Preserving the

blessing of water
Sheikh Muhammad Al-Yaqoubi
Sermon sixteen
Translated by Arfan Shah Al-Bukhari Copyright 2010

2/‫م‬2008/‫حزيران‬/6 ‫هـ الموافق لـ‬1429/‫جمادى الخآرة‬

Translated by Arfan shah

Dear believing brothers. Water is the source of life. Allah (Mighty and Majestic) states, “We made
every living thing from water.”1 From it, life is brought forth. There is nothing, in this universe, that
Allah (Mighty and Majestic) did not make a cause for its continuity, on the face of the Earth, greater
than water. A great blessing. A divine gift. A divine gift to human beings and animals. Allah (Mighty
and Majestic) said, “If you are grateful; I shall increase you and if you are ungrateful then my
punishment is severe.” 2

It is necessary for every Muslim, before the blessing of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is to extend his
gratitude to him. Gratitude is not just words. It is not just expressions that we articulate with our
tongues. It is action performed by mankind which establishes verification and evidence that they are
servant of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) through their obedient to him. It affirms the rights of the
Protector (Mighty and Majestic) upon that which he has gifted us.

Therefore the scholars define gratitude as, “The servant expending all the blessings of Allah; upon
that which they were created for.” It means that mankind should expend blessings in the fields of
obedience and worship for Allah (Mighty and Majestic). The blessings are innumerable and
uncountable because they are renewed in a blink of an eye. He (Mighty and Majestic) said, “If you
were to numerate the blessings of Allah; you would not be able to.” 3

1
Quran: the Prophets 21:30.

2
Quran: Ibrahim 14:7.

3
Quran: Ibrahim 14:34.
It is not possible to account because the blessings descend upon mankind are received from their
Lord (Mighty and Majestic). From his birth, from this time, when he was small or when he was
grown, it is not possible to numerate nor is it possible to count them. So how would this be when
they are renewed in every blink of an eye?

For this reason Imam Ibn Ata Allah As-Sakandari (may Allah show him mercy) stated the meaning in
the Hikam. He said, “Two blessings that are irreplaceable; the blessing of existence and assistance.”
The blessing of existence from nonexistence and the blessing of assistance. In every blinking of an
eye from the beginning of life of mankind, and continuing this, on the face of the Earth.

So what of the water that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) has made and gifted us? He has caused springs
and rivers to gush forth, and to send rain from the skies. What have we made from this water? There
is little doubt that mankind has wasted much of the blessings of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). But if
he arrived to the understanding of wasting the source of life, then he’d realise that he did not think
rationally. It behoves mankind to know the value of water that he is wasting and squandering
because of his usage!

The water crisis is a crisis of our time. It is a global crisis. Moreover, it is a source of political conflicts
in our modern time, especially in our countries of the Middle East. The conflicts of the past were
about oil and the conflicts in this period will be about water sources. As they know that life can only
be sustained with water. They know the estimates and find ways of extracting and discovering its
sources and underground supplies.

Allah (Mighty and Majestic) has given us, the Islamic nations, strategic positions in terms of safety,
food and economics, in the world. Allah (Mighty and Majestic) has given us waters and rivers. In the
Arabian lands are the Nile and the Euphrates, about which there is an authentic narration that is one
of the rivers of paradise. Allah (Mighty and Majestic) has given us Zam Zam, in some weak reports it
states that it is a spring of paradise. According to Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) it is
sourced from a spring of Paradise. There are many narrations on the superiority of Zam Zam and the
benefits of Zam Zam. “Food for the hungry and a cure for illness.” The scholars have authored many
compositions and works explaining the virtues of Zam Zam water. Allah (Mighty and Majestic) has
gifted us with fertile lands in the East and the West. In the Eastern Islamic lands and the Western.
One of the Muslim countries has sufficient product to cover the world in flour and wheat.

