and bitumen (asphalt), and other similar substances; if water flows over them and becomes altered by them, or if they are in the ground where the water settles, all of this is excused, because it is difficult to refrain from it. However, if any of these are taken and cast into the water, and it alters it, then its ruling is that of what it is possible to refrain from, such as saffron and the like, because it is possible to refrain from it.

The third [type] is what agrees with water in its two qualities: purity (tahara) and purifying quality (tahuriyya), such as soil. If it alters the water, it does not prevent its purifying quality, because it is pure and purifying just like water. If it becomes thick such that it does not flow over the limbs, purification with it is not permissible, because it is mud, not water. There is no difference regarding soil whether it falls into the water intentionally or unintentionally. Likewise, salt which originates from water, such as sea salt, and salt that solidifies from water which is poured onto saline land and becomes salt, does not remove the purifying quality because its origin is water; thus it is like ice and snow. But if it is a mineral that does not originate from water, it is like saffron and others.

The fourth [type] is that by which water is altered through proximity without admixture, such as oils of various kinds, and solid pure substances like aloeswood, camphor, and ambergris. If it does not disintegrate in the water and does not dissolve in it, it does not remove it from its absolute state because this is alteration by proximity; it resembles when water is scented by the fragrance of something at its (49) side. We are not aware of any disagreement regarding these types.

In the same category as that which is altered by oil is that which is altered by tar, pitch, and wax, because these contain an oiliness by which water is altered through alteration by proximity, so it is not prohibited, just like oil.

Section: Stagnant water (al-ajin), which is that which changes due to its long duration in a place without the admixture of anything that alters it, remains in its absolute state according to the opinion of the majority of scholars. Ibn al-Mundhir said: Every scholar whose opinion we preserve has reached a consensus that wudu with stagnant water that has not been contaminated by impurity is permissible, except for Ibn Sirin (50), [for he disliked it] (51). The opinion of the majority is better,