Water Conservation in the Qur'anic Perspective: A Thematic Analysis of Ethical Water Usage in Puricfiation Rituals

• Authors: Muhammad Asrori , Muhammad Muhammad , Mohamad Zubad Nurul Yaqin , Wafda Firyal , Finadatul Wahidah

Title variants

PL

Ochrona zasobów wodnych z perspektywy Koranu: Analiza tematyczna etycznego wykorzystania wody w rytuałach oczyszczających

Abstracts

PL

Ochrona zasobów wodnych stanowi palący problem na całym świecie, zwłaszcza w świetle rosnącego niedoboru zasobów czystej wody. Islam, druga co do wielkości religia świata, kładzie duży nacisk na rozważne i odpowiedzialne korzystanie z wody, zarówno w rytuałach religijnych, jak i w życiu codziennym. W niniejszym artykule przedstawiono koncepcję ochrony zasobów wodnych z perspektywy Koranu, zwracając szczególną uwagę na etyczne aspekty wykorzystania wody w obrzędach oczyszczania. Stosując zasady krytycznego myślenia oraz metodologie analityczne, autorzy proponują egzegetyczne podejście w ramach interpretacyjnych zasad al-Adabī al-Ijtimāʻī. Odkrycia wskazują, że Koran przedstawia wodę jako podstawowe źródło życia, symbol czystości i boskie błogosławieństwo, które należy chronić. Chociaż nauki Islamu zalecają rytualne oczyszczenie przed pewnymi aktami kultu religijnego, obecne praktyki korzystania z wody w tym celu często odbiegają od zasad w nich zawartych. Dlatego też wspieranie zbiorowej świadomości etycznej wśród muzułmanów w zakresie korzystania z wody jest niezbędne do ograniczenia zanieczyszczenia i promowania działań na rzecz zrównoważonej eksploatacji zasobów wodnych.

EN

Water conservation represents a pressing global issue, especially in light of the growing scarcity of clean water resources. As the world's second-largest religion, Islam places significant emphasis on the prudent and responsible use of  water, both in religious rituals and in everyday life. This study investigates the  concept of  water conservation from a Qur'anic perspective, with particular attention to the ethical dimensions of water usage in purification practices. Employing critical thinking and analytical methodologies, it adopts a thematic exegesis approach within the interpretive framework of al-Adabī al-Ijtimāʻī. The findings indicate that the Qur'an presents water as a fundamental source of life, a symbol of purity, and a divine blessing that must be protected. Although Islam prescribes ritual purification before certain acts of worship, current practices of water use in these contexts frequently deviate from the conservation principles espoused in Islamic teachings. Therefore, fostering a collective ethical awareness among Muslims regarding water use is essential for minimizing waste and advancing sustainable conservation efforts.

Keywords

EN

water conservation; the Qur'an; purification rituals; ecological stewardship; sustainable resource management

PL

gospodarowanie wodą; Koran; rytuały oczyszczające; odpowiedzialność środowiskowa; zrównoważone zarządzanie zasobami

• Publisher: Uniwersytet Kardynała Stefana Wyszyńskiego w Warszawie
• Journal: Studia Ecologiae et Bioethicae
• Year: 2025
• Volume: 23
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 35-47

Dates

published

2025

Contributors

author

Muhammad Asrori

• Universitas Islam Negeri Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang, Indonesia

• https://orcid.org/0000000256739512

author

Muhammad Muhammad

• Universitas Islam Negeri Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang, Indonesia

• https://orcid.org/0000000155820872

author

Mohamad Zubad Nurul Yaqin

• Universitas Islam Negeri Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang, Indonesia

