Now the Muslims all over the world while
performing the pilgrimage to Mecca commemorate the ritual. The water source is still present in
the masjid al-Haram in Mecca, Saudi Arabia
called “well of Zamzam”. Every year millions of
Muslims perform Hajj and Umrah and consume
the water of the holy well of Zamzam.
11.3.5 Relevance of Water in Charity
Sadaqah is the term used in Islam to signify the
voluntary charity. It is non-obligatory although it
is highly recommended. “Abu Hurairah (May
Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him)
said, When a man dies, his deeds come to an end
except for three things: Sadaqah Jariyah (ceaseless charity); a knowledge which is beneficial, or
a virtuous descendant who prays for him for the
deceased)” (as-Salihin, 12.1383).
In Islam offering water is considered as a
charitable deed. “It was narrated by Sa'd bin
‘Ubadah that his mother died. He said: O Messenger of Allah, my mother has died; can I give
charity on her behalf? He said: Yes. He said:
What kind of charity is best? He said: Providing
drinking water. And that is the drinking-fountain
of Sa'd in Al-Madinah” (an-Nasa’i, 4.30.3696).
Offering water is regarded as a rewardable
action and it is highly recommended and not just
mentioned in the hadiths but also the Holy
Quran:
Do you consider giving water to pilgrims and
maintaining the Sacred Mosque the same as
believing in God and the Last Day and striving in
God's path? They are not equal in God's sight. God
does not guide the unjust people (The Quran,
9.19).
11.4 Water Conservation
It is a well-known fact that “culture, including
religion, clearly influences how people perceive
and manage a resource such as water” (Faruqui
2001, p. 9). Water is a scarce and precious
resource in the lands of Arabia, and Islam being
originated from the same depicts the importance
of conserving this resource. Here the absence of
the water resource led to shaping the thoughts
and perception of people and it is well represented in the Islamic teachings. In the verses of
the Quran and narratives of the hadith, it is
constantly discussed about water as a source of
blessing from God and should be used sustainably. Both of these sources clearly state the two
aspects of water “Firstly, the supply of water is
fixed, and second, it should not be wasted” (ibid,
p. 19). The following verses explain the two
points more explicitly:
Say, “Have you considered? If your water drains
away, who will bring you pure running water?”
(The Quran, 67.30).
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).
Muslims are instructed to perform salat which
is an obligatory ritual prayer performed five
times a day. Before performing these prayers,
one should be in a pure state and follow the
Islamic procedure of wudu or ablution:
you who believe! When you rise to pray, wash
your faces, and your hands and arms to the elbows,
and wipe your heads, and your feet to the ankles. If
you had intercourse, then purify yourselves. If you
are ill, or travelling, or one of you returns from the
toilet, or you had contact with women, and could
not find water, then use some clean sand and wipe
your faces and hands with it. God does not intend
to burden you, but He intends to purify you, and to
complete His blessing upon you, that you may be
thankful (The Quran, 5.6).
The above-mentioned verse of the Quran also
provides a substitute for water and a secondary
purifying agent for Muslims in the absence of
water or when they are incapable of performing
ablution by water, for instance, if they are
wounded. So that they do not get to be burdened
and get into the state of purity. The historical
records of the Prophet Muhammad also bring the
concept of water conservation in Islam to the
forefront:
11 Water in Cultural Perspective with Special Reference to Islam
153
performing the pilgrimage to Mecca commemorate the ritual. The water source is still present in
the masjid al-Haram in Mecca, Saudi Arabia
called “well of Zamzam”. Every year millions of
Muslims perform Hajj and Umrah and consume
the water of the holy well of Zamzam.
11.3.5 Relevance of Water in Charity
Sadaqah is the term used in Islam to signify the
voluntary charity. It is non-obligatory although it
is highly recommended. “Abu Hurairah (May
Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him)
said, When a man dies, his deeds come to an end
except for three things: Sadaqah Jariyah (ceaseless charity); a knowledge which is beneficial, or
a virtuous descendant who prays for him for the
deceased)” (as-Salihin, 12.1383).
In Islam offering water is considered as a
charitable deed. “It was narrated by Sa'd bin
‘Ubadah that his mother died. He said: O Messenger of Allah, my mother has died; can I give
charity on her behalf? He said: Yes. He said:
What kind of charity is best? He said: Providing
drinking water. And that is the drinking-fountain
of Sa'd in Al-Madinah” (an-Nasa’i, 4.30.3696).
Offering water is regarded as a rewardable
action and it is highly recommended and not just
mentioned in the hadiths but also the Holy
Quran:
Do you consider giving water to pilgrims and
maintaining the Sacred Mosque the same as
believing in God and the Last Day and striving in
God's path? They are not equal in God's sight. God
does not guide the unjust people (The Quran,
9.19).
11.4 Water Conservation
It is a well-known fact that “culture, including
religion, clearly influences how people perceive
and manage a resource such as water” (Faruqui
2001, p. 9). Water is a scarce and precious
resource in the lands of Arabia, and Islam being
originated from the same depicts the importance
of conserving this resource. Here the absence of
the water resource led to shaping the thoughts
and perception of people and it is well represented in the Islamic teachings. In the verses of
the Quran and narratives of the hadith, it is
constantly discussed about water as a source of
blessing from God and should be used sustainably. Both of these sources clearly state the two
aspects of water “Firstly, the supply of water is
fixed, and second, it should not be wasted” (ibid,
p. 19). The following verses explain the two
points more explicitly:
Say, “Have you considered? If your water drains
away, who will bring you pure running water?”
(The Quran, 67.30).
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).
Muslims are instructed to perform salat which
is an obligatory ritual prayer performed five
times a day. Before performing these prayers,
one should be in a pure state and follow the
Islamic procedure of wudu or ablution:
you who believe! When you rise to pray, wash
your faces, and your hands and arms to the elbows,
and wipe your heads, and your feet to the ankles. If
you had intercourse, then purify yourselves. If you
are ill, or travelling, or one of you returns from the
toilet, or you had contact with women, and could
not find water, then use some clean sand and wipe
your faces and hands with it. God does not intend
to burden you, but He intends to purify you, and to
complete His blessing upon you, that you may be
thankful (The Quran, 5.6).
The above-mentioned verse of the Quran also
provides a substitute for water and a secondary
purifying agent for Muslims in the absence of
water or when they are incapable of performing
ablution by water, for instance, if they are
wounded. So that they do not get to be burdened
and get into the state of purity. The historical
records of the Prophet Muhammad also bring the
concept of water conservation in Islam to the
forefront:
11 Water in Cultural Perspective with Special Reference to Islam
153