World’s Water Day

Preamble

The original title of today’s article in this column was ‘Miscellany of Issues’ and not ‘World’s Water Day’ that appears here.

It has been expressed severally in this column that the dilemma of a worthy newspaper columnist is not a dearth of ideas but a deluge of them.

In the process of choosing a subject of writing, many other subjects often surge forth torrentially in a seeming competition that causes confusion and throws the columnist into a dilemma. That is the weekly experience of virtually all newspaper columnists of note in all parts of the world.

This is another week of dilemma for yours sincerely as a columnist.

 

A Queue of Subjects

By last Monday, a number of issues had queued up as subjects of wring from which this column was to make a choice of title for today’s article. And to further complicate the confusion arising from that deluge, some readers innocently suggested certain subjects on which they expected today’s writing to be based. In summary, weekly column writing is an entirely different terrain in journalism with a special literary prowess that can hardly be predicted because of the dynamic nature of the world. For instance, some of the many subjects like ‘New Zealand Massacre’, ‘The Nature’s Fury’, ‘Nigeria’s Political Dealers’ and ‘Ramadan’ that had queued up for choice in respect of today’s article had to be discarded in favour of the one that appears here.

 

The Choice

In the melee of the confusion and dilemma brought by the above listed competing subjects, yours sincerely decided to choose today’s (The World’s Water Day) because of its editorial   imperishability.

Besides, it is a subject that affects all living things but which has attracted the least public attention in the media.

 

Problem of Water

There is no doubt that water is the most   dominant part of the environment which works actively in concert with weathers and seasons.

Now, the world is in a season when people in African countries do wander about in search of water. This is the season when most rivers dry up as much as most wells. This is the season in which sellers of water make huge profits and buyers are forced to economize the use of water. It is the season in which the global importance of water in the life of man is often reconfirmed. Perhaps that why the United Nations decided to declare March 22 of every year the World’s Day of Water.

 

Water Formula

In their deep-rooted research, centuries ago, scientists decided to coin a formula (H2O) for scientific use in analyzing the natural contents of water. From such analysis, they identified the various types of water and their uses in an environment. They then concluded that water is actually the source of life for all living organisms.

As a ubiquitous substance in the environment, water comes from the showers of the sky and becomes stored in the natural bowl of the earth.

 

Composition

Because of its capacity to dissolve numerous substances in large amounts, pure water rarely occurs in nature. During condensation and precipitation, rain or snow absorbs from the atmosphere varying amounts of carbon dioxide and other gases, as well as traces of organic and inorganic material.

Thus, in its movement on and through the earth’s crust, water reacts with minerals in the soil and rocks. Meanwhile, the principal constituents of surface and groundwater are sulfates, chlorides, and bicarbonates of sodium and potassium as well as the oxides of calcium and magnesium.

While surface waters may contain domestic sewage and industrial wastes the ground waters from shallow wells may contain large quantities of nitrogen compounds and chlorides derived from human and animal wastes.

On the other hand, waters from deep wells generally contain only minerals in solution.

 

Drinkable Water

Almost all supplies of naturally drinkable water contain fluorides in varying amounts. Incidentally, the proper proportion of fluorides in drinking water has been found to useful in reducing tooth decay and similar ailments.

According to scientific discovery, concentrated amounts of sodium chloride, or salt, seawater contains many other soluble compounds, as the impure waters of rivers and streams are constantly feeding the oceans. At the same time, pure water is continually lost by the process of evaporation, and as a result the proportion of the impurities that give the oceans their saline character is increased.

 

Rainy season

Now, in Nigeria, like in many other African countries, another season of rains is being expected when, as usual, water will be found everywhere but none will be available for drinking. That is the season in which the sky opens up its generous bowl to pour down water in abundance. But the earth has no space to accommodate the gesture. That is a period when plants and animals feel that their needs for survival have been grossly exceeded. Thus, as the world becomes flooded with water everywhere humanity becomes restive. At such a time, the bounties of Allah seem to be too much for the need of man. In Europe, Asia, Africa and America, the story is one and the same. That is the season in which the world will be grappling not only with a deluge but also with such disastrous accidents like cyclone, typhoon and hurricane arising from atmospheric pressure.

 

Blaming the Nature

When any of these happens, the tendency is for the scientists to lay blame at the door-step of what they call global warming. As a justification for their blame, they give many reasons, including the depletion of the Ozone Layer, as the cause.

 

Prophetic   Environmental lesson

Many centuries before scientists began their research on environment, the unlettered Prophet Muhammad (SAW) had taught Muslims how to handle environmental dryness as well as deluge. It is from that lesson that Muslims became familiar with the value of water and its use for Islam.

In Islam, there is no cause or effect of a matter that is not known or cannot be controlled by Allah. Whatever happens in the life of man is by Allah’s permission.

 

The Queue of Life

Life is like a queue. You enter it at a point and come out of it at another point. This is one major lesson which every Muslim has come to learn through the observance of daily prayers (Salat). In Salat alone where queues are essential, a lot of lessons are there to learn.

