Lesson No 22

WATER

17. What kinds of water are permissible to be used in ablution?

Ans. Water from rain, tank, well, river, sea, melted snow and ice is permissible to be used for ablution.

17. Which kinds of liquid are not allowed to be used in ablution?

Ans. The following kinds of liquid are not allowed to be used in ablution: fruit juice; squeezed tree sap; water whose colour, smell and taste have changed because of the addition of some unclean substance to it, or which has grown thick because of the above things; water in small quantity in which some unclean substance has fallen or some animal has been drowned water already once used in ablution or bath; water in which uncleanness dominates; water from which forbidden animals have taken drink; water of aniseed, rose or any other herb.

17. What do we call the water which has been once used in ablution or bath?

Ans. Such water is known as the used-up (Musta’mal) water. It is clean in itself but is not permitted to be reused in ablution or bath?

17. What animals are there whose left-over water is unclean?

Ans. The left-over water of the dog, the pig, the animals of prey or of the cat (if it drinks water immediately after it has eaten a rat or any other prey) is unclean. Water from which a person takes drink immediately after he has drunk wine is also unclean.

17. The left-over water of which animal is undesirable (Makruh) for use?

Ans. The left-over water of the cat (if it has not eaten the rat immediately before), the rat, the lizard, wild hen, filth-eating cow or buffalo, crow, kite, hawk and all the fobidden animals is undesirable (Makruh) for use.

17. The left over water of which creatures is clean?

Ans. The left-over water of human beings and permissible animals such as the cow, goat, dove and horse is clean.

17. Which water turns unclean in the event of some uncleanness falling into it?

Ans. All varieties of water turn unclean except: (1) running water of a river or rivulet, (2) standing water if it is in large quantity, as water in a big basin.

17. What is the minimum quantity for the stagnant water to be treated at par with running water?

Ans. Stagnant water measuring five metres each in length and breadth is like runing water. Any tank or basin of this size shall be treated as equivalent to running water.

17. What other factors besides the mixing of unclean substance turn the water in small quantities unclean?

Ans. If a living creature such as bird, hen, pigeon, cat or rat that can bleed falls down into the small-quantity of water and dies there, the water turns unclean.

17. When does the water of a big tank or pond turn unclean?

Ans. It turns unclean if the taste, colour or smell of the unclean substance manifests itself in it.

17. Which are the animals that die in water but do not turn it unclean?

Ans. No water turns unclean if the animals that are born and bred in water such as fish, frog, etc., or the creatures that do not have blood flowing in their veins such as flies, mosquitoes, wasps, lizards and ants die in it.