The Ruling on a Small Well

Question

In many places in Rajasthan people build a water reservoir in the ground to collect water: they dig a pit four or five cubits into the ground, then plaster it with cement and close it from above by laying stone slabs over it. Such a reservoir is usually smaller than ten by ten cubits. What is being asked is: if an impurity falls into this reservoir and it is then filled with rainwater or by other means, until the water passes over the top of the reservoir, has the reservoir now become pure or not?

Answer

The text of al-Bahr al-Ra'iq (p. 78, vol. 1) is as follows: [ar]لو تنجس الحوض الصغير ثم دخل فيه ماء آخر وخرج حال دخوله طهر وإن قل، وقيل: لا حتى يخرج قدر ما فيه، وقيل: حتى يخرج ثلاثة أمثاله، وصحح الأول في المحيط وغيره. قال السراج الهندي: وكذا البئر.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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