💧 Fiqh of worship · Step 1 of 12
Purity, water and impurity
Prayer needs a pure body, clothes and place. Learn which water purifies and how to remove impurity.
“Purity is half of faith.”
Water that purifies
Rain, sea, river, well and tap water purify, as long as their colour, taste and smell have not been changed by something impure. Water already used for wudu, or mixed so much with something pure that it is no longer called water (like tea), does not purify.
Removing impurity (najasah)
Urine, stool, blood and similar impurities are washed off the body, clothes or place until the impurity and its trace are gone. After using the toilet we clean ourselves (istinja) with water, or with tissue/stones and then water.
Where the schools differ
| Point | Hanafi | Shafi'i |
|---|---|---|
A small amount of impurity on clothes | Heavy impurity smaller than a dirham coin (about 3 cm) is excused, though washing it is better | Only a very small amount that is hard to avoid is excused |
A dog's saliva | Impure; wash the vessel three times | Impure; wash seven times, once with earth |
✅ Check yourself
-
Which water does not purify?
Show the answer
Water changed by impurity, or mixed until it is no longer water (like tea).