• https://orcid.org/0000000282532048

author

Wafda Firyal

• STID Mustafa Ibrahim Al-Ishlahuddiny Kediri Lombok Barat NTB, Indonesia

• https://orcid.org/0009000187716401

author

Finadatul Wahidah

• Institut Agama Islam Al-Qodiri Jember, Indonesia

• https://orcid.org/0009000566310049

References

• Abbas, Haitham Khudair, and A. M Jenan Marza Hamza. 2018. “The Legitimate Reasons for the Maintenance of Water.” Journal of Babylon Center for Humanities Studies 8, no. 4: 121–38.
• Affairs, Kuwait Ministry of Awqaf & Islamic. 1427. Al-Muwsuʻah Al-Fiqhiyah Al-Kuwaitiyah. Kuwait: Dār al-Salāsil.
• Ahmadi, Imam. 2021. “Tafsir Ekologi: Dikursus Hidrologi Dalam Al- Qur’an [Ecological Interpretation: Hydrological Discourse in the Qur’an].” Sinda Comprehensive Journal of Islamic Social Studies 1, no. 3.
• Akkad, A.A. 1989. “Water Conservation in Arid and Semi-Arid Regions.” Desalination 72, no. 1–2 (April): 185–205. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0011-9164(89)80035-9
• Al-Anṣārī, Zakariyā. 2000. Asnā Al-Maṭālib Fī Sharḥ Rawḍ Al-Ṭālib. Bairūt: Dār al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiah.
• Al-Bayhaqī, Aḥmad b. al-Ḥusanīn. 2003. Al-Sunan Al-Kubrā. Bairūt: Dār al-Kutub al-ʻIlmiyah.
• Al-Jazāirȳ, ʻAbd al-Raḥmān. 2003. Al-Fiqh ʻalā Al-Maẓāhib Al-Arbaʻah. Bairūt: Dār al-Aṣlāḥ.
• Al-Nairat, Khawlah. 2023. “Environmental Problems in Saudi Arabia.” Mawdoo3.Com. 2023.
• Al-Naysabūrȳ, Abū Bakr Muḥammad. 1985. Al-Awsaṭ Fī Al-Sunan Wa Al-Ijmāʻ Wa Al-Ikhtilāf. Saudi Arabia: Dār Ṭayyibah.
• Al-Ramlī, Muḥammad. 1984. Nihāyah Al-Muḥtāj Ilā Sharḥ Al-Minhāj. Bairūt: Dār al-Fikr.
• Al-Ṣābūnī, Muḥammad ʻAlī. 1997. Ṣafwah Al-Tafāsīr. Cairo: Dār al-Ṣābūnī.
• Al-Sharbīinī, Muḥammad. 1415. Al-Iqnā Fī Ḥall Alfāẓ Abī Shujāʻ. Bairūt: Dār al-Fikr.
• Al-Shawkanī, Muḥammad b. ʻAlī. n.d. Nayl Al-Awṭār Min Aḥādīth Sayyid Al-Akhbār Sharḥ Muntaqī Al-Akhbār. Egypt: al-Ṭabāʻah al-Muniriyah.
• Al-Shawkanī, Muḥammad b. ʻAlī. 1987. Al-Durarī Al-Muḍiyah Sharḥ Al-Durar Al-Bahiyah. Bairut: Dār al-Kutub al-ʻIlmiyah.
• Al-Ṭabarī, Muḥammad b. Jarīr. 2000. Jāmiʻ Al-Bayān Fī Ta’wīl Al-Qur’ān. Bairut: Muassasah al-Risālah.
• Al-Ṭabrāinī, Abū al-Qāsim. n.d. Al-Muʻjam Al-Awsaṭ. Cairo: Dār al-Ḥaramayn.
• Al-Zuhailȳ, Wahbah. n.d. Al-Fiqh Al-Islamī Wa Adillatuh. Bairūt: Dār al-Fikr.
• Anggraeni, Djayanti Presti. 2024. “Sungai Indonesia Tercemar Sampah Plastik [Indonesian Rivers Polluted by Plastic Waste].” Www.Rri.Co.Id. 2024. https://www.rri.co.id/daerah/552299/sungai-indonesia-tercemar-sampah-plastik.
• Anwar, Muhammad Junaid. 2021. “An Islamic Ecological Perspective of Water Resources Management.” Al-Qalam 26, no. 2: 284–98.
• As-Sirjaani, Raaghib. 2021. “The Importance of Water to Human Beings.” Www.Islamweb.Net, 2021. https://www.islamweb.net/en/print.php?id=234511.
• Bajash, Fahem. 2020. “Al-Tikrār Fī Al-Qur’an Al-Karīm: Ḥaqīqahtuh Wa Ahamiyatuh Dawāʻiyuh Simātih [Repetition in the Holy Quran: Its Reality, Importance, Motives and Characteristics].” Albaydha University Journal 2, no. 2: 308–18.DOI: https://doi.org/10.56807/buj.v2i2.72
• Basri, Basri, M. Zubad Nurul Yaqin, Muhammad Muhammad, and Naylul Izzah Walkaromah. 2024. “Reconstruction of Ittjāh Al-Adabī Al-Ijtimāʻī: Interpreting the Qur’an from an Inclusive Perspective.” AL QUDS : Jurnal Studi Alquran Dan Hadis 8, no. 3 (December): 593–608. DOI: https://doi.org/10.29240/alquds.v8i3.7229
• Blankinship, Lisa A., Sarah Gillaspie, Khaled Obaideen, and Basil H. Aboul-Enein. 2024. “‘… And We Have Made from Water Every Living Thing’: Water Conservation and the Holy Qur’an.” Environmental Conservation 51, no. 2 (June): 79–84. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S037689292300036X
