Reappraisal of Imāmī Traditions Concerning Purity of Water; Explanation of a New Criterion

Since the early centuries, the generally accepted (mashūr) view among most of the scholars of Islamic schools of thought has been that scant (qalīl) water is considered impure after coming into contact with impure objects, even if its three qualities, i.e. the color, smell and taste of the water, do not change; but despite this accepted view, some opinions of Imāmī jurists, especially in the later and contemporary centuries, as well as Mālikīs’ opinion, have been contrary to the generally accepted view. The present research has reappraised the Imāmī traditions in this field with fiqh al-ḥadīth (science of tradition comprehension) method and by using the scientific concept of proportion in this regard has reached a criterion or rule that confirms the unpopular opinion of the Imāmīs in this area, which is in accordance with the opinion of Mālikīs. On this basis, considering water as impure does not depend on its quantity, but rather on the proportion of impurity in the water. As a result, whether the water is scant or abundant (kathīr), it is considered impure only when the proportion of impurity in the water reaches such a level that it changes the three qualities of water.