How Can I Be Sure Water Is Pure? I Suffer under OCD.

Answered by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat 

Question

My question is that I know that water becomes impure if it gets mixed with impurity but what if it is so small that it did not change its properties?

I know I can’t use that water for purification, but what if it falls on my clothes? Do I have to wash it even if no trace of impurity appeared? I mean, even if it did not change these three properties of my clothes, but only the wetness of the water can be felt. This affects my OCD and mental health.

Answer

I pray you are well.

Which Types of Water Are Impure?

In the Hanafi school, two types of water are impure: a small body of water (which is around 5 square meters) in which some impurity – such as blood or urine – has fallen; and flowing water or a larger body of water in which the smell, taste, or color of impurity is present. [Shurunbulali, Maraqi al Falah]

Alongside this, it is important to know that flowing and moving water is pure – as long as one or more of the above-mentioned three traces of the impurity is not present.

Assume Purity Unless There is Certainty

Most of the water you will come into contact with will likely be pure. If you have not seen any impurity come into contact with the water,  assume it is pure and carry on. If you see that some water has come into contact with impurity, if it is a small amount, simply wash it by running it under a tap. The flowing water will wash away the impure water.

If it is a large body of water or it has flowed or moved, then assume it is pure unless the change in smell, color, or taste is apparent to you.

It’s that simple. The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Indeed, the [practice of the] religion is to ease itself.” [Bukhari]

Remember this.  If you’re having issues, then amend your practice. Learn how to do it in a way that is easy itself.

Learn the Rulings With a Teacher

The solution to your issue is twofold: learn the rulings of purity with a teacher, and take the steps to heal your OCD. Studying with a teacher is helpful because a teacher can provide a clear and simple understanding of the rulings of purity and how to apply them.

To heal, please refer to this seminar. It will explain matters and show how to get the help you need. May Allah facilitate matters for you.

[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat began his studies in Arabic Grammar and Morphology in 2005. After graduating with a degree in English and History he moved to Damascus in 2007 where, for 18 months, he studied with many erudite scholars. In late 2008 he moved to Amman, Jordan, where he continued his studies for the next six years in Sacred Law (fiqh), legal theory (Usul al-fiqh), theology, hadith methodology, hadith commentary, and Logic. He was also given licenses of mastery in the science of Quranic recital and he was able to study an extensive curriculum of Quranic sciences, tafsir, Arabic grammar, and Arabic eloquence.