• Buccione, Giulia, Emily Oster, Brian Knight, Elisa Macchi, Dan Bjorkegren, Lydia Assouad, Peter Hull, et al. 2023. “Religious Messaging and Adaptation to Water Scarcity: Evidence from Jordan Click Here for Latest Version,” 1–79.
• Farhat Naseem Alvi, Abdul Manan Cheema, and Sadia Rafiq. 2024. “The Ripples of Responsibility: An Islamic-Inspired Analysis of Water Management.” Al-Idah 42, no. 1 (June): 42–58. DOI: https://doi.org/10.37556/al-idah.042.01.0908
• Florena, Fenfen Fenda, Ferli Septi Irwansyah, and Karman Karman. 2021. “The Future of Water: Technology, Challenges, and Islamic Perspective.” Jurnal Kajian Peradaban Islam 4, no. 2: 111–23. DOI: https://doi.org/10.47076/jkpis.v4i2.70
• Furkanİ, Mehterhan. 2017. “Jamal-i Khalwatî Al-Aksarayî’s Work Asraar Al-Wudû: Study and Critical Edition.” Mütefekkir 4, no. 7: 173–95. DOI: https://doi.org/10.30523/mutefekkir.331952
• Gudorf, Christine E. 2010. “Water Privatization in Christianity and Islam.” Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics 30, no. 2: 19–38. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5840/jsce20103023
• Hassan, Shabbir. n.d. “What Is Tawaf in Islam.” Thepilgrim.Co. Accessed April 16, 2025. https://thepilgrim.co/what-is-tawaf/.
• Hossain, Mohammad Zakir. 2001. “Water: The Most Precious Resource of Our Life.” Global Journal of Advanced Research 2, no. 9: 1436–45. http://books.google.com/books?id=AYgEFsz0tCQC.
• ʻAllām, Shawqī Ibrāhīm. 2022a. “Al-Nahy ʻan Al-Isrāf Fī Istiʻmāl Al-Mā’ ʻind Al-Wuḍu’ (Prohibition of Wasting Water during Ablution).” Https://Www.Dar-Alifta.Org/. 2022. https://www.dar-alifta.org/ar/fatawa/18011.
• ʻAllām, Shawqī Ibrāhīm. 2022b. “The Necessity of Preserving the Environment and the Warning of the Holy Sharia against Polluting River Waters.” https://www.dar-alifta.org/ar/fatawa/17525.
• Imamudin, Mochamad. 2012. “Peran Air Dalam Perspektif Al-Qur’an: Air Sebagai Sumber Kehidupan [The Role of Water in the Perspective of the Qur’an: Water as a Source of Life].” El–Hayah 3, no. 1: 41–45. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18860/elha.v3i1.2220
• Jabłoński, Maciej. 2011. “Prawno-Administracyjne Aspekty Ochrony Wód w Polsce.” Studia Ecologiae et Bioethicae 9, no. 4 (December): 49–62. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21697/seb.2011.9.4.04
• Jury, William A., and Henry J. Vaux. 2007. “The Emerging Global Water Crisis: Managing Scarcity and Conflict Between Water Users.” Advances in Agronomy 95, no. 07: 1–76. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2113(07)95001-4
• Kavezeri-Karuaihe, Selma T., Naser I. Faruqui, Asit K. Biswa, and Murad J. Bino. 2003. “Water Management in Islam.” Journal of Range Management 56, no. 4 (July): 397. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/4004046
• Koehrsen, Jens. 2021. “Muslims and Climate Change: How Islam, Muslim Organizations, and Religious Leaders Influence Climate Change Perceptions and Mitigation Activities.” WIREs Climate Change 12, no. 3 (May): 1–19. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/wcc.702
• Kurni, Waesul. 2016. “Air Dalam Al-Qur’an Dan Fungsinya Dalam Kehidupan [Water in the Qur’an and Its Function in Life].” Jurnal Al-Ashriyyah 2, no. 1: 129–50.
• Ling, Tong. 2022. “A Global Study About Water Crisis.” Proceedings of the 2021 International Conference on Social Development and Media Communication (SDMC 2021) 631, no. Sdmc 2021: 809–14. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.220105.148
