The Categories of Water and the Ruling on Each
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Q: A discussion took place regarding the categories of water. Some hold that water is divided into two categories: pure (tahir) and impure (najas). Others hold that water is divided into three categories: purifying (tahur), pure (tahir), and impure (najas). The question is: Is the correct view with the first group or the second group? We ask Your Eminence to clarify this issue.
A: The correct view is that absolute water (ma' al-mutlaq) has two categories: purifying (tahur) and impure (najas). Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Furqan: 48]. And He the Exalted said: [Al-Anfal: 11]. And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sunan Abi Dawud 67Sahih (Al-Albani) It was narrated by Imam Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Al-Tirmidhi, and Al-Nasa'i with a sound chain, from Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him).
His (peace and blessings be upon him) meaning is: except if its taste, smell, or color changes due to some impurity, in which case it becomes impure by the consensus of the scholars. As for what falls into the water, such as drink or leaves of trees or the like, it does not make it impure, nor does it deprive it of its purifying quality, as long as the name "water" remains.
As for if the name of the water changes due to what is mixed with it to another name, such as milk, coffee, tea, or the like, then it exits the name of water by that and is not called water. However, in itself, it is pure (tahir) due to this mixing, and it does not become impure by it.
As for restricted water (ma' al-muqayyad), such as rose water, grape water, and pomegranate water, this is called pure (tahir), but not purifying (tahur). Purification from states of ritual impurity (hadath) and physical impurity (najasah) is not achieved with it, because it is restricted water and not absolute water. Therefore, the evidences from the Shari'ah indicating purification with water do not include it. The Shari'ah only described absolute water as purifying, such as rainwater, seawater, rivers, and springs.
And success is from Allah.
A: The correct view is that absolute water (ma' al-mutlaq) has two categories: purifying (tahur) and impure (najas). Allah the Exalted said:
and We send down from the sky pure water
وَأَنْزَلْنَا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً طَهُورًا[Remember] when He overwhelmed you with drowsiness [giving] security from Him and sent down upon you from the sky, rain by which to purify you and remove from you the evil [suggestions] of Satan
إِذْ يُغَشِّيكُمُ النُّعَاسَ أَمَنَةً مِنْهُ وَيُنَزِّلُ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً لِيُطَهِّرَكُمْ بِهِ وَيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمْ رِجْزَ الشَّيْطَانِVerily water is pure and is not defiled by anything.
إن الماء طهور لا ينجسه شيءHis (peace and blessings be upon him) meaning is: except if its taste, smell, or color changes due to some impurity, in which case it becomes impure by the consensus of the scholars. As for what falls into the water, such as drink or leaves of trees or the like, it does not make it impure, nor does it deprive it of its purifying quality, as long as the name "water" remains.
As for if the name of the water changes due to what is mixed with it to another name, such as milk, coffee, tea, or the like, then it exits the name of water by that and is not called water. However, in itself, it is pure (tahir) due to this mixing, and it does not become impure by it.
As for restricted water (ma' al-muqayyad), such as rose water, grape water, and pomegranate water, this is called pure (tahir), but not purifying (tahur). Purification from states of ritual impurity (hadath) and physical impurity (najasah) is not achieved with it, because it is restricted water and not absolute water. Therefore, the evidences from the Shari'ah indicating purification with water do not include it. The Shari'ah only described absolute water as purifying, such as rainwater, seawater, rivers, and springs.
And success is from Allah.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.