Minggu, 27 September 2026

Islam Obliges Us to “Respect” Water

 



There are numerous hadiths concerning water. A hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) states that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Surplus water must not be withheld (dammed up), for doing so prevents the growth of pasture (herbage)." Another hadith, narrated by Abu Musa (may Allah be pleased with him), illustrates how the imparting of guidance and knowledge resembles raindrops moistening the earth. Sometimes these drops fall on barren ground, and at other times on fertile soil; the fertile ground represents those who are wise regarding the religion of Allah and who utilize that knowledge to the fullest extent. The status and importance of water in life are highlighted in many verses and hadiths: "...And We made from water every living thing..." (Al-Anbiya: 30). Like land, the total amount of water in the world remains constant; only its form changes. Therefore, water must be managed wisely and equitably. "And We sent down water from the sky in a measured amount and settled it in the earth" (Al-Mu’minun: 18). Among all commodities, the cultivation of paddy rice consumes the most water.

To avoid waste—since wastefulness is the companion of Satan—experts have developed "intermittent irrigation" technology, based on the principle of using only the necessary amount of water. This technology offers many benefits. Beyond conserving water—thereby allowing a larger area of ​​rice fields to be irrigated—other benefits include enabling roots to access air and grow deeper, preventing iron toxicity, preventing the accumulation of organic acids and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas that inhibit root development, reducing crop lodging, activating beneficial microorganisms, reducing the number of unproductive tillers, ensuring uniform grain ripening, accelerating harvest time, facilitating fertilizer application, and easing the control of golden apple snails while suppressing the spread of brown planthoppers, stem borers, and rats.

Water fosters collective action and a sense of community. A Hadith narrated by Ahmad and Abu Dawud states: "People share in three things: pasture, water, and fire." Just as with land, there is a social dimension to the ownership of water. Therefore, springs and wells must be made available for public use. Anyone possessing a water source is obliged to allow others to access it; monopolizing it solely for oneself and one's family is not permitted.

Because water is so precious, it must be carefully protected. Islam forbids disposing of waste in places that would contaminate water and render it unusable. "Indeed, the Prophet forbade urinating in stagnant water" (Narrated by Muslim). Water must not be wasted, even when it is abundant.

Water is a primary blessing bestowed by Allah upon His creation. Through water, Allah creates, sustains, nurtures, and develops all living beings on earth. "And Allah has created every [living] creature from water. Of them are those that move on their bellies, and of them are those that walk on two legs, and of them are those that walk on four legs. Allah creates what He wills. Indeed, Allah is over all things competent." (An-Nur: 45). Reverence for water is a deeply rooted cultural practice among various communities in our society. They perform symbolic rituals such as the irung-irung ceremony, grebeg tirto aji, mapag toya, and mapag cai. Additionally, there are ceremonies like nglampet at the Sumber Pakel spring in Lumajang, dawuhan (a water conservation practice) in Karanganyar, and Hajat Huluwotan, which focuses on preserving the headwaters of water sources.

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