• Loodin, Najibullah. 2021. “The Role of Islam in Water Resources Management: Could It Be Integrated into International Water Law Principles (IWLP) for the Islamic-Dominated States?” Oregon State University. Oregon State University.
• Mahmud, Bakr. n.d. “Problems of Drinking Water Pollution in Egypt and How to Treat It.” Http://Egyptfilters.Com/. Accessed December 2, 2024. http://egyptfilters.com/Viewer/Default.aspx?Lang=2&Page=69&NewsID=19.
• Marshall, Samantha. 2011. “The Water Crisis in Kenya: Causes, Effects and Solutions.” Global Majority E-Journal 2, no. 1: 31–45. http://www.american.edu/cas/economics/ejournal/.%0Ahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Globe.gif.
• Mehta, Prashant. 2012. “Impending Water Crisis in India and Comparing Clean Water Standards among Developing and Developed Nations.” Scholars Research Library Archives of Applied Science Research 4, no. 1: 497–507.
• Mohamad, Abdul Basir, and Nurbazla Ismail. 2023. “Environmental Preservation and Water Pollution from the Islamic Perspective.” Samarah: Jurnal Hukum Keluarga Dan Hukum Islam 7, no. 2 (June): 997. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22373/sjhk.v7i2.16019
• Muhammad, Muhammad. 2023. “Al-Ittijāh Al-Adabī Al-Ijtimāʻī Dalam Tafsir Al-Qur’an Penghambat Moderasi Beragama: Studi Analisis Tafsir Keindonesiaan [Al-Ittijah Al-Adabī Al-Ijtimāʻī in the Interpretation of the Qur’an, an Obstacle to Religious Moderation: An Analysis Study of In.” Kontekstualita: Jurnal Sosial Keagamaan 38, no. 1: 33–46. DOI: https://doi.org/10.30631/38.01.45-64
• Muhammad, Muhammad, M. Zubad Nurul Yaqin, Fakhris Khusnu Reza Mahfud, and Fahd Mohana S Alahmadi. 2024. “Freedom That Is Not Absolute: Ecological Ethics and Human-Nature Relationship in the Qur’an.” Studia Ecologiae et Bioethicae 22, no. 4 (July): 17–27. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21697/seb.5821
• Muhammad, Sheriffdeen, and S. Amal. 2020. “Religious Based Water Management Campaigns for Sustainable Development: Prospects and Challenges.” IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science 477, no. 1 (March): 012018. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/477/1/012018
• Munawarah. 2021. “Esensi Urgensi Bumi Sebagai Reservoir Air: Tinjauan Tafsir Ekologi [The Urgency of the Earth as a Water Reservoir: An Ecological Interpretation Review].” Mu Aʾṣ Arah : Jurnal Kajian Islam Kontemporer 3, no. 1: 36–42. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18592/msr.v3i1.4956
• Nāṣif, Naʻīmah ʻAbd al-Fattāḥ. 2007. “Al-Mā’.. Tilk Al-Niʻmah Al-Muhaddarah [Water.. That Wasted Blessing].” Https://Www.Alukah.Net/. 2007. https://www.alukah.net/culture/0/921.
• Nisa, Zahra Zainun. 2017. “Konsep Pengelolaan Air Dalam Islam [The Concept of Water Management in Islam].” Jurnal Penelitian 14, no. 1: 77. DOI: https://doi.org/10.28918/jupe.v14i1.815
• Noorhidayati, Salamah, Imam Ahmadi, and Nadia Roosmalita Sari. 2022. “Developing Hydrotheology Concept in Islamic Perspective.” Asian Social Science and Humanities Research Journal (ASHREJ) 4, no. 1: 30–36. DOI: https://doi.org/10.37698/ashrej.v4i1.93
• Noreen, Sadia. 2024. “Analytical Study of Water Conservation and Its Use in the Light of Sirat Al-Nabi ( PBUH ).” Remittances Review 6588, no. November 2023: 837–53. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.33282/rr.vx9il.66.
• Rahmatina, Nada, Wardani Wardani, and Riza Saputra. 2022. “Water Crisis Solutions In The Qur’an And Science.” Jurnal Ilmiah Ilmu Ushuluddin 21, no. 2 (December): 221. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18592/jiiu.v21i2.7220
