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Performing ablution with snow

Question

Can wudu be made with snow? If so, how?

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

There is no difference of opinion among the jurists  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  them that it is permissible to use the water of snow for purification, [when the snow has melted] either in performing ablution or Ghusl (i.e. ritual bath). However, they differed about the permissibility of using snow before it melts for purification; some say that purification does not happen with snow before it melts and becomes water running on the part of the body, and some say that it is permissible to purify one’s self with snow even if it does not melt.

In our view in Islamweb, it is not valid to perform ablution or Ghusl with snow because it is an obligation to wash the part of the body and this necessitates that water runs on it and this does not happen by rubbing the snow over it.

Allaah Knows best.

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