The Purity of Water in Islamic Tradition: A Critical Examination of Hadith and Qur’anic Teachings

By Dr. Maxwell Shimba, Shimba Theological Institute

Introduction

The concept of ritual purity (ṭahārah) occupies a central role in Islamic jurisprudence, shaping both the spiritual and practical life of Muslims. Among the most frequently cited sources on this matter is a hadith regarding the well of Budāʿah, in which the Prophet Muhammad is reported to have declared that water remains pure regardless of external impurities. This pronouncement, preserved in Sunan Abī Dāwūd (No. 67), has been pivotal in Islamic debates on ritual cleanliness, but it also invites theological and scientific scrutiny when measured against Qur’anic injunctions and broader prophetic traditions.

The Hadith of the Well of Budāʿah

Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī narrated:

“It was said, O Messenger of Allah, shall we perform ablution from the well of Budāʿah, which dead dogs, menstrual rags, and putrid things are thrown into? The Messenger of Allah replied: ‘Water is pure and nothing makes it impure.’” (Sunan Abī Dāwūd, 67; also transmitted in al-Tirmidhī and al-Nasā’ī).

This hadith has been used to establish the principle that large bodies of water cannot be rendered impure, even when polluted by external contaminants. However, it raises significant theological, legal, and ethical questions when juxtaposed with Qur’anic verses that emphasize both physical and spiritual cleanliness.

Qur’anic Injunctions on Purity

The Qur’an repeatedly underscores the necessity of purity and warns against contamination, both literal and figurative:

• Qur’an 2:222: “Indeed, Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves.”

• Qur’an 5:6: “O you who believe! When you rise to pray, wash your faces and your hands up to the elbows, wipe over your heads, and wash your feet up to the ankles…”

• Qur’an 74:4: “And your clothing purify.”

• Qur’an 9:108: “…within it are men who love to purify themselves, and Allah loves those who purify themselves.”

These verses suggest that both ritual and physical cleanliness are not only encouraged but commanded. It is therefore problematic to reconcile the notion that water filled with carcasses and waste could still be considered “pure” in a hygienic or ritual sense.

Comparative Hadith Literature

Additional hadith illustrate a similar tension. For example:

1. Prohibition of Urinating in Standing Water
   Abū Hurayrah reported:

“The Messenger of Allah said: ‘None of you should urinate in standing water and then wash in it.’” (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, 239; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, 282).

This tradition contradicts the Budāʿah hadith by acknowledging that human waste does indeed render water unsuitable for ritual purification.

2. Avoidance of Impurity
   The Prophet is also reported to have said:

“Beware of the three acts that cause you to be cursed: relieving yourselves in shaded places, in pathways, and in watering places.” (Sunan Abī Dāwūd, 26).

This indicates that Muhammad recognized the dangers of contaminating communal resources and discouraged practices that spread impurity.

3. Cleanliness as Half of Faith
   Abū Mālik al-Ashʿarī narrated:

“The Messenger of Allah said: ‘Purification is half of faith.’” (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, 223).

Here, cleanliness is elevated to a fundamental principle of Islamic piety, suggesting that hygiene cannot be divorced from spiritual devotion.

Scholarly and Theological Analysis

From an academic perspective, the hadith of the well of Budāʿah introduces a theological inconsistency when held against other Islamic sources. On one hand, Muhammad proclaimed water to be impervious to impurity, even when visibly defiled by dead animals and waste. On the other hand, he prohibited urination in stagnant water, condemned unhygienic practices, and emphasized purification as integral to faith.

Moreover, when examined through the lens of modern hygiene and water science, the Budāʿah hadith raises significant concerns. The presence of decomposing carcasses and menstrual cloths would undeniably render water unfit for consumption or ritual use by any rational standard of sanitation. Thus, this hadith not only contradicts other prophetic reports but also undermines the Qur’anic principle that God loves those who keep themselves pure.

Conclusion

The Islamic tradition contains both affirmations of absolute water purity, as seen in the hadith of Budāʿah, and explicit prohibitions against polluting water. This tension reveals an inconsistency within the hadith corpus that challenges both theological coherence and practical application. When measured against the Qur’an’s repeated call for purity—both ritual and physical—the Budāʿah hadith appears out of harmony with broader Islamic values. Such critical examination is essential for understanding how Islamic jurisprudence developed and how it continues to face challenges of textual reliability, theological integrity, and scientific validity.

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📚 References

• The Qur’an, Surahs 2:222, 5:6, 9:108, 74:4.

• Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Hadith Nos. 239.

• Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Hadith Nos. 223, 282.

• Sunan Abī Dāwūd, Hadith Nos. 26, 67.

• Jāmiʿ al-Tirmidhī; al-Nasā’ī, parallel reports.

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