When the America entered Iraq, people began to follow political reports and news of casualties but
they were unaware of a greater danger. Do they know what Bremer 4 did when he ruled Iraq for a
period of time? The farmers in Iraq, like our country, planted wheat and sold four fifths of the crops
and keep one fifth for drying. For the following year’s plantation, the farmers were forced to sell all
their crops without exception. They were given seeds for the following year free of charge but it was
genetically modified. When they wanted crops for the preceding years then it was not possible to
plant the seeds again. So when the farmers wanted to plant new wheat then they had to buy from
American companies. This is how they control the hunger and the food of the people, especially
Muslims and Arabs in this region.

Allah (Mighty and Majestic) has given the Islamic nation what he did not give to previous nations but
we squander the blessings of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) individually and on a government level. If
4
The U.S. Administrator to Iraq charged with overseeing the country's reconstruction after the 2003 invasion.
we look at oil then the governments of the Gulf do run without oil then we would be surprised. We
look at government waste in the Arab and Western world: in the destruction of wealth, in the ruin of
economics and in the destruction of nations. We see destruction of wheat crops. The Erudite scholar
and physician Muhammad Abu l’Yusr Al-Abideen, the last great legal verdict of Syria said, “There are
three types of worldly ruin: part of it is nature, part of it is knowledge and part of it is political. So the
part that is natural is decay of health. The knowledge part is the destruction of religions. And the
political part is the destruction of countries.” These three types of worldly destruction are occurring
in the Arab world now.

But we call to speak at an individual level because nations are formed without individuals. What have
we done to preserve the blessings of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) on us? Before the water crisis
everyone was talking about finances and economics. I would like to speak about individuals and
governments; we have a crisis of water and it necessary that we look into the causes of this crisis. I
am not of the opinion that the reason for the political crisis is due to the increase in population
because Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is all just, all wise and all aware. It is not possible that would
create mankind and not create sufficient food and drink. In the Earth there is sufficient for the needs
of all man and animal kind; of food, drink and more. So the crisis is not about an increase in
population. It is not an economic crisis because the economic means are vast. By the grace of Allah
(Mighty and Majestic) upon us, in this country, as the strategic stores of hard currency in the Central
bank surpass the stores of many of the world’s countries.

We are able to repay the debts and we have sufficient vast projects, by the grace of Allah (Mighty
and Majestic). It is a religious problem. It is a problem connected to mankind and his Lord (Mighty
and Majestic) as Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is just. He is the most just of those who show justice.
Whoever obeys Allah has a good life.

“Whosoever does a righteous deed, be it male or female, believing, we shall assuredly give him to
live a goodly life.”5 He is just because anyone whoever obeys him must live a good life. His (Mighty
and Majestic) promise is clothed by ample obedience. The worldly life was made into an act of
revenge upon the enemies of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and the worldly life is constricted for the
believers until they leave improved. “If they tread the right path, we shall give them to drink of
water in abundance. That We may test them in it…” 6 Establishment upon the path of monotheism
upon the worship of Allah (Mighty and Majestic).

“And if the people of the townships had believed and kept from evil, surely We should have
opened for them blessings from the sky and from the Earth.” 7

Perhaps you could say, “All praise belongs to Allah; the nation is good; we are Muslims and the
masjids are full.” We are speaking about openness with sins, in several manners. We are speaking
about the severing of provision. There are types of sin that sever provision. There are kinds of sins
that cause poverty. The barrenness of the Earth is from illegal fornication, for example. Illegal
provision causes poverty and severs provision. Especially if is spreads, becomes general its damage is

5
Quran: the Bee 16:97.

6
Quran: the Jinn 72:16-17.

7
Quran: the Heights 7:96.
not limited to the two realms. The people have passed into a time covered in sin and the nation is
good. I read about this some news that from some of the storehouses of the Ummayyad tribe that
they found a package of wheat. Every seed was the size of a date and with it was paper written on.
This is the wheat was like when the people where not openly committing sins.

