What Is Called Used Water?

Question

Zayd, ‘Umar and Bakr are in dispute with one another about used water (ma' musta'mal). Zayd states that used water is the water which, during ghusl or wudu, separates from the limbs and falls on the ground; the ruling stated for this used water is that it is pure itself but cannot purify anything else. Although there is no impurity on the limbs, since this water too is used by way of drawing near [to Allah] (‘ala wajh al-qurba) and in meaning it removes hadath, it has been given this ruling.

Answer

Used water is that by which hadath has been removed, or which has been used on the body by way of drawing near [to Allah] (‘ala wajh al-qurba); it is given the ruling of used water as soon as it separates from the limb — before that it is not called used, whether it is on the body or remains in the jug and the like after wudu.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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