the second category of water according to the school: water that is pure but not purifying. That is, it has undergone a complete change such that the taste of water can no longer be detected, or most of its characteristics have changed—the three characteristics being taste, smell, and color.

“Through cooking or something falling into it …”

His statement, “Through cooking,” means that something pure, such as meat, is cooked in it, causing a pronounced and substantial change in its taste, color, or smell. It then becomes pure but not purifying.

His statement, “or something falling into it,” means that something pure falls into it and changes its characteristics, or most of them. It then becomes pure but not purifying.

Excluded from this issue are matters from which it is difficult to protect water, as well as things that do not mix with it. For example, if pieces of camphor are placed in it and it changes, it remains purifying. Likewise, if there are trees around the water and their leaves fall into it, causing it to change, it remains purifying.

The reasoning for deeming this water pure but not purifying is that it is no longer unqualified water; rather, it is called “such-and-such water,” with a qualifying attribution, such as “rose water.”

However, it may be said that this alone is insufficient to change its classification from purifying to merely pure, unless its name has changed completely—for example, one says, “This is broth,” or, “This is coffee.” At that point, it is no longer called water; rather, it is called a beverage and attributed to that by which it was changed. This was the view chosen by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) (1).

Among the indications of the weakness of what the author has stated is that they say: if tree leaves are of the kind from which it is difficult to protect water, and they fall into it and change the water