Purifying Waters and Absolute Water (الماء المطلق)

1. Water Used for Wudu and Ghusl

• Core rule: For Wudu and Ghusl, the water used must be legally purifying water.
• Absolute water (Ma' al-Mutlaq): Water that remains water in its natural form and can still simply be called “water” is the basic form used for ritual purification.
• Liquids that are no longer called water on their own—such as rosewater or fruit juice—are not used for Wudu or Ghusl.

2. The Seven Waters Valid for Purification

Source text
الْمِيَاهُ الَّتِي يَجُوزُ التَّطْهِيرُ بِهَا سَبْعَةُ مِيَاهٍ...

The text lists seven waters with which purification is valid:
• مَاءُ السَّمَاءِ — rainwater
• مَاءُ الْبَحْرِ — seawater
• مَاءُ النَّهْرِ — river water
• مَاءُ الْبِئْرِ — well water
• مَاءُ الْعَيْنِ — spring water
• مَاءٌ ذَابَ مِنَ الثَّلْجِ — melted snow
• مَاءٌ ذَابَ مِنَ الْبَرَدِ — melted hail

3. Seawater, Snow, and Hail

• Seawater: Seawater is purifying even though it is salty. The commentary cites the Prophetic statement: هُوَ الطَّهُورُ مَاؤُهُ، الْحِلُّ مَيْتَتُهُ — “Its water is purifying, and its dead creatures are lawful.”
• Snow and hail: When snow or hail melts into water, that water may be used for purification.
• Rainwater, river water, well water, and spring water are likewise among the seven waters named by the text.

4. Absolute Water and Restricted Water

Source text
وَهُوَ الْمَاءُ الْمُطْلَقُ الَّذِي بَقِيَ عَلَى خِلْقَتِهِ

• Absolute water: Water that remains in its natural state and can still be called simply “water.” Rainwater, river water, well water, and spring water are examples.
• Restricted water: A liquid whose added description has become part of its identity, so it is not normally called simply “water,” such as rosewater or fruit juice.
• Ruling: Restricted liquids are not valid for Wudu or Ghusl.

5. Identification vs. Restriction in the Name of Water

• Identification (Ta'rif): Expressions such as “rainwater” or “well water” identify the source of the water; they do not turn it into restricted water. It can still simply be called water.
• Restriction (Taqyid): In “rosewater,” the added word changes the identity of the liquid; it is not ordinarily called simply water.
• A separate legal point from the supplied commentary: If someone uses another person's water without permission, the Wudu itself is valid, but taking or using another person's property without permission is sinful.