Get InvolvedIslam, Water & Sanitation
Islam ascribes the most sacred qualities to water as a life-giving, sustaining and purifying source. It is the origin of all life on earth, the substance from which Allah created man (Al-Furqan 25:54). The Qur’an emphasizes its centrality; ‘we made from water every living thing’ (Al-Anbiyaa’ 21:30).
Islamic principles concerning water are based on two rights; the right of thirst where all people have the right to quench thirst or to water animals, and the right of irrigation where water can be used to water land and plants.
Due to the harsh climate of the birthplace of Islam, Islamic law, the Shari’ah, goes into great detail on the subject of water to ensure its fair distribution. The word Shari’ah itself is closely related to water and is defined in early Arabic dictionaries as ‘the place from which one descends to water.’ Before the advent of Islam in Arabia, the Shari’ah was in fact a series of rules about water use; the shir’at al-maa’ were the permits that gave right to drinking water.
The Hadiths (Prophetic sayings) say that among the three people Allah will ignore on the Day of Resurrection there will be ‘the man who, having water in excess of his needs, refuses it to travelers.’
Sanitation is also an essential requirement of Islam. ‘Cleanliness is half of faith’, Prophet Mohamed (peace be upon him) famously tells his companions in one of the Hadiths. Purification through wudu’ is a central and obligatory part of prayer – prayers carried out in impure state are not valid. This means Muslims must carry out ritual purification before each of the five daily prayers.
The value and scarcity of water is appreciated even further in Islam in the method of purification itself. The Prophet Mohamed (peace be upon him) warned that each step of wudu’ should not be performed more than three times before each prayer. This means washing each part of your body only three times.
The Qu’ran instructs Muslims to appreciate the value of water and ensure its fair distribution amongst all those in need.
Islamic principles concerning water are based on two rights; the right of thirst where all people have the right to quench thirst or to water animals, and the right of irrigation where water can be used to water land and plants.
Due to the harsh climate of the birthplace of Islam, Islamic law, the Shari’ah, goes into great detail on the subject of water to ensure its fair distribution. The word Shari’ah itself is closely related to water and is defined in early Arabic dictionaries as ‘the place from which one descends to water.’ Before the advent of Islam in Arabia, the Shari’ah was in fact a series of rules about water use; the shir’at al-maa’ were the permits that gave right to drinking water.
The Hadiths (Prophetic sayings) say that among the three people Allah will ignore on the Day of Resurrection there will be ‘the man who, having water in excess of his needs, refuses it to travelers.’
Sanitation is also an essential requirement of Islam. ‘Cleanliness is half of faith’, Prophet Mohamed (peace be upon him) famously tells his companions in one of the Hadiths. Purification through wudu’ is a central and obligatory part of prayer – prayers carried out in impure state are not valid. This means Muslims must carry out ritual purification before each of the five daily prayers.
The value and scarcity of water is appreciated even further in Islam in the method of purification itself. The Prophet Mohamed (peace be upon him) warned that each step of wudu’ should not be performed more than three times before each prayer. This means washing each part of your body only three times.
The Qu’ran instructs Muslims to appreciate the value of water and ensure its fair distribution amongst all those in need.
By Nadeem Eman, MADE in Europe volunteer