kinds of creatures; in the changing of the winds,
and the clouds disposed between the sky and the
earth; are signs for people who understand (The
Quran, 2.164).
The likeness of the present life is this: water that
We send down from the sky is absorbed by the
plants of the earth, from which the people and the
animals eat. Until, when the earth puts on its fine
appearance, and is beautified, and its inhabitants
think that they have mastered it, our command
descends upon it by night or by day, and We turn it
into stubble, as if it had not flourished the day
before. We thus clarify he revelations for people
who reflect (The Quran, 10.24).
Therefore, all these above-mentioned verses
point out the potential of water as the basic element
of production of crops, greeneries, and vegetation.
11.3.2 Classification
and Stratification
of Water
Cleanliness and purification are an important
matter for Muslims to the extent that Abu Malik
at-Ash’ari reported: “The Messenger of Allah
(Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)) said:
Cleanliness is half of faith” (Muslim, 2.432). It is
essential to be in a pure state for a Muslim and
mostly before performing the prayers or touching
the Quran. The purification processes are mainly
of two types: minor ablution known as wudu
which is performed before the Salat (daily
prayers) as a preliminary ritual and the ghusl
which is the major ablution performed for various other purification reasons. However, for
carrying out the ablution, there are certain water
requirements, which are needed to be fulfilled to
make ablution valid such as in the case of Mikvah
(in Judaism). It is essential to perform the ablution with clean water. The Quran distinct or
classify water as pure, sweet and bitter. The
verses of Quran supporting the statements are:
And it is He who sends the winds, bringing
advance news of His mercy, and We send down
from the sky pure water (The Quran, 25.48).
And set on its lofty mountains, and given you pure
water to drink? (The Quran, 77.27).
The two seas are not the same. One is fresh, sweet,
good to drink, while the other is salty and bitter
(The Quran, 35.12).
Apart from the distinction of water as sweet
and salty. Quran also provides an understanding
of water stratification. The difference in salinity
is one of the factors that separate the water into
layers. Whenever two different seas meet there is
a barrier between them. The Quran talks about
this water barrier in the following verse:
He merged the two seas, converging together.
Between them is a barrier, which they do not
overrun (The Quran, 55.19–20).
And it is He who merged the two seas; this one
fresh and sweet, and that one salty and bitter; and
He placed between them a barrier, and an
impassable boundary (The Quran, 25.53).
Modern science explains the meaning of this
verse in a better way today. The verse is quite
accurate about the water separation caused by the
difference in salinity and thus the formation of a
halocline.
11.3.3 Water Cycle
It is quite astonishing to us that what we called
today as the “water cycle” or “hydrological
cycle” and the source of underground water was
discussed 1440 years ago in the lands of Arabia
and thus mentioned the holy text Al-Qur’an.
Some of the Quranic verses provide the idea of
the water cycle. For instance,
Have you not considered how God sends down
water from the sky, then He makes it flow into
underground wells, then He produces with it plants
of various colors, then they wither and you see
them yellowing, then He turns them into debris?
Surely in this is a reminder for those with understanding (The Quran, 39.21).
And of His signs is that He shows you the lightning, causing fear and hope. And He brings down
water from the sky, and with it He revives the earth
after it was dead. In this are signs for people who
understand (The Quran, 30.24).
And We sent down water from the sky in proper
quantity, and settled it in the ground, and We are
Able to take it away (The Quran, 23.18).
11 Water in Cultural Perspective with Special Reference to Islam
151
and the clouds disposed between the sky and the
earth; are signs for people who understand (The
Quran, 2.164).
The likeness of the present life is this: water that
We send down from the sky is absorbed by the
plants of the earth, from which the people and the
animals eat. Until, when the earth puts on its fine
appearance, and is beautified, and its inhabitants
think that they have mastered it, our command
descends upon it by night or by day, and We turn it
into stubble, as if it had not flourished the day
before. We thus clarify he revelations for people
who reflect (The Quran, 10.24).
Therefore, all these above-mentioned verses
point out the potential of water as the basic element
of production of crops, greeneries, and vegetation.
11.3.2 Classification
and Stratification
of Water
Cleanliness and purification are an important
matter for Muslims to the extent that Abu Malik
at-Ash’ari reported: “The Messenger of Allah
(Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)) said:
Cleanliness is half of faith” (Muslim, 2.432). It is
essential to be in a pure state for a Muslim and
mostly before performing the prayers or touching
the Quran. The purification processes are mainly
of two types: minor ablution known as wudu
which is performed before the Salat (daily
prayers) as a preliminary ritual and the ghusl
which is the major ablution performed for various other purification reasons. However, for
carrying out the ablution, there are certain water
requirements, which are needed to be fulfilled to
make ablution valid such as in the case of Mikvah
(in Judaism). It is essential to perform the ablution with clean water. The Quran distinct or
classify water as pure, sweet and bitter. The
verses of Quran supporting the statements are:
And it is He who sends the winds, bringing
advance news of His mercy, and We send down
from the sky pure water (The Quran, 25.48).
And set on its lofty mountains, and given you pure
water to drink? (The Quran, 77.27).
The two seas are not the same. One is fresh, sweet,
good to drink, while the other is salty and bitter
(The Quran, 35.12).
Apart from the distinction of water as sweet
and salty. Quran also provides an understanding
of water stratification. The difference in salinity
is one of the factors that separate the water into
layers. Whenever two different seas meet there is
a barrier between them. The Quran talks about
this water barrier in the following verse:
He merged the two seas, converging together.
Between them is a barrier, which they do not
overrun (The Quran, 55.19–20).
And it is He who merged the two seas; this one
fresh and sweet, and that one salty and bitter; and
He placed between them a barrier, and an
impassable boundary (The Quran, 25.53).
Modern science explains the meaning of this
verse in a better way today. The verse is quite
accurate about the water separation caused by the
difference in salinity and thus the formation of a
halocline.
11.3.3 Water Cycle
It is quite astonishing to us that what we called
today as the “water cycle” or “hydrological
cycle” and the source of underground water was
discussed 1440 years ago in the lands of Arabia
and thus mentioned the holy text Al-Qur’an.
Some of the Quranic verses provide the idea of
the water cycle. For instance,
Have you not considered how God sends down
water from the sky, then He makes it flow into
underground wells, then He produces with it plants
of various colors, then they wither and you see
them yellowing, then He turns them into debris?
Surely in this is a reminder for those with understanding (The Quran, 39.21).
And of His signs is that He shows you the lightning, causing fear and hope. And He brings down
water from the sky, and with it He revives the earth
after it was dead. In this are signs for people who
understand (The Quran, 30.24).
And We sent down water from the sky in proper
quantity, and settled it in the ground, and We are
Able to take it away (The Quran, 23.18).
11 Water in Cultural Perspective with Special Reference to Islam
151