Drinking Water According to the Sunnah

Hydration: Nourishing Life and Following the Sunnah

Living life correctly and maintaining optimal health are essential aspects of our well-being. Even seemingly simple matters like eating, drinking, and clothing play a crucial role in our daily lives.

Water serves as the lifeblood for humans, animals, and plants alike. Within the human body, approximately 40 liters of water circulate, with 28 liters dedicated to cellular functions and an additional 12 liters supporting lymph nodes and plasma between nerve cells and blood vessels. This intricate balance ensures our physiological processes function smoothly.

Adequate daily water intake is vital for overall health. On average, our bodies require between 2.50 to 3 liters of water per day. This replenishment compensates for the water lost through sweating and urination. Whether we’re engaged in physical activity or simply going about our daily routines, staying hydrated is non-negotiable.

Hence, there are many wrong habits that some may commit when drinking water, which may lead to exhaustion of the body and reduce the role of vital organs from performing their role completely, which may make a person vulnerable to many diseases and not achieving the maximum benefit for the body from drinking water. Highlight the right and wrong behaviors when drinking water, supported by scientific facts and Islamic teachings.

The Sunnah is a way of life that is prescribed for Muslims based on the teachings and practices of the Muslim Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaho Alaihi Wasallam) and the interpretations of the Quran. It is important for all Muslims in the world to follow the Sunnah in all areas of their lives. This article will guide you to drink water according to the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaho Alaihi Wasallam), and it is for all people in the world regardless of whether they are Muslims or non-Muslims.

Islam offers its followers extensive guidelines on all aspects of life including how they should use and manage the natural environment. This religion’s teachings on matters related to, for example, family affairs and inheritance are well developed and widely applied in the Islamic World. This article is a small step towards the sunnah of drinking water.

Water in the Quran

We can imagine the importance of water from the fact that before creation of earth and sky, there exists only water:

وَهُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ وَكَانَ عَرْشُهُ عَلَى الْمَاءِ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا
“And it is He Who created the heavens and the earth in six days – and His Throne was upon the water – so that He might test you, as to who among you have the best deeds” (Surah Hud, Verse 7)

Similarly, every living thing has been created from water by Almighty Allah:

وَجَعَلْنَا مِنَ الْمَاءِ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ حَيٍّ ۖ أَفَلَا يُؤْمِنُونَ
“And we made every living thing from water. So will they not accept faith?” (Surah Al-Anbiya, Verse 30)

There are many other verses that speak about the importance of water such as:

وَهُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ مِنَ الْمَاءِ بَشَرًا فَجَعَلَهُ نَسَبًا وَصِهْرًا ۗ وَكَانَ رَبُّكَ قَدِيرًا
“And it is He Who created man from water, then appointed relatives and in-laws for him; and your Lord is all able”. (Surah Al-Furqan, Verse 54)

وَاللَّهُ خَلَقَ كُلَّ دَابَّةٍ مِنْ مَاءٍ ۖ فَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَمْشِي عَلَىٰ بَطْنِهِ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَمْشِي عَلَىٰ رِجْلَيْنِ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَمْشِي عَلَىٰ أَرْبَعٍ ۚ يَخْلُقُ اللَّهُ مَا يَشَاءُ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
And Allah created every animal on earth, from water; so among them is a kind that moves upon its belly; and among them is a kind that moves upon two legs; and among them a kind that moves upon four legs; Allah creates whatever He wills; indeed Allah is able to do all things”. (Surah Al-Noor, Verse 45)

الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الْأَرْضَ مَهْدًا وَسَلَكَ لَكُمْ فِيهَا سُبُلًا وَأَنْزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَأَخْرَجْنَا بِهِ أَزْوَاجًا مِنْ نَبَاتٍ شَتَّىٰ
“The One Who has made the earth a bed for you and kept operative roads for you in it and sent down water from the sky; so with it We produced different pairs of vegetation”. (Surah Ta-Ha, Verse 53)

أَمَّنْ يَهْدِيكُمْ فِي ظُلُمَاتِ الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ وَمَنْ يُرْسِلُ الرِّيَاحَ بُشْرًا بَيْنَ يَدَيْ رَحْمَتِهِ ۗ أَإِلَٰهٌ مَعَ اللَّهِ ۚ تَعَالَى اللَّهُ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ
“Or He Who shows you the path in the darkness of the land and the sea, and He Who sends the winds before His mercy, heralding glad tidings? Is there a god along with Allah?! Supremacy is to Allah above all that they ascribe as partners!” (Surah Naml Verse 63)

It means that Allah sends cold wind before rainfall which keeps heart and mind in peace. This is also a message from Almighty Allah before rainfall so that you can take preventive measures.

أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يُزْجِي سَحَابًا ثُمَّ يُؤَلِّفُ بَيْنَهُ ثُمَّ يَجْعَلُهُ رُكَامًا فَتَرَى الْوَدْقَ يَخْرُجُ مِنْ خِلَالِهِ وَيُنَزِّلُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مِنْ جِبَالٍ فِيهَا مِنْ بَرَدٍ فَيُصِيبُ بِهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَيَصْرِفُهُ عَنْ مَنْ يَشَاءُ ۖ يَكَادُ سَنَا بَرْقِهِ يَذْهَبُ بِالْأَبْصَارِ
Have you not seen that Allah slowly transports the clouds, then gathers them together, then heaps them together, so you see the rain coming forth from between them? And from the sky He sends down hail from the mountains of ice, then sends them upon whomever He wills, and averts them from whomever He wills; it is close that the flash of its lightning take away the eyesight”.

