Можно ди делать малое и полное омовение ржавой водой?

Question

Tauhid Lab Assistant · Accepted Answer

> **TL;DR:** Yes—performing wudu (ablution for prayer) and ghusl (full ritual bath) with “rusty” tap water is valid as long as the water is still commonly called “water” and the rust only slightly affects color or taste; the change comes from a pure substance and does not invalidate purification [RIS7][RIS5]. If the foreign matter dominates so much that it’s no longer regarded as plain water, it should not be used; in true unavailability or harm, tayammum (dry ablution with clean earth) is the concession until suitable water is found [TAF6][HAD7][HAD4].

## The ruling with its basis
- Wudu (ablution—washing the face, arms, wiping the head, and washing the feet) and ghusl (full ritual bath to remove major ritual impurity) are commanded with “water” explicitly in the Qur’anic description of purification; when water is unavailable or unusable, tayammum (dry ablution with clean earth) substitutes it [TAF6].  
- Classical jurists explain that purification must be done with “absolute water” (ma’ mutlaq)—that which people still call “water,” like rain, spring, well, river, or sea water [RIS2][RIS3].  
- Mixing a pure substance that only slightly alters one property (color, taste, or smell)—such as earth, saltwort, saffron, or soap—does not prevent using the water for wudu or ghusl, so long as the liquid is still commonly regarded as water [RIS7][RIS5]. Rust in pipes is an example of a non-najis (not ritually filthy) substance causing mild discoloration; by this rule, such water remains valid for purification unless the change dominates [RIS7][RIS5].  
- If a foreign substance dominates to the point the liquid is no longer regarded as water (e.g., it becomes a “rust solution” rather than “water”), it should not be used for wudu/ghusl; purification is then shifted to tayammum until suitable water is found [RIS3][TAF6].  
- Direct practical guidance confirms the above: using slightly discolored or muddy water is acceptable for ghusl, including water with light chemicals or mud that browns it [FAT5].  
- If water truly cannot be used or found, clean earth suffices for purification (tayammum) until water is available—an explicit prophetic concession removing hardship [HAD7][HAD4][TAF6].  
- The Messenger’s method of ghusl—washing, then pouring water over the head and body—demonstrates the simplicity and sufficiency of using available water without excess [HAD1][HAD2]; he also encouraged using modest amounts, showing that even limited, ordinary water suffices [HAD5].  
- Water remains inherently pure and purifying unless actual najasa (ritual filth) spoils it; mere contact with a person in a state of janaba (major ritual impurity) does not corrupt water, “Water is not affected by janabah” [HAD6]. Everyday facilities and utensils are presumed clean absent visible filth; do not assume impurity without evidence [FAT9][FAT8].

### Why this is wise and what need it serves
The law ties purification to accessible means, then removes hardship when those means are genuinely unavailable: “God does not want to impose any hardship on you, but wants to purify you and complete His favor upon you” [TAF6]. Wudu is both bodily and inward preparation; by washing the limbs one symbolically asks for cleansing from related sins and misuses, nurturing moral focus before prayer [TAF3][TAF1]. Its spiritual psychology is direct: the drops of ablution wash away minor sins from the limbs, renewing moral clarity and calm before one stands to pray [HAD8]. This balanced design meets real-world constraints (water quality, scarcity) without derailing daily worship.

### Practical applications for modern routines
- If your tap runs “rusty” for a moment, let it flow briefly, then use it for wudu or ghusl so long as it is still “water” by common speech and not overwhelmed by foreign matter [RIS7][RIS5].  
- If discoloration is strong enough that most people wouldn’t call it “water,” don’t use it for purification; take tayammum and pray on time, then do wudu/ghusl when suitable water is available [TAF6][HAD7][HAD4].  
- Keep a small bottle of plain water for wudu at the office or when traveling; wudu and ghusl require surprisingly little water when done correctly, as seen in the Prophet’s practice [HAD5][HAD1].  
- Do not fall into obsessive doubt: facilities, taps, and splashes are assumed clean without visible najasa; don’t reclassify ordinary water as impure merely from its source or appearance unless there is clear impurity [FAT9][FAT8].

### Psychological, social, and ethical benefits linked to the principle
- Using ordinary, available water reduces scrupulosity and preserves punctual prayer, strengthening discipline and serenity in pressured schedules [TAF6].  
- The act of wudu itself lightens the moral load, as sins of the limbs are washed away, encouraging ethical restraint in daily interactions [HAD8].  
- Connecting outer cleanliness with inner readiness before meetings, decisions, or prayer increases presence and integrity, as classical tafsir emphasizes wudu’s alignment of body and conscience [TAF3][TAF1].

## Divergent Perspectives
- Hanafi-oriented manuals permit water in which a pure substance slightly changed one property (e.g., earth, saffron, soap), provided it remains “water”; thus mildly “rusty” water qualifies by analogy [RIS7][RIS5].  
- Shafi‘i reasoning strictly requires “absolute water,” and explicitly disallows ablution with liquids like saffron water and similar “qualified waters” that cease to be plain water; the pivot is whether people would still call it “water” [RIS3].  
- All agree that when water is truly unavailable or unusable, tayammum is a valid and intended substitute until proper water is accessible, maintaining the cadence of worship without hardship [TAF6][HAD7][HAD4].

Key terms defined:
- Wudu: ritual ablution before prayer (washing set limbs) [TAF6]  
- Ghusl: full ritual bath to remove major impurity [HAD1][HAD2]  
- Tayammum: dry ablution using clean earth when water is unavailable or harmful [TAF6][HAD7]  
- Najasa: ritual filth/impurity that invalidates purification if it spoils the water [RIS7]

If your local case is complex (e.g., severely contaminated supply), consult a qualified scholar with details; in the meantime use the above criteria, and rely on tayammum when water doesn’t meet the “still called water” threshold [TAF6][HAD7][HAD4].

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