::: Water :::

Islam ascribes the most sacred qualities to water as a life-giving, sustaining and purifying resource. It is the origin of all life on earth, the substance from which Allah created man (25:54), and the Holy Qur’an emphasizes its centrality:
"We made from water every living thing"
(21:30.

Water is the primary element that existed even before the heavens and the earth did:
"And it is He who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and his Throne was upon the waters"
(11:7).

The water of rain, rivers and fountains runs through the pages of the Qur’an to symbolise Allah’s Benevolence:
"He sends down saving rain for them when they have lost all hope and spreads abroad His mercy"
(25:48).

At the same time, the believers are constantly reminded that it is Allah Who gives sweet water to the people, and that He can just as easily withhold it:
"Consider the water which you drink. Was it you that brought it down from the rain cloud or We? If We had pleased, We could make it bitter"
(56:68-70).

In this verse the believers are warned that they are only the guardians of Allah’s creation on earth; they must not take His law into their own hands.

The harsh desert climate of Arabia, the Near East and Saharan North Africa makes water a highly valuable and precious resource here. Islamic law, the Shari`ah, goes into great detail on the subject of water to ensure the fair and equitable distribution of water within the community.

The word "Shari'ah" itself is closely related to water. It is included in early Arab dictionaries and originally meant '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 shuraat al-maa were the permits that gave right to drinking water. The term later evolved to include the body of laws and rules given by Allah.

Water is a gift from Allah Ta'ala. It is one of the three things that every Muslim is entitled to: grass (pasture for cattle), water, and fire.

Water should be freely available to all, and any Muslim who withholds unneeded water sins against Allah: “No one can refuse surplus water without sinning against Allah and against man.” The Hadiths 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 a traveler...”

There are two fundamental precepts that guide the rights to water in the Shari'ah: shafa, the right of thirst, establishes the universal right for humans to quench their thirst and that of their animals; shirb, the right of irrigation, gives all users the right to water their crops. Both rules are interpreted in different ways by the various schools of Islam, and their implementation varies from region to region, from village to village, each community applying the law to suit geographical and social circumstances.

'Cleanliness is half of faith,' the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasallam) tells his companions in one of the Hadiths. These well-known and oft-repeated words reveal not only the central importance of purity and cleanliness, but also the essential role water plays in Islam.
Purification through ablution is an obligatory component of the Islamic prayer ritual; prayers carried out in an impure state are not valid. This means Muslims are obliged to carry out ritual ablution before each of the five daily prayers. In addition, a more thorough ritual is required on specific occasions.

The Qur’an tells believers that Allah "loves those who cleanse themselves" (9:108) and instructs them: "O you who believe, when you rise to pray, wash your faces and your hands as far as the elbow, wipe your heads, and your feet to the ankle. If you are polluted, cleanse yourselves… Allah does not wish to burden you, but desires to purify you" (5:6).

Allah will reward those who purify themselves, as the eleventh century theologian al-Ghazali testifies in the following Hadith: 'The believers will come on Resurrection Day with brightness on their foreheads, wrists and ankles from the effect of ablution.'

Entire chapters of the Hadiths are dedicated to ablutions, detailing when and how they should be performed, and explaining in which order the various parts of the body should be washed, how the feet are to be cleaned, how the head should be rubbed - even how often the nostrils should be cleared. They also specify that the water used for ablutions should be pure-mutlaq-which means it should not be mixed with any other liquid. Water from rain, wells, flowing water from taps, rivers and streams, and still water from lakes, ponds, seas and oceans, are all considered to be pure and suitable for ritual ablution.

Numerous independent studies have been done on water from the well of Zamzam that conclude that it is one of the purest and cleanest waters we can enjoy.
Zamzam water's appeal has always been universal. This water has never been chemically treated or chlorinated as is the case with water pumped into the cities. Biological growth and vegetation usually takes place in most wells. This makes the water unpalatable owing to the growth of algae causing taste and odor problems.

But in the case of the Zamzam water well, there wasn't any sign of biological growth. Centuries ago, Hajar searched desperately for water in the hills of Safa and Marwah to give to her newly born son Isma`il, peace and blessings be upon him. As she ran from one place to another in search of water, her child rubbed his feet against the sand. A pool of water surfaced, and by the grace of Allah, shaped itself into a well which came to be called Zamzam water.

The prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) advised us to 'allow for one third food, one third water and one third air.' Modern science confirms this advice by recommending that we drink at least 8-10 eight-once glasses of water a day, including a glass ½-hour before and after every meal. Water helps to flush out toxins and fats from our bodies, and it keeps our system functioning evenly so that we are balanced and energetic.

Scientists have found that human beings can live for several weeks without proteins, carbohydrates, and fats but just a few days without water.
The quality of the body tissues, their performance, and their resistance to disease and injury are absolutely linked to the quality and quantity of water drunk.

The human body is two-thirds water, and this fluid is involved in every bodily process including digestion, absorption, circulation and excretion.
Issues, such as stress and caffeine affect the amount of water and the speed in which the body loses it. Any of these factors, alone or in combination, could cause a small but critical shrinkage of the brain. This small shrinkage will impair neuromuscular coordination, decrease concentration, and slow thinking. Unfortunately, increased consumption of caffeine is common in times of stress, resulting in a loss of water.

The Blood Plasma	(Main body component)	is approximately	92% water.
The Human Foetus	(our growing physical vehicle)	is approximately	90% water.
The Blood	(life fluid and Nutrient conveyor)	can be up to	90% water.
The Human Brain Cells	(Intellect, Creativity, Behaviour)	are approximately	85% water.
The Kidneys	(Fluid processors and purifiers)	are approximately	82% water
The Muscles	(Prime movers of the body)	have an average of	75% water
The Body	(our abode in this dunya)	is approximately	71% water
The Liver	(Metabolism and Detoxifying)	is approximately	69% water.
The Bones	(Structural Support System)	are approximately	22% water
The Body's Cells and Fluids	(basis for growth and Development)	are mainly	water