Transcript How is water viewed in our society?

WATER MANAGEMENT IN
MONOTHEISTIC RELIGIONS
CE 397 – Transboundary Water Resources
University of Texas at Austin
Environmental & Water Resources Engineering
Water management practices and motivation among the world’s three predominant
monotheistic religions—Christianity, Islam, and Judaism—with an emphasis on Islam.
Clark Siler, 10 Apr 2008
Outline
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Abrahamic and World Religions
 Basics
 Geographic
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distribution of religions
Water in Islam
 Water
as a social good
 Water demand management
 Water rights and ownership
 Family planning (case study)

Synthesis
Religious Timeline and Status
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15M
2B
1.2B
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Worldreligion.png
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Worldwide_percentage_of_Adherents_by_Religion.png
Islam Basics
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Islamic
or
Muslim?
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Islam is a religion
(and civilization)
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(re)Established by Muhammad
Islam: submission to God (Allah)
A Muslim is an adherent of Islam
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Muslim: one who submits to God
Muslims do not worship Muhammad
but revere him as a prophet
www.counterpoint-online.org/download/431/magee_islam_option2.jpg
Islam encompasses much more than worship and a code of personal conduct implied by the word
“religion.” It regulates virtually all aspects of individual and collective human life, for example,
issues such as buying and selling, contracts, inheritance, marriage, family and intimate relations,
and even elemental issues such as eating and personal hygiene and sanitation.
Faruqui, Water Management in Islam, p. xv
Islam and Christianity
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Nation subdivided into religions, or
Religion subdivided into nations
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Christ_Islam.png
Christianity Islam
US Distribution of Religions
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www.valpo.edu/geomet/pics/geo200/religion/muslim.gif
strangemaps.wordpress.com/2008/01/27/237-regionalism-and-religiosity/
www.valpo.edu/geomet/pics/geo200/religion/jewish.gif
Water in Islam
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Because Islam originated in desert regions, water
resources are encompassed by religion
From water we made all living things.
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/precip/CWlink/wayne/preciploop.gif
Quran 21:30
Water as a Social Good
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Water is a gift from God – a part of, and necessary for,
sustaining all life
Water belongs to the community as a whole – no
individual literally owns water
Priorities for water use:
1. Human drinking water
2. Domestic animals
3. Irrigation
arbitrarymarks.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/pic_islam.jpg
Water as a Social Good, cont.
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Humankind is the steward of water on earth
Not world’s lords and masters, but friends and guardians
 Arabic root of Islam, salam, means peace and harmony
 Penalties attached to misuse of water, including polluting or
degrading clean water
 Muhammad forbade urination into stagnant water and
advised against “evacuating one’s bowels near water
sources, by the roadside and in the shade”
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arbitrarymarks.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/pic_islam.jpg
Water as a Social Good, cont.
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The environment has a very strong and legitimate
right to water
Protect environment by minimizing pollution
 Individuals, organizations, and states are liable
for harm that they have caused to the environment
 Water is given (from God) so all life can
flourish—humans, animals, and plants
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Water resources must be managed
and used in a sustainable way
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Follow universal values of fairness,
equity, and concern for others
How is water viewed in our society?
arbitrarymarks.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/pic_islam.jpg
Water Demand Management
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Water conservation is central to Islam
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Wastewater reuse is permissible in Islam
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Must meet treatment levels to ensure purity and health
Full cost recovery is permissible; that is the cost of:
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Mosques, religious institutes, and religious schools disseminate
this principle
Supplying, treating, storing, and distributing water, as well as
the cost of wastewater collection, treatment, and disposal
However, water pricing must be equitable as well as efficient
Privatization is permissible, but government has
duty to ensure equity in pricing and service.
How are we similar / different?
flickr.com/photos/jimfitzpatrick/442330359/
Water Rights and Ownership
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Water is a gift from God so no individual literally owns it
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In Islam, water is:
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Right to use, sell, and recover value-added costs of water
Private property (water in private containers, treatment plants,
distributions systems, reservoirs). The owner of the container has the right
to use it, trade it, or sell it.
Restricted private property (lakes, streams, and springs in private lands).
Owner has special rights over others, but also has certain obligations to
them. Owner can trade water as any other good.
Public property (water in rivers, lakes, glaciers, aquifers, seas, from snow
and rainfall). In natural state, water cannot be bought or sold. But, if
infrastructure or knowledge have been invested to withdraw it, then the
water becomes private property.
Use of (almost) free water systems
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Urban rich and middle class get access,
but the poor do not
How are we similar / different?
flickr.com/photos/babasteve/20003006/
Family Planning
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Not prohibited in the Quran or hadith
Contraception only allowable between
married partners, with mutual consent
 Method must control conception, not birth
(prevention, not abortion)
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Because children are considered a blessing in
Islam, family planning should not be encouraged
solely for material or political reasons
egyptiancastle.com/services/downloads/wallpaper/images/islamic04.jpg
Family Planning, Iran Case Study
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Government taught contraception and family planning
Encouraged population growth (after revolution) was
replaced by a major family planning program:
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Minimum age of marriage was increased
Every couple must attend mandatory classes on
birth control before applying for a marriage license
All forms of contraception are free
Results:
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Halved the growth rate to 1.47 percent
Births per mother decreased:
6.7 (in 1980) to 2.8 (in 1997)
Do we have any similar programs?
egyptiancastle.com/services/downloads/wallpaper/images/islamic04.jpg
Synthesis
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What principles of Islamic water management,
properly applied, would benefit our society?
Which good aspects of our culture(s) might benefit
Islamic water practices?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Dome_of_the_rock_close.jpg
Open Discussion
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Personal Information
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Clark Siler
Graduate Student
University of Texas at Austin
Environ. Water Resources Engr.
CRWR
BS – Brigham Young University
Civil Engineering
[email protected]
Nov 2007