Types of Water and Purity

Water is central to wudu, ghusl and everyday cleanliness. Rainwater, river water and other ordinary clean sources are generally suitable for purification unless a relevant impurity changes their ruling. Colour, smell and taste help us notice visible changes, but appearance alone is not a complete legal test. We should distinguish physical cleanliness from the particular legal condition of ritual purity.

In a classroom activity, compare clean drinking water, muddy but unpolluted water and a container visibly contaminated with waste. Record what we observe without actually touching unsafe water. The detailed rulings about used water, mixed liquids and impurities vary across fiqh schools; our teacher explains the school-specific rule, and we must conserve water during purification.