Wudu with water containing soap and salt: If a muslim performs ablution with water that is contaminated

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One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Pls. If a muslim performs ablution with water that is contaminated with pure thing e.g soap or salt etc. Is his ablution valid? pls. explain in detail with authentic evidences.

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Answer:

Wudu with water containing soap and salt

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verse 6:

O you who have believed,  when you rise to offer the ‘salaah’ you must wash your faces and hands,  and arms upto the elbows,  and wipe your heads with wet hands,  and wash your feet upto the ankles.   And if you have become unclean (due to sexual intercourse, etc.),  cleanse yourself with a full bath.   If,  however, you are sick or on a journey,  or if any of have relieved himself,  or if you have ‘touched’ women (meaning sexual intercourse),  and you can find no water;  then cleanse yourselves with pure dust.  Strike your palms on it and wipe your hands and faces with it.   Allah does not will to make life hard for you,  but He wills to purify you and complete His blessing upon you,  so that you may show gratitude.

For a 'wudu' to be considered valid, the water one performs the 'wudu' with must be pure.  If one is certain that any particular impurity like urine, etc. has touched that water, that water will be considered impure and 'wudu' done with impure water will be considered invalid.

If no impurity has touched the water, but something pure like leaves, flowers, a bit of soap, or salt, or sugar, etc. happens to have fallen in the water, such things do not by itself make the water impure; and the 'wudu' done with such pure water will be considered valid.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is only ones. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brothers and well wishers in Islam,

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