Samar Yahya
Water is the most important liquid for human survival. Water has been on earth since its beginning. Without water there would be no life on earth. Water makes up about 71% of the Earth’s surface, while the other 29% consists of continents and islands. Did you know that that 96.5 per cent of all the earth’s water is salt water in oceans and seas? The remaining 3.5% is fresh water from rivers and lakes and frozen water in the polar ice tops. And, 69% of the 3.5% fresh water is in the form of ice. If we could melt all that ice, and the earth’s surface was perfectly smooth, the sea levels would rise to an altitude of 2.7 km. The human body consists of 75% water.
Water is one of the key elements responsible for life on earth. Water circulates through the land just as it does through the human body, transporting, dissolving, and replenishing nutrients and organic matter, while carrying away waste material. It also regulates the activities of fluids, tissues, cells, lymph, blood, and glandular secretions.
An average adult body contains 42 liters of water and with just a small loss of 2.7 liters a person can suffer from dehydration, dizziness, weakness, and headaches. The role of water is vital role in our health and essential for cell function.
The 75% of water in our body helps us swallow and digest food. Without water, all chemical reactions in our body would not take place, including carryingaway the substances that we do not need any more. Water regulates our body temperature and without water, we would be unable to live for a few days.
In our every day life we use water in our houses, to grow plants for food, in industries and factories, to produce energy and electricity, in transportation and trade. Whatever we think of to continue living, water is always there.
In the history of humanity, water has been the center of civilizations. Communities were established close to fresh drinking water sources such as wells, or in a region known of rain as a source of fresh water.
Traditional and modern medicine has been making use of the psychological and physiological diverse properties of water. Since early centuries and up until today, numerous healing springs located all around the world have been recognized for their benefits with historical records of how the water springs had curative properties.
Of the scientific marvels in the Holy Qur’an, water was mentioned as the source of all life.
“Have those who disbelieved not considered that the heavens and the earth were a joined entity, and We separated them and made from water every living thing? Then will they not believe?” (21:30)
Fourteen centuries ago, the Holy Qur’an has revealed that water is a part of every living organism. Centuries later after the invention of the microscope, scientists discovered that the cytoplasm and the basic substance of the cell is made up of 80% water.
There are facts that mankind had not been aware of before the twentieth century yet they were mentioned in the Holy Qur’an.
Water in the seas and oceans regulates the temperature of the Earth, and it maintains marine life. The combination of hot and cold sea currents, the absorption of a great amount of sunlight and energy from the activities of the various marine life forms are all regulated by water.
When we study facts about water, we can see the amazing creative power that gave water a number of physical and chemical characteristics that are not found in other elements.
The low density of frozen water enables it to float on the surface of seas and oceans, otherwise if it sunk to the bottom of oceans and seas, it would interfere with underwater life. Moreover, the molecular structure of water with its double pole and resistance to dissolution and ionization, its freezing and boiling points and the high specific and latent heat, impressive viscosity and surface tension, its great ability in the processes of oxidation and reduction and to react with many chemical compounds help to crack the soil to facilitate the germination of plants. Water carries out a major role in all plants, animals and people. It is considered to be one of the great miracles of Allah.
Humans have been exploiting and abusing the sources of fresh water such as rivers, lakes, and also oceans and seas by contamination and pollution.
Water is a blessing from Allah, essential to all our bodily functions and life. We must conserve water and preserve it for ourselves and for the generations to come.
Abdullah ibn Amr reported that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) passed by Saad while he was performing ablution. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “What is this extravagance?” Saad said, “Is there extravagance with water in ablution?” The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Yes, even if you were on the banks of a flowing river.” Source: Sunan ibn Majah 425
Muslims should avoid wasting water.