When we read history and look into what we have read of reports then we are astonished as what
happened from we hear from out fathers and grandparents. We say, “Where was this, where was
that? Where did those fruits go? That goodness? Those springs? One example is the Barida river. For
fifty years ago people were shouting to save the Barida river. An authenticator of linage in Syria
Sayyid Muhammad Sa’id Hamza (may Allah show him mercy) recorded this in an article. This was his
will before his death, a plan to save Barida River and the springs from which it flows.

“I heard when it called life but there was no life in those I called.”

The springs and rivers around Damascus have been sourced by restaurants to make wine! Is this the
concern of the Muslim nation? Is this our history? Is this civilization? Wine is not a part of civilization!
Singing, dancing naked, vice and depravities are not part of the Arabs and not part of Islamic
civilization, neither before nor after Islam. Those who were inflicted with some of this before Islam
were overcome by it and weighed by it. Whoever used to do something, fifty years ago, was
condemned by it, covered and hidden. The reason for the scarcity of water is sins. It is only because
of open disobedience and this is great of this. Ramadan is at our doors. Soon Ramadan shall come
and we shall see public manifestation on the streets of Syria. You will see the pride because of this
boast among a section of the sons of Damascus.

When we speak about water and the ruling of water and I do not think one of us wants to leave the
Prophet (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) practice. When made ablution with a Madd and
bathe with a saa’. This is the practice of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
Who once made ablution with less than a litre. It can be asked, “How is this possible?” We say, “This
is possible.” Force yourself to wash with the least amount of water once. Saa’ is four madd and one
madd covers the palms of the hands. Is it possible that mankind can wash with a little water. We are
not saying it is necessary to wash with a little water. Perhaps this is not possible except in cases of
necessity. Do not wash every day with a little of a lot. Do not waste water, or leave the tap running
and not leave the faucet running. Not out of fear of a state or ruler of a state. Nor out of wasting
water. Perhaps Allah (Mighty and Majestic) will give you sufficient wealth for you to live a thousand
years. Rather out of fear that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) of the estimation of the blessing of the
Protector (Mighty and Majestic) upon us and preserving this blessing.

In the narration of our lady Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him) saw a piece of bread on the floor. He picked it up then placed it on
his eyes. He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “O’ Aisha, honour the blessings of Allah;
as blessing rarely return after leaving a house.” So preserve the blessing from the Protector (Mighty
and Majestic) and not just because the amount of waste. Not because you will pay more based on
the meter if you use more. Not because the order of leader. The people are stamped with
objectionable upon what is imposed upon them. In much of what comes are good decisions because
the state is wakeful upon the spirit of the people. Only through the extent of these efforts to
establish this affair of this community. In the ministries and administration are good people, virtuous
people and the good men are concerned about people. Not everything that comes from the
leadership in our times is evil.

Therefore it is necessary for us to be cautious to preserves water, according to our ability. And do not
forget that our master the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) considered
that there was waste in making ablution. “Is there waste in making ablution, O’ Messenger of Allah?”
He replied, “Yes, even on the side of a river.” 8 Ablution is an act of worship. Especially if combined
with intention. There is no disagreement between the Jurists that ablution, when combined with
intention, is an act of worship. Draw closer to Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Allah (Mighty and
Majestic) has he has prohibited waste. “Do not squander; as the squanders are the brothers of
satan. Satan was ungrateful to his Lord.” 9 “Eat and drink and do not be excessive.” 10 Yes, eat and
drink.

“Say: ’Who has forbidden the ornament of God which He brought forth for His servants, and the
good things of His providing?”11 Eat and drink and not to excess; it is an order from Allah (Mighty
and Majestic) on food and drink with a prohibition of excess.

I ask Allah (Mighty and Majestic) to give us success to worship him and to follow the Prophetic
practice of his Prophet, our master Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). To bless
us in our provision, bless us in our land, and to cause goodness in our country and in the countries of
the Muslims. As he is the All-hearing, the close, the responder and Allah is the possessor of praise,
the sustainer of the worlds.

8
At-Tirmidhi.

9
Quran: the Night Journey 17:26-27.

10
Quran: the Heights 8:31.

11
Quran: the Heights 7:32.