Is used water impure (Najas)?

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah Most Merciful Most Kind

Short Answer

Used water is not impure (Najas). Although this has been attributed to Imam Abu Hanifah, it is not the sound narration. Rather the sound narration from the Imam considers the water to be pure but non-purifying, and that is the position of the Madhab.

Explanation

عَنْ عَوْنِ بْنِ أَبِي جُحَيْفَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ: رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي قُبَّةٍ حَمْرَاءَ مِنْ أَدَمٍ، وَرَأَيْتُ بِلاَلًا أَخَذَ وَضُوءَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَرَأَيْتُ النَّاسَ يَبْتَدِرُونَ ذَاكَ الوَضُوءَ، فَمَنْ أَصَابَ مِنْهُ شَيْئًا تَمَسَّحَ بِهِ، وَمَنْ لَمْ يُصِبْ مِنْهُ شَيْئًا أَخَذَ مِنْ بَلَلِ يَدِ صَاحِبِهِ

Abu Juhaifah said: I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in a red leather tent. And I saw (Sayidina) Bilal taking the remaining Wudu water of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ . I observed the people vying for that Wudu water. Whoever got some of it wiped it on himself. And whoever did not get any of it took the moisture from the hand of his companion. (Sahih al-Bukhari, 376).

Many Hanafi scholars have cited the Hadith above when asserting that used water is not impure according to the Hanafi Madhab. In this context, used water (Maa Mustamal) refers to water that has been used to perform Wudu or any other act of ritual purification.

It is correct to say that some Hanafis did hold the view that used water is impure. However, it is not the sound opinion, and it does seem to be a strange position to take. How would a person perform Wudu without making his clothes impure? What about the area around him? It would become impure.

The noble act of making Wudu would spread a great deal of impurity. In any case, the view that used water is impure is not the position of the Madhab. In addition, it seems to lack evidence.

Evidence

وَفِيه: طَهَارَة المَاء الْمُسْتَعْمل. قيل: فِيهِ حجَّة على الْحَنَفِيَّة فِي قَوْلهم بِنَجَاسَة المَاء الْمُسْتَعْمل. قلت: لَيْسَ كَذَلِك، فَإِن الْمَذْهَب أَن المَاء الْمُسْتَعْمل طَاهِر حَتَّى يجوز شربه والتعجين بِهِ، غير أَنه لَيْسَ بِطهُور، فَلَا يجوز بِهِ الْوضُوء وَلَا الِاغْتِسَال، وَكَونه نجسا رِوَايَة عَن أبي حنيفَة وَلَيْسَ الْعَمَل عَلَيْهَا. (عمدة القاري شرح صحيح البخاري)

In it (the Hadith) is (proof for) the purity of the water used. It is said that it is evidence against the Hanafis regarding their claiming the impurity of used water. I say: It is not like that. Indeed the position of the Madhab is that used water used is pure. Such that drinking it and kneading with it is permitted. However, it is not purifying. So it is not permissible to perform Wudu or ghusl with it. As for it being impure, it is a narration from Abu Hanifah. However, it is not acted upon. (Imam Badr al-Deen al-Ayni 855H, Umdatu al-Qari Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari).

وَبِهِ يَسْتَدِلُّ مُحَمَّدٌ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَى طَهَارَةِ الْمَاءِ الْمُسْتَعْمَلِ، لِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا يَتَبَرَّكُونَ بِذَلِكَ، وَلَا يُتَبَرَّكُ بِمَا هُوَ نَجِسٌ فَلَوْ كَانَ نَجِسًا لَأَنْكَرَ عَلَيْهِمْ ذَلِكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ. (شرح السير الكبير)

(Imam) Muhammad (May Allah have mercy on him) used it as evidence for the purity of used water. Since they used it to seek blessings. And blessings are not sought from something impure. If it was impure then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would have rebuked them. (Imam Abu Sahl al-Sarakhsi 483H, Sharh al-Siyar al-Kabeer).

الْمَاءُ الْمُسْتَعْمَلُ طَاهِرٌ غَيْرُ طَهُورٍ عِنْدَ مُحَمَّدٍ، وَهُوَ رِوَايَتُهُ عَنْ أَبِي حَنِيفَةَ، وَهُوَ اخْتِيَارُ أَكْثَرِ الْمَشَايِخِ ; لِأَنَّ الصَّحَابَةَ – رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ – كَانُوا يَتَبَادَرُونَ إِلَى وُضُوءِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – فَيَمْسَحُونَ بِهِ وُجُوهَهُمْ وَلَمْ يَمْنَعْهُمْ، وَلَوْ كَانَ نَجِسًا لَمَنَعَهُمْ. (الاختيار لتعليل المختار)

Used water is pure but not purifying according to (Imam) Muhammad. That is also his narration from Abu Hanifah. And it is the choice of most of the Shaykhs. Since the Companions (May Allah be pleased with them) used to vie for the Wudu water of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Then they would wipe their faces with it. And he ﷺ did not prevent them. Had it been impure then he ﷺ would have prevented them. (Imam Abu al-Fadl al-Mowsili 683H, al-Ikhtiyaar).

