Can You Perform Wudu with Sea Water? (Is It Permissible?)

Hi again! The sea is a vast body of salty water that separates one continent from another, one country from another, and one island from another. The sea contains a significant amount of salt water. In discussing wudu, a common question arises: can you perform wudu with sea water?

Whatever your reason for reading this article, I am sure you are looking for an explanation about using sea water for wudu. Trust me! I will not disappoint you today. That’s what I will explain, so just read this article to the end!

Sea in Islam: Important Things You Must Understand

Hello! First of all, I will explain some important things about the sea in Islam. You must understand this first because it is the fundamental aspect of this topic that needs to be grasped properly.

Read Also: What Types of Farts Break Wudu?

There is one hadith about the sea that I would like to quote to clarify Islamic law regarding the sea and its water. Please pay attention to the hadith below:

عَنْ أَبِيْ هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ : قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي الْبَحْرِ : هُوَ الطَّهُوْرُ مَاؤُهُ الْحِلُّ مَيْتَتُهُ . أَخْرَجَهُ الْأَرْبَعَةُ وَابْنُ أَبِيْ شَيْبَةَ

From Abu Hurairah radliyallahu anhu, he said, "The Messenger of Allah (Prophet Muhammad) sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said about the sea, 'Sea water is pure and sea fish carcasses are halal.'" This hadith was narrated by four scholars (Abu Daud, at-Tirmidhi, an-Nasa'I, and Ibn Majah) and Ibn Abi Syaibah.

Are you still with me? Some important points about the sea explained in the hadith that you must understand are as follows:

Sea Water is Pure

Sea water is considered pure. That’s why it can be used to remove small hadas (الحَدَثُ الأَصْغَرُ) and large hadas (الحَدَثُ الأَكْبَرُ). So, if you have urinated or defecated while at the beach or in the middle of the ocean, you can use sea water to remove small hadas from your body.

Marine Fish Carcasses are Halal

Marine fish carcasses are halal. This means that all types of fish living in the sea are permissible to eat. Muslims can consume any of them. Do you like to eat whales? Whales are a type of marine fish, so they are halal. You may eat them.

Can You Perform Wudu with Sea Water?

Hi! Now I will explain the main topic of this discussion: can you perform wudu with sea water? You should read the explanation below carefully so that there are no lingering questions in your mind. Of course, if you still have questions, feel free to write them in the comment section. I will be very happy to engage in a dialogue with you.

If you understand what I have explained in the previous paragraphs, you can conclude the answer to this question. I previously mentioned that you can use sea water to remove small hadas (الحَدَثُ الأَصْغَرُ). Do you remember that?

Wudu is a form of worship performed to remove small hadas (الحَدَثُ الأَصْغَرُ). Since sea water can be used to remove small hadas, it follows that sea water can be used for wudu. That’s the answer.

Which Water Can Be Used for Wudu?

Now, I will address a related question: which water can be used for wudu? As a Muslim, you must understand this, as wudu is an integral part of your life.

If you read some literature on Islamic law, you will find that there are seven types of water that can be used for purification (wudu in this context), as explained below:

المُيَاهُ الَّتِيْ يَجُوْزُ التَّطْهِيْرُ بِهَا سَبْعُ مُيَاهٍ : مَاءُ السَّمَاءِ ، وَمَاءُ الْبَحْرِ ، وَمَاءُ النَّهْرِ ، وَمَاءُ الْبِئْرِ , وَمَاءُ الْعَيْنِ , وَمَاءُ الثَّلْجِ ، وَمَاءُ الْبَرْدِ

There are seven types of water that can be used for purification: rain water (مَاءُ السَّمَاءِ), sea water (مَاءُ الْبَحْرِ), river water (مَاءُ النَّهْرِ), well water (مَاءُ الْبِئْرِ), spring water (مَاءُ الْعَيْنِ), snow water (مَاءُ الثَّلْجِ), and hail water (مَاءُ الْبَرْدِ).

These are the seven types of water that can be used for wudu, provided that their color, taste, and smell do not change, and that the water is not contaminated or used for any other purpose.

Which Water Cannot Be Used for Wudu?

Hi! Are you still with me? At the end of this discussion, I will answer an important question about the types of water that cannot be used for wudu. There are some Muslims who don’t fully understand this, and I don’t think you want to be one of them, do you?! So, please pay close attention to the explanation below.

Hold on a moment! Perhaps the answer that comes to mind is “unclean water.” Yes, that’s correct. But did you know that there are certain holy waters that cannot be used for wudu? Here’s the explanation:

There are three types of water that cannot be used for wudu:

Unclean water or najis water (مَاءٌ مُتَنَجِّسٌ)

Unclean water (مَاءٌ مُتَنَجِّسٌ) is water that has been exposed to something impure (najis), resulting in a change to its color, taste, or smell.

Used water (مَاءٌ مُسْتَعْمَلٌ)

Used water (مَاءٌ مُسْتَعْمَلٌ) refers to holy water that has already been used for something, such as water that has been utilized for wudu, washing clothes, and so on.

Water whose color, taste, or smell has changed (مَاءٌ مُتَغَيِّرٌ)

If you have holy water that has changed in color, taste, or smell due to something—perhaps rice has fallen into it, or it has been mixed with sugar, salt, or another substance—then that water cannot be used for wudu.

Do you have any questions? Please feel free to write them in the comment section!