• Rasool, Hafiz Faiz. 2024. “Islamic Responses to Environmental Protection and Sustainability: Principles and Contemporary Applications.” AL-QUDWAH 02, no. 04: 78–85.
• Review, World Population. n.d. “Religion by Country 2024.” Worldpopulationreview.Com. Accessed January 8, 2025. https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/religion-by-country.
• Sadowski, Ryszard. 2025. “The Role of Christianity in Ecological Awakening: Foundations for Christians’ Sustainable Behavior Toward Nature.” Problemy Ekorozwoju 20, no. 1 (January): 15–24. DOI: https://doi.org/10.35784/preko.6835
• Sadowski, Ryszard F. 2009. “'Religion and Ecology' – Nowy Paradygmat Poznawczy ['Religion and Ecology' – The New Scientific Paradigm].” Studia Ecologiae et Bioethicae 7, no. 1: 213–20. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21697/seb.2009.7.1.14
• Sadowski, Ryszard F. 2018. “Znaczenie Humanistyki Dla Kształtowania Realistycznych Relacji Człowieka Do Przyrody [The importance of the humanities in shaping a realistic relationship between humans and nature].” Studia Ecologiae et Bioethicae 6, no. 3: 5–18. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21697/seb.2018.16.3.01
• Sadowski, Ryszard F., and Zafer Ayvaz. 2023. “Biblical and Quranic Argumentation for Sustainable Behaviors Toward Nature.” Problemy Ekorozwoju 18, no. 1: 152–63. DOI: https://doi.org/10.35784/pe.2023.1.15
• Samways, David. 2021. “‘Population and Our Contemporary Ecological Crisis’. in C. Nellist, Ed. Climate Crisis and Creation Care: Historical Perspectives, Ecological Integrity and Justice. 286-307. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.” C. Nellist.
• Sayem, Md. Abu. 2021. “Islam and Environmental Ethics.” Islamic Studies 60, no. 2: 157–72. DOI: https://doi.org/10.52541/isiri.v60i2.1438
• Setya, Devi. 2023. “Jangan Boros Air! Berapa Banyak Penggunaan Air Wudhu Yang Disunnahkan? [Don’t Waste Water! How Much Use of Ablution Water Is Sunnah?].” Www.Detik.Com. 2023. https://www.detik.com/hikmah/khazanah/d-7105192/jangan-boros-air-berapa-banyak-penggunaan-air-wudhu-yang-disunnahkan.
• Shakhs, Ahmed El, and Dalia Mohammed Ezzat. 2018. “Water in Islamic Architectur: Study of The Water Dispensary (Sabil).” Majallah Al-Imarah Wa Al-Funun Wa Al-Ulum Al-Insaniyah 3, no. 1 (October): 1–16. DOI: https://doi.org/10.12816/0047906
• Siraj, M A, and M A K Tayab. 2017. Water and Scriptures. Edited by K. V. Raju and S. Manasi. Water and Scriptures. Cham: Springer International Publishing. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-50562-6
• Suratkon, Azeanita, Chee Ming Chan, and Tengku Syamimi Tuan Ab Rahman. 2014. “SmartWUDHU’: Recycling Ablution Water for Sustainable Living in Malaysia.” Journal of Sustainable Development 7, no. 6 (November): 150–57. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5539/jsd.v7n6p150
• Whitney, Elspeth. 2015. “Lynn White Jr . ’ s ‘ The Historical Roots of Our Ecologic Crisis ’ After 50Years” 8: 396–410. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/hic3.12254
• Yahya, Mustapha, and Faculty O F Arts. 2021. “The Importance And Maintenance Of Water To Man , Animals And Plants In Islam.” Gusau Journal of Islamic Studies (GUJIS) 1, no. 1: 1–10.
• Yusuf, Deviana Matudilifa. 2023. “Sebagian Besar Sungai Di Indonesia Tercemar, Apa Pengaruhnya Terhadap Penyediaan Air Minum? [Most Rivers in Indonesia Are Polluted, What Impact Does This Have on Drinking Water Supply?].” Https://Nuwsp.Web.Id/. 2023. https://nuwsp.web.id/artikel/6993.

Identifiers

DOI

10.21697/seb.5854

Biblioteka Nauki

62788005