In the Nusoos (texts) above we find major Hanafi Imams citing the Hadith above as proof for the position that used water is pure. They explain that if it had been an impurity then the blessed Prophet ﷺ would have explained this to the Sahabah. Especially in situations where clarification was required.

Exception

قِيلَ: هَذَا يَدُلُّ عَلَى أَنَّ الْمَاءَ الْمُسْتَعْمَلَ طَاهِرٌ. وَقِيلَ: هَذَا مِنْ خَصَائِصِهِ، وَلِذَا حَجَّمَهُ أَبُو طَيْبَةَ فَشَرِبَ دَمَهُ. (مرقاة المفاتيح شرح مشكاة المصابيح)

It was said: This indicates that used water is pure. It was also said: This is from his ﷺ uniqueness. That is why Abu Taybah cupped him ﷺ and drank his ﷺ blood. (Imam Ai al-Qari 1014H, Mirqaat al-Mafateeh).

The point raised in the Nass (text) above is a very good one. The Imam alludes to the fact that you cannot use the example of the Prophet ﷺ in this case. Since the used water of the Prophet ﷺ being pure may be an exception. Therefore, it cannot be used to make the general point that used water is not impure.

This is an excellent point. Since everything about our beloved Prophet ﷺ is pure. However, we would still expect our blessed Prophet ﷺ to clarify the general point in such circumstances. Meaning, usually in such circumstances the Mubarak Prophet ﷺ would explain or allude to the general rule.

For example, when it became evident that the blessed blood of the Prophet ﷺ was pure, he did allude to the fact that blood generally is impure. Thus, the scholars had no difficulty in confirming that blood is impure. However, that is not the case for the beloved Prophet ﷺ.

Other Hanafi Imams

It is strange to see that many Hanafi teachers, in our time, are telling people that used water is impure. Since many authoritative books in the Madhab have clarified that used water is not impure. What is more surprising is what some of them use as a justification for this erroneous position.

They say Imam Abu Hanifah used to see the sins being washed away during Wudu and that is why he said used water is impure. There is so much wrong with this statement that I felt compelled to write a separate answer on it. Blunders like this massively misrepresent the Hanafi Madhab.

قال محمد بن الحسن: الماء المستعمل طاهر، ولا يفسد الثوب حصوله فيه وإن كان كثيرًا فاحشًا، وروى محمد ذلك عن أبي حنيفة وأبي يوسف. (شرح مختصر الطحاوي)

Muhammad bin al-Hasan said: Used water is pure. It getting on to the garment does not spoil it even if it is abundant. And Muhammad narrated that from Abu Hanifah and Abu Yusuf too. (Abu Bakr al-Jasas 370H, Sharh Mukhtasar al-Tahawi).

واختلفوا في طهارته، قال محمد رحمه الله: هو طاهر، وهو رواية أبي حنيفة رحمه الله وعليه الفتوى. (المحيط البرهاني في الفقه النعماني)

They differed regarding its purity. Muhammad (May Allah have mercy on him) said: It is pure. And that is a narration from Abu Hanifah too (May Allah have mercy upon him). And the Fatwa is upon it. (Imam Burhan al-Deen al-Bukhari 616H, al-Muheet al-Burhani).

وَالْمَاءُ الْمُسْتَعْمَلُ لِقُرْبَةٍ أَوْ رَفْعِ حَدَثٍ إذَا اسْتَقَرَّ فِي مَكَان طَاهِرٌ لَا مُطَهَّرٌ

وَقَالَ مَشَايِخُ الْعِرَاقِ إنَّهُ طَاهِرٌ غَيْرُ طَهُورٍ عِنْدَ أَصْحَابِنَا وَهُوَ الْأَصَحُّ، ذَكَرَهُ فِي التُّحْفَةِ وَغَيْرِهِ وَقَالَ فِي الْغَايَةِ وَهُوَ اخْتِيَارُ الْمُحَقِّقِينَ مِنْ مَشَايِخِ مَا وَرَاءَ النَّهْرِ، وَقَالَ الْإِسْبِيجَابِيُّ وَعَلَيْهِ الْفَتْوَى وَوَجْهُهُ أَنَّ مُلَاقَاةَ الطَّاهِرِ لَا تُوجِبُ التَّنْجِيسَ. (تبيين الحقائق شرح كنز الدقائق)

Imam al-Nasafi: And water used for a ritual act or to remove Hadath (ritual impurity) is pure but not purifying once it has settled in a place.

