The Etiquette of Drinking Water in Islamic Teachings

The narrations of the Prophet (PBUH) and the Imams (AS) have provided us with some etiquette acting upon which guarantees health in this world and reward in the next.

A thoughtful narration from the Prophet (PBUH) considers water the best drink not only in this world but also in the Hereafter:

الماء سيد الشراب في الدنيا و الآخرة[1]

Interestingly, Muslims have been recommended to drink water in a way that they enjoy:

عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع أَنَّهُ قَالَ مَنْ تَلَذَّذَ بِالْمَاءِ فِي الدُّنْيَا لَذَّذَهُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مِنْ أَشْرِبَةِ الْجَنَّةِ

”Imam Sadiq (AS) said: ‘The one who enjoys drinking water, Allah (SWT) makes him enjoy the drinks of the Heaven.”[2]

Avoiding extravagance in using water is one of the most important commands of Islam:

يا بَني‏ آدَمَ … كُلُوا وَ اشْرَبُوا وَ لا تُسْرِفُوا إِنَّهُ لا يُحِبُّ الْمُسْرِفينَ

O Children of Adam! … eat and drink, but do not waste; indeed, He does not like the wasteful. (The Holy Qur’an, 7:31)

Besides, the narrations of the Prophet (PBUH) and the Imams (AS) have provided us with some etiquette acting upon which guarantees health in this world and reward in the next. Here we mention some of them.

1. Avoidance of drinking water after eating greasyfood

شُرْبُ الْمَاءِ عَلَى أَثَرِ الدَّسَمِ يُهَيِّجُ الدَّاءَ

“Drinking water after greasy food increases illness.”[3]

2. Sipping water

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص مَصُّوا الْمَاءَ مَصّاً وَ لَا تَعُبُّوهُ عَبّاً فَإِنَّهُ يُوجَدُ مِنْهُ الْكُبَادُ

“The Holy Prophet (PBUH) said: ‘Sip the water and do not gulp it once since it causes liver pain’.”[4]

قَالَ ص إِذَا شَرِبَ أَحَدُكُمُ الْمَاءَ وَ تَنَفَّسَ ثَلَاثاً كَانَ آمِنا

“The Holy Prophet (PBUH) said: ‘When someone drinks water while breathing three times in between, they will be safe [from illnesses]’.”[5]

3. Moderation in drinking water

جاهدوا أنفسكم بقلة الطعام و الشراب تظلكم الملائكة و يفر عنكم الشيطان‏

“The Holy Prophet (PBUH) said: ‘Struggle against your desires by consuming little food and drink whereby the angels shadow you and the Satan turns away from you.”[6]

4. Drinking water while standing during the day

عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ شُرْبُ الْمَاءِ مِنْ قِيَامٍ بِالنَّهَارِ أَقْوَى وَ أَصَحُّ لِلْبَدَنِ

“Imam Sadiq (AS) said: ‘Drinking water while standing during the day is better for the health of the body.’”[7]

5. Drinking boiled water

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ص أَنَّهُ قَالَ الْمَاءُ الْمَغْلِيُّ يَنْفَعُ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ وَ لَا يَضُرُّ مِنْ شَيْ‏ءٍ

“The Holy Prophet (PBUH) said: ‘[Drinking] boiled water brings much benefits and no harms’.”[8]

6. Avoidance of blowing into the cup of water

وَ كَانَ ص لَا يَتَنَفَّسُ فِي الْإِنَاءِ إِذَا شَرِبَ فَإِنْ أَرَادَ أَنْ يَتَنَفَّسَ أَبْعَدَ الْإِنَاءَ عَنْ فِيهِ حَتَّى يَتَنَفَّس‏

“The Holy Prophet (PBUH) never blew into the container of water while drinking; rather, he used to first move the container away from his mouth and then breathe.”[9]

7. Avoidance of drinking cold water after drinking or eating something hot or sweat:

شُرْبُ الْمَاءِ الْبَارِدِ عَقِيبَ الشَّيْ‏ءِ الْحَارِّ أَوِ الْحَلَاوَةِ يَذْهَبُ بِالْأَسْنَان‏

“Imam Riza (AS) said: ‘Drinking cold water after drinking or eating something hot or sweatdamages the teeth’.”[10]