وَاللَّهُ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَ الرِّيَاحَ فَتُثِيرُ سَحَابًا فَسُقْنَاهُ إِلَىٰ بَلَدٍ مَيِّتٍ فَأَحْيَيْنَا بِهِ الْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ النُّشُورُ
“And it is Allah Who sends the winds – so they raise clouds and We then direct it towards a dead city – so with it We revive the earth after its death; and this is how the resurrection will be”. (Surah Al-Fatir, Verse 9)

Etiquettes of Drinking Water According to Islamic Sunnah

If you are in a group, pass the glass to the oldest first, then the next oldest, etc.

Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaho Alaihi Wasallam) said: “Anyone who does not show mercy to our children nor acknowledge the right of our old people is not one of us.” (Hadith Bukhari)

Take a clean glass and fill it with water as needed.

Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaho Alaihi Wasallam) said: “Do not drink directly from a water pitcher (or any water container)”. (Hadith Bukhari)

Start drinking water with “Bismillah”.

Must say bismillah before eating anything and drinking water. Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaho Alaihi Wasallam) said: “When commencing to drink first recite Bismillah.” (Hadith Tirmidhi).

By this act, we actually praise The Almighty Allah, who gave us water to drink without which nobody can survive on earth.

Hold the glass with your right hand.

Drinking or eating with the right had is Islamic, even if you are lefty,you should use your right hand. Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaho Alaihi Wasallam) said, “Never eat and drink with the left hand because Shaytaan (Satan) eats with the left hand.” (Sahih Muslim)

Drink water while sitting

It is permissible to drink both sitting and standing, although drinking whilst sitting is better, and it is what the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did most often. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ disapproved the drinking of water while standing. (Sahih Bukhari)

Drink water in three breathes or sips.

Drinking anything calmly will help your body to absorb the water as you take three breathes calmly while drinking. Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaho Alaihi Wasallam) said, “Do not drink water only in one breath, but drink it in two or three breaths”. (Hadith Tirmidhi).

Our prophet drank water in three breathes {i.e.in three gulps/sips}.so don’t drink water in a single gulp, an act that we normally do when we are extremally thirsty.

Never blow your breath in your glass

Abdullah Bin Abbas (Radi Allahu anhuma) narrates the Prophet of Allah (Sallallaho Alaihi Wasallam) said, “Do not blow from your mouth into food and water.” (Hadith Tirmidhi).

Say Alhamdulillah after drinking water.

 When the Prophet (pbuh) used to eat or drink, he would say: “All praise is due to Allah who fed us and gave us drink, and made us Muslims.Saying Alhamdulillah is the way of thinking Allah for the blessing. Prophet Muhammad (Sallallaho Alaihi Wasallam) said: “Recite ‘Bismillah’ before drinking and say ‘Alhamdulillah’ after drinking.”

This act is performed to praise The Almighty Allah for blessing us with water; colorless, odorless, tasteless yet the most important drink on the whole earth.

You should not drink in cups of gold and silver.

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) forbade to wear silk or brocade, and to drink from gold and silver vessels. He said: Others have them in this world and you will have them in the next. (Hadith Bukhari)

When you drink milk you should say “Allāhumma bārik lanā fīhi, wa zidnā minh.”

Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said whomever Allah has given food, should say: O Allah, bless us in it and provide us with better than it. Whomever Allah has given milk to drink, should say: O Allah, bless us in it and give us more of it. (Hadith Tirmidhi).

The Sunnah of Drinking Water (including Unheard-of Scientific Facts and benefits)

Take a clean glass and fill it with water according to your requirement.

It is necessary that you don’t drink a lot of water at a time even if you’re very thirsty.Drinking water is good, but drinking it inappropriately is not.So,the point is that you drink water according to your daily needs.Science shows that when a person drinks too much water in a short period of time, the kidneys cannot excrete it quickly, and the blood becomes watery, which can, surprisingly, be the cause of death.

Drink water while sitting.

Drinking water while standing, walking, and running is dangerous as it can slip into the oxygen tract. However, in some conditions, you can also drink water while standing. Science has proved that drinking water whilst standing or walking can cause Gastrointestinal Tract (GIT) damage, kidney damage, arthritis, nerve tension and other disorders.  Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said, explaining the negative effect of drinking whilst standing and the importance of drinking whilst sitting: 

Drinking whilst standing has numerous negative effects, one of which is that it does not fully quench the thirst and does not settle in the stomach so that the liver can distribute the nutrients to other parts of the body. Rather it comes to the stomach with speed and force, and there is the fear that it will cause a chill or disturbance, and may pass quickly to the lower parts of the body without moving gradually. All of that is harmful to the drinker, but if he does it occasionally or in the case of need, it will not harm him… End quote from Zaad al-Ma‘aad, 4/229.

Drink water while taking three breathing pauses.

 Scientific studies show that there are many harmful effects in drinking water in one breath it can cause choking of esophagus and it weakens muscles and nerves. Scientific studies also prove that when a person drinks too much water in a short period of time, the kidneys cannot expel; it out quickly enough and the blood becomes water logged this can cause cells in particular brain cells to swell. Which, in turn, increases pressure in the skull, leading to headaches.in serious cases waterlogging can cause hyponatremia which can be fatal.