Imam al-Zayla’i: The Shaykhs of Iraq said it is pure but not purifying according to our companions, and that is the most correct view. He mentioned it in al-Tuhfa and elsewhere. In al-Ghayah: It is the choice of the scholars of verification from beyond the river. Al-Isbijabi said: The Fatwa is upon it. The explanation is that meeting something pure does not necessitate defilement. (Tabyeen al-Haqaaiq, Sharh Kanz al-Daqaiq).

The other view

As seen in the Nusoos (texts) above, the Hanafi Madhab is clear regarding the strongest opinion. Namely, used water is not impure. However, other opinions do exist within the Madhab. And the one often mentioned by people is the one deeming used water to be impure. So, an analysis of their evidence may be useful.

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: إِذَا تَوَضَّأَ الْعَبْدُ الْمُسْلِمُ – أَوِ الْمُؤْمِنُ – فَغَسَلَ وَجْهَهُ خَرَجَ مِنْ وَجْهِهِ كُلُّ خَطِيئَةٍ نَظَرَ إِلَيْهَا بِعَيْنَيْهِ مَعَ الْمَاءِ – أَوْ مَعَ آخِرِ قَطْرِ الْمَاءِ -، فَإِذَا غَسَلَ يَدَيْهِ خَرَجَ مِنْ يَدَيْهِ كُلُّ خَطِيئَةٍ كَانَ بَطَشَتْهَا يَدَاهُ مَعَ الْمَاءِ أَوْ مَعَ آخِرِ قَطْرِ الْمَاءِ -، فَإِذَا غَسَلَ رِجْلَيْهِ خَرَجَتْ كُلُّ خَطِيئَةٍ مَشَتْهَا رِجْلَاهُ مَعَ الْمَاءِ – أَوْ مَعَ آخِرِ قَطْرِ الْمَاءِ – حَتَّى يَخْرُجَ نَقِيًّا مِنَ الذُّنُوبِ

(Sayidina) Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: When a Muslim servant (or believer) performs Wudu, so washes his face, every sin he committed with his eyes will be washed away with the water (or with the last drop of water). When he washes his hands, every sin he committed with the strength of his hands will be washed away with the water (or with the last drop of water). When he washes his feet, every sin towards which his feet walked will be washed away with the water (or with the last drop of water). Such that he comes out pure from sin. (Sahih Muslim, 244 – 32).  

The Hadith narration above makes it clear that Wudu water washes away sins. There is no dispute regarding that. The dispute is regarding the water subsequently becoming impure. If sins are removed by something, does that then become pure?

Prayer eradicates sin. Does the person praying become impure? The same can be said for fasting. Also charity, do the coins become impure when you pay charity with them? The Hadith below speaks of shaking hands eradicating sins. But the hands do not become impure. Otherwise you would be obliged to immediately wash your hands after shaking someone’s hand.

حُذَيْفَةَ بْنِ الْيَمَانِ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: إِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ إِذَا لَقِيَ الْمُؤْمِنَ فَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِ، وَأَخَذَ بِيَدِهِ، فَصَافَحَهُ، تَنَاثَرَتْ خَطَايَاهُمَا، كَمَا يَتَنَاثَرُ وَرَقُ الشَّجَرِ

(Sayidina) Hudhayfah bin al-Yaman narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: When a believer meets a believer and greets him, taking him by the hand and shaking it, sins fall away, just as leaves fall from trees. (Tabarani al-Mu’jam al-Awsat, 245).

رَوَاهُ الطَّبَرَانِيُّ فِي الْأَوْسَطِ، وَيَعْقُوبُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الطَّحْلَاءِ، رَوَى عَنْهُ غَيْرُ وَاحِدٍ وَلَمْ يُضَعِّفْهُ أَحَدٌ، وَبَقِيَّةُ رِجَالِهِ ثِقَاتٌ. (مجمع الزوائد ومنبع الفوائد)

It was narrated by al-Tabarani in al-Awsat. More than one person narrated from Ya’qub bin Muhammad bin al-Tahlaa, and no one considered him weak. The rest of the narrators are trustworthy. (Imam Noorud-deen al-Haythami 807H, Majma al-Zawaid).

Conclusion

Used water is not impure according to the Hanafi Madhab. Therefore, the water falling onto the clothes or floor does not render them impure. Unfortunately, some Hanafis do teach the opposite to this, and that does cause confusion. However, the authoritative books of the Madhab are clear on this issue. And Hanafi teachers do not have the right to contradict the authoritative works of the Madhab.

And Allah Most High Knows Best.

–Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (14.08.24)