The Book of Water - Sunan an-Nasa'i 327

"I passed by the Prophet (ﷺ) when he was performing Wudu' from the well of Buda'ah. I said: 'Are you performing Wudu' from it when garbage is thrown into it?' He said: 'Water is not made impure by anything.'"

Commentary on the Hadith

This noble hadith establishes a fundamental principle in Islamic purification law: the inherent purity of water. The Prophet's response, "Water is not made impure by anything," demonstrates that water remains pure unless its color, taste, or smell is altered by an impurity.

Scholars explain that large bodies of water, like the well of Buda'ah, do not become impure from minor contaminants due to their volume. The water's essential qualities remain unchanged, thus maintaining its purity for ritual ablution (wudu') and other religious purposes.

This teaching reflects Islam's practical approach to purity, avoiding unnecessary hardship while maintaining spiritual cleanliness. The ruling applies to flowing rivers, large wells, and substantial water collections where impurities do not fundamentally change the water's nature.

Juridical Implications

According to the majority of scholars, water becomes impure only when one of its three qualities (color, taste, or smell) changes due to contamination. If these characteristics remain unaffected, the water retains its purity regardless of what falls into it.

This principle forms the basis for distinguishing between pure (tahir) and impure (najis) water in Islamic jurisprudence, providing clear guidelines for Muslims performing ritual purification.