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ALLAH has blessed humanity with innumerable bounties and water is perhaps the topmost amongst all of these. He has made all creatures out of water as He mentions in the Quran: “…We have made every living thing from water. ...” (21:30). After oxygen, water is considered to be one of the basic needs for living creatures.
At another place the Holy Book says: “Allah has created every creature from water. Of them there are some that creep on their bellies, some that walk on two legs, and some that walk on four. Allah creates what He wills ... Allah is able to do all things” (24:45).
The above verses hint not only at creation from water, but the latter’s continuous importance in all spheres of life. The very survival and sustainability of all creatures depends on water. It is in fact a part of Islamic teachings that one needs to be mindful, cautious and responsible in using God’s bounties — the scrupulous use of water and other God-given bounties is an implied way of thanksgiving.
The scrupulous use of water is a way of giving thanks.
We see innumerable sources of water on earth; 71pc of the earth’s surface consists of water, much of it contained, in the oceans. Seawater is yet to be made fully potable and usable for irrigation through the development of cheap desalination technology. Other sources include rain, rivers and glaciers, etc.
Until recently, many people used to think that water is free and an inexhaustible treasure. Therefore, the usage of water in a profligate way was rampant. But now that thinking is beginning to change. We are sensing various ominous signs of water scarcity as opposed to rising demand. Intellectuals, experts and other concerned citizens are raising their voices about the impending dangers of water shortage. Some countries are drying up and there is the potential of inter- and intra-state violence over water that could lead to instability in different regions.
According to some renowned environmentalists, water is going to be the most prized commodity in the future, which may instigate man’s animalistic traits to fight for the commodity he needs.
Therefore, many countries have started thinking seriously and devising plans to avoid a crisis situation. For example, the UAE’s Water Aid campaign named ‘Suqia’ has initiated a plan aimed at providing potable water to five million people facing water shortage in Asia and Africa and has reportedly raised nearly $50 million for drilling, pumping and water purification methods in poor countries. The UAE Red Crescent has already reportedly started work on boring wells in 10 countries, including Pakistan.
Similarly, Singapore, with very scarce sources of water, has embarked on building a good number of water reservoirs. These are to be filled by capturing rainwater, thus reducing the city state’s dependence on imported water from neighbouring Malaysia.
Pakistan is synonymous with crises — major and minor ones pop up every now and then. Water shortages in parts of the country have started making headlines. The problem may snowball into a major crisis. Before we drift towards catastrophe, it is time to think seriously, with planning and action. The most vulnerable sector which might suffer extensively is agriculture, which forms the mainstay of our economy. If agriculture is affected, the repercussions are felt in all other sectors. This is a warning sign which Pakistan needs to take seriously.
Also, the situation in Pakistan is highly cumbersome with regard to water accessibility. There are villages across the country where people have to walk miles to fetch drinking water while, in contrast, we also see areas where water is used in a profligate manner. One can also observe, especially in Karachi, numerous legal and illegal hydrants. Rusted and dilapidated tankers can be seen spilling water as they transport it, on the way ruining roads. This sector needs to be regulated, organised and monitored in the public interest. For example, it should be made incumbent upon the tanker owners to use vehicles that do not waste any water in the transportation process, while illegal operations need to be wound up.
There are a number of ways to pre-empt the emerging crisis. The first and foremost is education. The general public needs to be educated about the conservation of water, reminding them about Allah’s commandment which says “...Eat and drink but waste not by extravagance. Certainly He likes not Al Musrifun” (7:31).
Secondly, it is necessary to build extra reservoirs where people can save rain and floodwater for later use. During monsoon, we get enough rain which sometimes turns into floods, destroying homes and hearths, crops and cattle. Experts need to look into ways to develop technology to harness rainwater and retain it for later use. Waste water also needs to be treated primarily for industrial purposes. In short, we must awaken before it is too late.
The writer is an educationist with an interest in religion.
Published in Dawn, February 27th, 2015
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