If water from wudu or ghusl splashes into a container of water, is that water still considered pure?

Water used for wudu or ghusl must be pure and purifying. Pure and purifying water is water that is itself clean and can remove both physical and ritual impurities. Water that has already been used for wudu or ghusl is called musta'mal water. While this water remains pure, it is no longer purifying. That means it cannot be used again for wudu or ghusl, though it can be used to remove physical impurities.

When performing ghusl, any water that splashes off the body is considered musta'mal (used) water. As mentioned above, this water is pure but not purifying. If this used water mixes with purifying water, the ruling depends on the proportion. For example, if one liter of used water mixes with two liters of purifying water, the mixture can still be used for wudu or ghusl. However, if one liter of purifying water mixes with two liters of used water, the mixture cannot be used for wudu or ghusl.

If, during ghusl, some water splashes into the container, the amount is usually very small and does not affect the purity of the water in the container. Therefore, it is permissible to use that water for wudu or ghusl.

Department of Sharia and Fatwa