WELL WATER

WELL WATER

Q.   What things turn the water of the well unclean ?

·        If Gross or Light uncleanness (Najasah Ghalidhah or Khalifah) falls in the well or an animal with blood flowing in its veins falls in its water and dies in it, the water turns unclean.

Q.   Does the well water turn unclean if an animal falls into it but comes out alive ?

·        It depends on the kind of the animal. Well water turns unclean if the animal whose used-up water is unclean or the one with uncleanness stuck on it falls in the water. Forbidden or permissible animals falling down into the well and coming out alive do not make the water unclean as long as we are not sure that such an animal has made water or shitted in well.

Q.   What is the way to cleanse the well ?

·         

(1)   If some unclean substance falls into the well, it will turn clean if its entire water is taken out;

(2)   If one human being, pig, dog, goat, two cats or one animal of that size or bigger than that falls and dies in it, the entire water shall have to be drained to cleanse it;

(3)   When an animal, big or small, with fluid blood falls and inflates or bursts in water, the well shall have to be dewatered completely;

(4)   If one pigeon, hen, cat or an animal of that size or smaller than that falls into it and dies but does not inflate or burst out, forty buckets of water shall have to be drawn out, but

(5)   If a rat, sparrow or any other creature of that size falls and dies in it, twenty buckets of water will have to be taken out. It is, however, desirable (Mustahab) to take out thirty buckets in place of twenty and sixty in place of forty.

Q.   If a dead animal falls into the well, what is the Islamic injunction about it ?

·        The injunction in respect in respect of the dead animal falling into the well is the same as for that of the living animal falling into well and dying in it. For example, if a dead goat falls into it, the entire water is to be taken out. If a dead cat falls into it, forty or sixty buckets must be taken out. If, however, a dead rat falls into it, twenty or thirty buckets have to be drawn out.

Q.   What is the law if an inflated or burst out animal falls into the well ?

·         The entire water has to be drained just as would be done in case a living animal had fallen, died, got inflated and burst in the well.

Q.   What is the law if a dead animal is found in the well, but no one is sure about the time of its falling into the well ?

·        The water will be considered unclean from the time it is spotted there.

Q.   What is the standard size for the bucket ?

·        The bucket in use on a particular well is to be taken as standard as far as that well is concerned.

Q.   Whatever number of buckets is to be taken out, must they be taken out, must they be taken out in one continuity or with intervals ?

·         Taking out the water with intervals is also permissible. For example, if sixty buckets are to be drawn out, twenty may be taken out in the morning, twenty in the afternoon and the remaining twenty in the evening.

Q.   Are the ropes and buckets used in drawing the water out to be considered clean or unclean?

·        When the required quantity of water has been taken out, the well, the bucket and the rope, all become clean.