Islamic Ethics on Water: Selections from the Hadith, Part 2 of 2

Let us continue with selections from Book 42 of Sahih al-Bukhari, a collection of the Hadith compiled by Imam Muhammad al-Bukhari and translated by Dr. M. Muhsin Khan. These teachings elaborate on the ethical principles governing water distribution and the humane treatment of animal-persons.

Book 42 Water Distribution

Chapter 9 The superiority of providing waterِ Sahih al-Bukhari 2364

“Narrated Asma’ bint Abi Bakr: The Prophet (Peace be upon Him) prayed the eclipse prayer, and then said, ‘Hell was displayed so close that I said, “O my Lord ! Am I going to be one of its inhabitants?” Suddenly He saw a woman. I think He said, who was being scratched by a cat. He said, ‘What is wrong with her?’ He was told, ‘She had imprisoned it (that is the cat) till it died of hunger.’”

Sahih al-Bukhari 2365

“Narrated ’Abdullah bin ’Umar: Allah’s Messenger (Peace be upon Him) said, ‘A woman was tortured and was put in Hell because of a cat which she had kept locked till it died of hunger.’ Allah’s Messenger (Peace be upon Him) further said, (Allah knows better) Allah said (to the woman), “You neither fed it nor watered when you locked it up, nor did you set it free […].”’

Chapter 10 The owner of a tank or a […] water-container

Sahih al-Bukhari 2368

“Narrated Ibn ’Abbas: The Prophet (Peace be upon Him) said, ‘May Allah be merciful to the mother of Ishmael! If she had left the water of Zamzam (fountain) as it was, (without constructing a basin for keeping the water), (or said, ‘If she had not taken handfuls of its water’), it would have been a flowing stream. Jurhum (an Arab tribe) came and asked her, ‘May we settle at your dwelling?’ She said, ‘Yes, but you have no right to possess the water.’ They agreed.”

Sahih al-Bukhari 2369

“Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet (Peace be upon Him) said, ‘There are three types of people whom Allah will neither talk to, nor look at on the Day of Resurrection. (They are): 1. A man who takes an oath falsely that he has been offered for his goods so much more than what he is given, 2. A man who takes a false oath after the ’Asr prayer in order to grab a Muslim’s property, and 3. A man who withholds his superfluous water. Allah will say to him, ‘Today I will withhold My Grace from you as you withheld the superfluity of what you had not created.’” […]