In the face of gripping news like the AIG fiasco, the Pakistan masjid bombing, the Madonna adoption drama, and so on, its important to sometimes sit back and focus on the more simpler things in life.
This is one of those times.
I was attending a class on Fiqh and the teacher went on a rant on how Muslims have lost sight of the Sunnah when it comes to water consumption. He mentioned how the Prophet (saw) used to make wudu with a single bowl of water (!) and take a bath with 4-5 bowls worth (!!).
And here we are, completely ignorant of the immense amount of water being wasted through our own actions.
This is not about environmentalism and becoming 'Green'. This is not about global water shortages.
This is about the spirit of the Sunnah. The Prophet (saw) taught us to conserve water even when water is abundant (like a running stream).
This is about rejecting the frame of mind that sees the world through purely utilitarian lenses and instead tuning into the frequency of the cosmos.
This is about ceasing to view water simply as a compound of two hydrogens and one oxygen and beginning to see it as a most fundamental element of Allah's creation.
This is about realizing that water is a blessing, just like our wealth and our health, and is not to be misused, abused, or overused.
So what did the teacher suggest? Nothing sensational - just common sense stuff:
1. When you brush your teeth, turn the water off. No need to keep it running.
2. Try bathing yourself with a bucket of water. It consumes much less water than a typical shower. However, if that's too difficult, turn the shower off when you're lathering yourself with soap. No need to keep it running.
3. Perform your wudu with a trickle of water. No need to run the faucet at full blast.
4. Stop taking a shower every single day. Well, not all of you. But most people don't get so dirty and stinky that they need to shower every day. Skipping a day here or there for the sake of conserving water would truly be a good deed. Again, this may not be true for all of you (you know who you are).
With the proper intention, these steps can all become beautiful acts of worship.
And indeed, Allah (swt) is Most Merciful and Generous in rewarding His servant.
Just don’t call it genocide
1 week ago
13 comments:
agreed, but just for question's sake, what would be so horrible about 'becoming green' - like a concern for nature and reduction of waste would be such a horrible thing? regarding all life, even organic and animal, as being part of Allah's Creation for which being Khalifah implies trusteeship - ie, non-abuse, respect, a remembrance that we 'come from dust and will return to dust'...
lived in Saudi myself for nearly two years, a country more in need of 'green' thinking I can't think of - muslims use, waste and consume there as if outdoing America in mindless consumption was the sole measure of your worth on the planet. No?
AA- Dawud,
Nothing wrong with being an environmentalist. My only point was about the intention behind doing acts that can be considered Green or environment-friendly. Is it because its politically correct/popular/etc. or because its in tune with the Sunnah?
For example, many who go green tend to lean towards a vegetarian lifestyle. Obviously, that isn't the Sunnah. However, cutting down on eating meat is.
If we're going to 'go green', lets do it Islamically and not the other way around.
And yes, Saudi culture (as well as much of the Gulf and even most of the Muslim world) does sorely need a more green way of thinking.
Wastage in my things including water seems to be a nonexistent concern for people here in the gulf. I guess it stems from the fact that they basically had nothing "extra" until oil was discovered...then there was abundance almost over night. Ive never seen a community as a whole so willingly to just waste without a moments thought about tomorrow...and campaigns to open their eyes seemingly have no affect what so ever. We continually have poweroutages because of over consumption of electricity...water runs out even though a "million" dollar water plant has been built to take up the slack...the environment is a mess as throwing things anywhere but in a garbage can holds no shame at all...and the list goes on.
Simply using less water would be a great place to start...I wish the govt could come up with a more interesting way to get the people to want to do this. In 23 years I havent seen any change in anyway.
Well said.
-The Muslim Kid
Salaam,
Good post really worth thinking about. Wasting of valuable resources in general is forbidden in Islam. Water is indeed a precious resource, especially nowadays what with water scarcity becoming more of a potentially scary reality today than ever before. I too am disappointed to see how much how is wasted in frivolous activities here in the Gulf. Food wastage is another big problem here. Restaurants often serve too much and instead of requesting to take home the extra food or telling the restaurant to save it and send it to a poor person, customers here usually waste the food by either throwing it out or spoiling it so that no one else can eat it (by leaving their dirty utensils or tissues on top of leftovers). It's a shame really.
AA- CoolRed and Anon,
How did this thread turn into a Gulf-bashing session?! :-)
Seriously, this phenomenon of wastage and pollution is not limited to the Gulf. I'm sure if Egyptians or Pakistanis had the resources to waste, they would be in the same boat.
Its a mindset issue and a good, simple place to start is with water, IMO.
Actually there's nothing wrong with being 'green'. Infact Every muslim should be an environmentalist as this is clearly from our deen and from the sunnah.
We will be questioned on the last day on everything that passed through our hands, everything we consumed and everything that came our way. How did we use it? For the benefit of others or did we waste Allah (Swt) blessings whilst denying others and the needy a share of it and thereby being ungrateful?
As regards the sunnah - then Prophet (saw) conserved everything, not water, not even half a date would be wasted in his house. And he would store no food items in his house untill he had given them away to the poor.
Waste is from heedlessness, gluttony, greed and selfishness and therefore contrary to our deen.
Naeem...I wasnt intentionally bashing the gulf...but its where I have lived 23 years...so when I speak of Muslims and Muslim ways...by default I must speak of my experience of living with Muslims in the gulf...just saying.
Br. Naeem,
You're absolutely right this phenomenon is not limited to the Gulf. I know having grown up in America that Muslims in the West have to also change their wasteful habits they picked up from there. And that's what I'd like to point out. That as Muslims we should not copy the lifestyles of others especially if they entail learning how to be wasteful with the Earth's resources. I don't think the rest of the Ummah, unlike the Gulf, has learned to be wasteful yet because our economies are still developing. But if after having developed we ape the West in its waseful habits we will be destroying the environment and be held just as accountable for doing that by Allah (SWT) as them.
Some Muslim scholars like Imaam Ahmed were in the opinion that conserving water when taking WUDU is requirement that is included in the Ibaadah. Therefore, wasting water in WUDU is not recommended. In fact, some of Imaam Ahmed's students narrate tha they use to hide the Imaam when he is taking WUDU to hide from people how little water he was using. It means some people their feelings may have been disturbed if the came to know how little a water he used for WUDU. Good article. I hope to see such a postings in the future. Religion is little things here and there but equally important as big things.
Is that why some pakis and some england peeps take only weekly showers? Juma to Juma? lol but im being serious too, lol
AA- Arif
"Is that why some pakis and some england peeps take only weekly showers?"
Why are Gujis such weirdos?
"lol but im being serious too, lol"
lol yeah, me too, lol
In the states I grew up in Arizona and lived in Florida for 15 years. Both states imposed forced conservation of water during the summer months - yes, when it's hottest but when the water supply is also lowest. Water consumption was successfully lowered. There were ad campaigns on TV and billboards; fines were imposed for uncooperative wasteful citizens. In Florida, electrical consumption was lowered as well. We could enroll in a billing reduction program which allowed the electric company to turn off our electricity at certain times when there was peak usage. It didn't happen often, but we would just leave the warm house and go to the mall or a movie!
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