 

Ritual baths

The very basic lesson to learn in Salat is hygiene. As a new convert to Islam, you have to undergo a ritual bath called Ghuslu-s-Shahadah or Ghuslu-d-dukhul fil Islam (convert’s ritual bath) which is performed with water. When you want to observe any Salat, be it obligatory or supererogatory, you must perform ablution with water.

This is called Wudu’. If there is no water, you perform Tayammam (dry ablution). As a Muslim, after an intercourse with your spouse, you must perform a ritual bath called Ghuslul Janabah before you can observe any Salat.

When a Muslim woman completes her monthly menstrual period she must perform a ritual bath called Ghuslul Haydah before she can resume observance of Salat. A Muslim woman who has just completed her blood-dripping period following child delivery must perform a ritual bath called Ghuslu-n-Nifas before she can resume observance of Salat.

A newly born baby in Islam must be taken through a mandatory bath called Ghuslul Wiladah which is also done with water.

Muslim pilgrims must commence their Hajj or Umrah activities with a ritual bath called Ghuslul Hajj or Umrah at their respective Miqat before they enter the condition of Ihram. When a Muslim, male or female, is dead, a ritual bath is performed on his or her body. This bath is called Ghuslul Janazah. Anybody who carries out a bath on a dead body must also undergo a ritual bath of purification called Ghuslu-t-Taharah mina-n-Najasah (bath for purifying self from filth).

This is because a dead body in Islam is like a filth which must be disposed of as soon as possible before it starts to decompose and thereby constitutes health hazard for the living. Whoever touches such filth has had a share of it and must therefore cleanse up before observing any Salat. Such a person cannot participate even in Salatul-Janazah on the body of the deceased person which he has just cleaned up until he has taken the purification bath.

 

Unique hygiene

According to the prescription of Islam, Muslims are expected to clean up with water through ablution at least five times a day. And, as a prophetic tradition prescribes, they are also expected to perform ritual bath on Fridays in preparation for Salatul Jum’ah though such bath is Sunnah (optional) rather than Fard (obligation).

 

Muslim Women and Use of Water

Naturally, women, especially Muslim women, utilize water much more than men. They are the ones who take care of the children and, in the process; they clean up for them many times a day. Besides, women are the ones who must clean up for menses every month. They are the ones who must clean up ritually after 40 days, following child delivery.

They are the ones in charge of matrimonial kitchens where they use water day and night. Thus, when the demography of women in any society is compared to that of men one can imagine the quantity of water consumed daily or weekly by women.

 

Muslims’ attitude to dryness

It thus becomes understandable why Muslims feel more concerned when there is dryness and water cannot be easily accessed. This is what led to the idea of a special prayer called ‘Salatul Istisqai’ (rain-seeking prayer). This prayer randomly observed by Muslims when shortage of water becomes acute cannot be observed without water ablution. It is a way of reconfirming to Allah that the main purpose of our existence on earth is to worship Him just as the purpose of keeping domestic animals is to serve man. Salatul Istisqai which is usually followed by heavy rainfalls is a major evidence of an existing covenant between Allah and His faithful servants. The wonderful effect of that Salat contradicts any scientific theory.

 

The Role of Water in Hajj

Unknown to the non-Islamic world, performance of Hajj every year is a great blessing to humanity rather than just a act of worship by Muslims. Hajj is the biggest congregation of human beings on earth.

Allah recognizes with love, congregations of pious people who praise Him and pray to Him for the needs of the world. That congregation is essential for the continuity of human existence. There is no country in the world today without Muslim pilgrims joining their brethren from other parts of the world in requesting Allah to save the world from perishing. And each year, as such prayers are accepted, the world is confirmed saved despite the evil moves of Yajuj and Ma’juj (Gog and Magog) as well as their agents who are ignorantly pursuing their own destruction every minute. Thus, like Salatul Istisqai which brings water to everybody and not Muslims alone, Hajj is to the benefit of mankind and not Muslims alone. Thus, its preservation must be ensured by everybody in the interest of continued human existence. It is through Hajj that the Muslim world came to know Zam Zam water which comes from the oldest well in existence.

 

Conclusion

Without water, it will be difficult to observe Salat or to fast in Ramadan or to give Zakah or to perform Hajj. Without water, it will be impossible to bear children and bring them up, or to keep farms and sustain them. Water is life. But this is not for Muslims alone. The difference is that Muslims use part of the water to show gratitude to Allah by worshipping Him. Others use it for mundane life alone which is sheer vanity.

 

Kowledge and Water

Knowledge is like water which softens the earth for seeds to germinate and for plants to be nourished to fruition. Knowledge in Islam is much more important than worship. No one can validly worship Allah without knowledge. And if for this reason alone, it should behoove the entire Muslim Ummah of the world to cooperate in using water to worship Allah. That is the essence of knowledge. It cannot be trivialized.