By Arman Neyazi, New Age Islam
18 May 2021
Life Without Water Cannot Be Imagined And Respecting It By Conservation And Purification Is One Of The Most Valuable Teachings Of Islam
Main Points:
1. Water is central to the life of everything in this world.
2. Water is one of the central mercies of Allah.
3. Water is a sustainer of life on the planet earth.
4. Every Religion of the Planet Earth Respects Water
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Water is central to the life of everything in this world. Water is central to Islam. Water is one of the central mercies of Allah, the Most Merciful. Life without water cannot be imagined and respecting it, by conservation and purification, is one of the most valuable teachings of Islam. Allah and His Apostle, Prophet Muhammad (SAW) have commanded human being to respect water as it is one of the most precious items that protect lives and makes lives of human beings, animals, birds and plants grow. And we, the human being, do not even think for a second that it is needed for our growth and sustenance, before wasting it while using it in our everyday life. Realise and take into account what Allah, the Most Gracious commands in the Holy Quran:
“… And waste not by excess, for Allah loves not the wasters.” – The Holy Qur’an (7:31)
In another Ayat Allah, the Al-Khaaliq in the Holy Qur’an tells us:
‘By means of water, we give life to everything’ (Surah Al-Anbya:30).
Above mentioned Ayaat say that water should not be wasted by any means and that it is the water through which Allah, the Al-Khaaliq, gives life to everything.
Have those who disbelieved not considered that the heavens and the earth were a joined entity, and then We separated them and made from water every living thing? Then will they not believe? (Surah Al-Anbya - 30) — Saheeh International
And Prophet Muhammad (SAW) considers water as the best form of charity as he once narrated:
‘The best form of charity is to give someone water (to drink).’ (Ibn Majah).
Water: A Sustainer of Life in this World
It is unimaginable to run any kind of factory that produces life-running articles or cultivation that is one of the primary needs of the human being for growth, to run without water. Our scientists were delighted to find water in the space and the UNESCO has declared 22 March as the ‘World Water Day. According to scientists, in the Solar System, it is only the earth that is the ‘wet’ planet, at present. NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory expresses its happiness as under and says that water is not only a convenience but a necessity:
You don't have to fly to Mars or to the moons of Jupiter to find the stuff that solar-system explorers are most excited about these days. Just twist the tap in your kitchen.
The water trickling out isn't only a convenience, it's a necessity.
https://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/solar_system/water/water_index.html
We send down purifying water from the sky. (Al-Furqan25:48)
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We must then realise the importance of water and value it as a life-giving substance for which many people in the world are praying for. Islam has imparted it a very special place in human life and the proof is the Allah, the Most Merciful has used the word ‘water’ sixty-three times in the Holy Quran. Water is a blessing from Allah to humankind for without water there can not be life. The Holy Quran describes the importance of water for humanity in the following verses:
He is the One who sent down water from the heavens. Then We brought forth with it vegetation of all kinds. Then from it, We brought grains set upon one another. From the palm trees, from their spathes, come forth the low hanging bunches. (We produce) vineyards and the olive and the pomegranate, either similar or not similar to each other. Look at its fruit when it bears fruit, and at its ripening. Surely, in all this, there are signs for the people who believe. (Surah Al-An'am - 99) — Mufti Taqi Usmani
And have you seen the water that you drink? Is it you who brought it down from the clouds, or is it We who bring it down? If We willed, We could make it bitter, so why are you not grateful? (Surat Al-Wāqi`ah: 58-70) - Sahih International
And He the Most High says, “He (Allah) sends down upon you from the sky water to purify you.” (Al-Anfal:11)
And He it is Who sends forth the winds as a glad tiding of His coming grace; and [thus, too,] We cause pure water to descend from the skies (Surah Al-Furqan - 48) - Muhammad Asad
Say, "Shall I inform you of [something] better than that? For those who fear Allah will be gardens in the presence of their Lord beneath which rivers flow, ... (Surat 'Ali `Imran:15) Sahih International
The above mentioned Ayat describes the beauty of heaven with the presence of flowing rivers under the gardens. Allah, the Most Merciful sends down water from the sky so that His creation on earth can live a pleasant life.
In the Prophetic traditions also there are various Ahadees on water that describe how Islam has reached to and solved life-saving and life-sustaining problems of the human being with the creation of water on planet earth. Following Ahadees contain the teachings of Islam and explain the necessity of water for life on earth:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to say:
“Oh Allah, purify me from my sins with snow, rain, and hail,”[ agreed upon.]
Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said, narrated by Abu Dawud about the ocean flowing water:
“It is pure and its carrion (dead animals) are lawful (to eat).”
Ibn Sīna said about the purity of water:
The best water is running water, especially if it is being exposed to the sun and wind. This is a gain. Stagnant water, however, might get worse if exposed than if hidden”.(Ibn Sīna, Al-Qanun fi Al-Tibb, Part I, P 98)
Adding to the above-mentioned Ahadees about the purity of the flowing water, there is a saying in Persian آب رواں پاک است (Flowing water is pure) that also describes flowing water as pure.
Worshippers make an offering at the Tirta Empul Temple on May 6, 2013 in Bali, Indonesia. They believe that water from the spring is holy and has the healing power.
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Every Religion of the Planet Earth Respects Water
In addition to the above mentioned Ayaat and Ahadees, we know that regardless of their religion people have been taught to respect the water and protect it from all kinds of filth. Muslims use water to purify themselves by taking bath (Ghusl) and the Hindu fraternity uses water to worship the sun god, in particular, and all gods in general. Muslims while reciting ‘Fateha’ to the deceased keep a glass of water.
There are various oceans and rivers and fountains in the world that are a treasure of nature and purify the environment but we do not care for their beauty and purification rather harm their purity by our callous attitude towards nature and the environment. We, the human inhabitants of this planet earth have a duty towards all the resources of water to preserve, to purify and to look after their maintenance. It is for our sake as these are created by Allah, the Most Merciful for the benefit of human being inclusive of all the creation of the mother earth.
And Allah knows the best.
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Arman Neyazi is a columnist with NewAgeIslam.com.
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-environment/water-scriptures-islamic-belief-environment/d/124840
9:39 AM
Moderate Islamist here
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