Allah made water the essence of life, as He said, “And Allah has created every [living] creature from water. And 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. Allah creates what He wills. Indeed, Allah is over all things competent.” (An-Nur: 45) He also said, “And it is He who has created from water a human being and made him [a relative by] lineage and marriage. And ever is your Lord competent [concerning creation].” (Al-Furqan: 54) And He said, “And who sends down rain from the sky in measured amounts, and We revive thereby a dead land - thus will you be brought forth.” (Az-Zukhruf: 11)
Allah made water the foundation of human civilization, economic development, and urban construction. He said, “And [He] sent down from the sky, rain and produced thereby categories of various plants. Eat [therefrom] and pasture your livestock. Indeed, in that are signs for those of intelligence.” (Taha: 53-54)
Divine Miracles
Allah supported His messengers with water when their people needed it, sending it through miracles so they could drink from it. Examples of this include the people of Prophet Musa when they asked him to pray for water. He prayed, and Allah supported him with water. Allah said, “And [recall] when Moses prayed for water for his people, so We said, 'Strike with your staff the stone.' And there gushed forth from it twelve springs, and every people knew its watering place. 'Eat and drink from the provision of Allah, and do not commit abuse on the earth, spreading corruption.'” (Al-Baqarah: 60) And He said, “And We inspired to Moses when his people implored him for water, 'Strike with your staff the stone.' And there gushed forth from it twelve springs. Every people knew its watering place.” (Al-A'raf: 160)
Similarly, Allah supported His Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) with water for the people. In an agreed-upon hadith, Jabir ibn Abdullah narrated: “The people became very thirsty on the day of Al-Hudaibiya (Treaty). A small pot containing some water was in front of the Prophet (ﷺ) and when he had finished the ablution, the people rushed towards him. He asked, 'What is wrong with you?' They replied, 'We have no water either for performing ablution or for drinking except what is present in front of you.' So he placed his hand in that pot and the water started flowing among his fingers like springs. We all drank and performed ablution (from it).”
Sadaqah Jariyah (Ongoing Charity)
One of the significant acts of worship and righteous deeds whose reward continues after a person's death is providing water. Anas ibn Malik narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Seven deeds of a servant continue to be rewarded after his death while he is in his grave: knowledge to be learned, constructing a canal, digging a well, planting a date-palm tree, building a mosque, handing down a written copy of the Quran, and leaving a righteous child who seeks forgiveness for him after his death.”
The importance of providing water as charity for the deceased is also highlighted in a narration by Al-Nasa'i, Abu Dawud, and Ibn Majah. It was repored from Sa'd bin 'Ubadah that his mother died. He said, “O Messenger of Allah, my mother has died; can I give charity on her behalf?” He said: “Yes.” He said: “What kind of charity is best?” He said: “Providing drinking water.”
Leads to Jannah
In Sunan Abu Dawud, Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “Any Muslim who gives drink to a Muslim who is thirsty, Allah will give him a drink from the Sealed Nectar.” When the Prophet and his companions migrated from Mecca to Medina, they suffered from a water crisis because the only fresh water in Medina was from the well of Ruma, owned by a Jew who sold the water at high prices. The poor complained about his greed to the Prophet, who wished that one of the companions would buy the well and make its water available for Muslims.
The Prophet announced this wish among the companions, as narrated by At-Tirmidhi in a good chain of narration: “Who will buy the well of Rumah and dip his bucket in it alongside the buckets of the Muslims, in return for a spring in Paradise?” In another narration, “in return for a better one in Paradise?”
Uthman ibn Affan promptly went to the Jew, seeking to buy the well entirely, but the greedy Jew refused. So, Uthman negotiated to buy half of it. He bought half for twelve thousand dirhams, allowing him to use it one day, and the Jew the next. Muslims would draw water on Uthman's day enough for two days. Seeing his business decline, the Jew offered to sell the other half, and Uthman bought it for eight thousand dirhams, making the well entirely for Muslims.
In Sahih Al-Bukhari, Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “While a man was walking he felt thirsty and went down a well and drank water from it. On coming out of it, he saw a dog panting and eating mud because of excessive thirst. The man said, 'This (dog) is suffering from the same problem as that of mine. So he (went down the well), filled his shoe with water, caught hold of it with his teeth and climbed up and watered the dog. Allah thanked him for his (good) deed and forgave him.” The people asked, “O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Is there a reward for us in serving (the) animals?” He replied, “Yes, there is a reward for serving any animate.”
Warning Against Withholding Water
Islam warns against withholding water from those in need. If someone has the means to provide water and denies it, Allah will deny them water on the Day of Resurrection when they are in dire need. In Sahih Al-Bukhari, Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “There are three to whom God will not speak and at whom He will not look on the day of resurrection: a man who swears falsely about some merchandise that he has previously received a larger offer than he has now been given; a man who swears a false oath after the afternoon prayer to deprive thereby a Muslim of his property; and a man who withholds excess water. God will say, ‘Today I am withholding from you my grace as you withheld excess water which was not produced by the efforts of your hands.’”
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