8. Drinking pure rainwater

عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص … قَالَ يُؤْخَذُ مَاءُ الْمَطَرِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَنْزِلَ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ ثُمَّ يَجْعَلُ فِي إِنَاءٍ نَظِيفٍ وَ يَقْرَأُ عَلَيْهِ الْحَمْدَ إِلَى آخِرِهَا سَبْعِينَ مَرَّةً وَ قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ وَ الْمُعَوِّذَتَيْنِ سَبْعِينَ مَرَّةً ثُمَّ يَشْرَبُ مِنْهُ قَدَحاً بِالْغَدَاةِ وَ قَدَحاً بِالْعَشِي‏

“The Holy Prophet (PBUH) said: ‘… you should collect the rainwater before it reaches the soil and put it in a clean container. Then recite Chapters al-Hamd, al-Tawhid, al-Falaq and al-Nas 70 times each and drink a cup in the morning and another in the evening.”[11]

9. Remembrance of God while drinking

عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ إِذَا شَرِبَ أَحَدُكُمُ الْمَاءَ فَقَالَ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ شَرِبَ ثُمَّ قَطَعَهُ فَقَالَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ثُمَّ شَرِبَ فَقَالَ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ قَطَعَهُ فَقَالَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ثُمَّ شَرِبَ فَقَالَ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ قَطَعَهُ فَقَالَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ سَبَّحَ ذَلِكَ الْمَاءُ لَهُ مَا دَامَ فِي بَطْنِهِ إِلَى أَنْ يَخْرُجَ

“Imam Sadiq (AS) said: ‘When someone says ‘in the Name of God’ and drinks water, then stops and says ‘praise be to God’ and drinks, then stops and says ‘in the Name of God’ and the drinks, then stops and says ‘praise be to God’ and drinks, then stops and says ‘in the Name of God’ and drinks, then stops and says ‘praise be to God’ and drinks, the water will glorify God as long as it is in their stomach.”[12]

10. Remembering Imam Husayn (AS)

مَا مِنْ عَبْدٍ شَرِبَ الْمَاءَ فَذَكَرَ الْحُسَيْنَ ع وَ أَهْلَ بَيْتِهِ وَ لَعَنَ قَاتِلَهُ إِلَّا كَتَبَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لَهُ مِائَةَ أَلْفِ حَسَنَةٍ وَ حَطَّ عَنْهُ مِائَةَ أَلْفِ سَيِّئَة

“Imam Sadiq (AS) said: ‘When a servant drinks water and remembers Imam Husayn (AS) and his family and curses those who murdered him, God writes for him one hundred thousand rewards and forgives one hundred thousand sins he has committed.’”[13]

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References:

1. The Holy Qur’an
2. Allama Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, al-Wafa’ Institute, Beirut, 1404.
3. Barqi, Ahmad b.Muhammad, al-Mahasin, Dar al-Kutub al-Islamiyya, Qom, 1371.
4. , al-Amali, Ketabkhane-ye IslamiyyaPublication, Qom, 1362.
5. Muhaddith Nuri, Mustadrak al-Wasa’il, Al al-Bayt Institute, Qom, 1408.
6. Nu’man b. Muhammad, Da’aim al-Islam, Dar al-Ma’arif, Egypt,1385.
7. Shaykh Hurr al-‘Amili, Wasa’il al-Shia, Al al-Bayt Institute, Qom, 1409.
8. Shaykh Kulayni, al-Kafi, Dar al-Kutub al-Islamiyya, Tehran, 1365.
9. Shaykh Saduq, Thawab al-A’mal, Sharif Raziyy Publication, Qom, 1364
10. Tabarsi, Hasan b. Fazl, Makarim al-Akhlaq, Sharif Raziyy Publication, Qom, 1412.
11. Warram b. Abi Firas, Tanbih al-Khawatir, Maktabat-u al-Faqih, Qom, 1376.

[1]Da’a’im al-Islam, vol.2, p. 127

[2]Thawab al-A’mal, p. 184.

[3]Al-Mahasin, vol. 2, p. 572.

[4]Al-Kafi, vol. 6, p. 381

[5]Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 59, p. 293

[6]Tanbih al-Khawatir, vol. 2, p. 121

[7]Al-Kafi, vol. 6, p. 382

[8]Makarim al-Akhlaq, p. 157

[9]Mustadrak al-Wasa’il, vol. 17, p. 10

[10]Mustadrak al-Wasa’il, vol. 16, p. 458

[11]Wasa’il al-Shi’a, vol. 25, p. 265

[12]Al-Mahasin, vol. 2, p. 578

[13]Al-Amali, p. 142.

This article was written  by Sayyid Mostafa Daryabari and Dr. Morteza Karimi.