.e., sterilized—daily with chemical disinfectants against microbes and others, such as chlorine. The water in the pools is completely pure, clear and not murky, and has absolutely no color, taste, or smell. We hope your eminence will graciously issue a fatwa on this matter, as it will help us manage prayer times for the pool users, which we are, if Allah wills, very keen to maintain.
A: Praise be to Allah alone, and blessings and peace be upon His Messenger, his family, and his Companions... After that: If the reality is as you described, regarding the large quantity of water in the swimming pools to the extent mentioned, and that it is pure and clear, with its color, smell, or taste not changed by impurity, and that a large amount of water is added to it from time to time to compensate for what is lost, along with purification and disinfection, then it is valid for wudu' and ghusl for prayer and other acts whose performance is legally dependent on wudu' and ghusl.
And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: We inform your eminence that, with the help of Allah, the management, maintenance, and operation of the swimming pool belonging to the Municipality of Jeddah have been entrusted to us. Since this vital facility is visited by many brothers at various times, including times of prayer, and since their numbers are sometimes large, it is very difficult for them all to perform wudu' at the same time; first, due to water issues, and second, due to a lack of sufficient space for wudu', as their numbers sometimes reach 600 or more, and they are all swimming in the pools. Therefore, this submission is made to inquire about the extent of the permissibility of swimming pool water, according to the Shari'ah, for ritual purity and prayer, and we present to you a brief overview of the situation:
There are two swimming pools, one containing (2340) cubic meters of water, i.e., (585,000) gallons, and the other containing (1955) cubic meters, i.e., (495,505) gallons. Naturally, between 10,000 and 15,000 gallons are added daily to compensate for what is lost due to evaporation and filtration, purification, and disinfection work. The water is also disinfected—i.e., sterilized—daily with chemical disinfectants against microbes and others, such as chlorine. The water in the pools is completely pure, clear and not murky, and has absolutely no color, taste, or smell. We hope your eminence will graciously issue a fatwa on this matter, as it will help us manage prayer times for the pool users, which we are, if Allah wills, very keen to maintain.
A: Praise be to Allah alone, and blessings and peace be upon His Messenger, his family, and his Companions... After that: If the reality is as you described, regarding the large quantity of water in the swimming pools to the extent mentioned, and that it is pure and clear, with its color, smell, or taste not changed by impurity, and that a large amount of water is added to it from time to time to compensate for what is lost, along with purification and disinfection, then it is valid for wudu' and ghusl for prayer and other acts whose performance is legally dependent on wudu' and ghusl.
And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.