According to the Oxford Dictionary of World Religions, “ablutions” are defined as “ritual cleansings to remove impurity and to mark transitions from profane to sacred states.” It may seem like a foreign term to you, but all religions have their own ritual of ablution. But each one has a different name for this ritual. It is a process present in Christianity and they refer to it as baptism. There is also foot washing. In Judaism, ablution is known as Tevilah and netilat yadayim. In Japan, it is Misogi that’s closest to the form of ablution. The act of washing oneself in Islam is known as Wudu, Ghusl, and Tayammum.

Regardless of what religion you are, ablution has one simple goal: to purify oneself before addressing God. This ritual may calm your state of mind but it does a lot of damage to nature. Did you know that the ablution ritual consumes a large amount of water? Around five to seven liters a day, to be more specific. For example, a Gulf News reader did a small experiment when in India. She did ablution but kept a bucket beneath the tap to see how much water she wasted during the ritual. “It was around 7.3 liters! The second time, I took a mug instead of using flowing water and performed my wudu and used around 1.2 liters of water. Now imagine the wastage of water when we perform ablution at least five times a day, 35 times per week, and 150 times per month. Furthermore, this is just for one person,” Firdous Mohammad Farooq says.

The reader did her part and took action: She now does her ablution by using a water tumbler instead of flowing water. Having identified this same wastage occurring at a mass scale, agency TRIAD together with the National Muslim Collective of Sri Lanka, worked with religious scholars to launch “Inherit his Name, Inherit his way,” a campaign asking people to please consider twice the amount of water they are using when purifying their bodies. As part of the initiative, the creatives re-designed Muhammad’s, Peace Be Upon Him (PBOH), own mudd, adapting it to the current situation of water conservation. The Prophet said that “cleanliness is half of faith.” Therefore, Muslims must be clean and wear good clothes before they present themselves before God. Yes, hygiene is a priority, but we don’t think that the Prophet meant to waste more water than necessary.

“#ProphetMuhammad said: “Do not waste water even if you were at a running stream!” This runs in my head every time I visit the mosque for prayers. Figuring the ideal solution which is within the religion was amazing. As Muslim, we love the Prophet (PBUH) and want to follow his teachings. Bringing the 1400-year-old practice back to life was an eye-opener for people who came for prayers. It not only stopped them from wasting water but it made them think about how much the beloved Prophet (PBUH) has given importance for water conservation,” says Zeeshan Saligh, Art Director, TRIAD.

Around 90% Sri Lankan Muslims carry the name of the Prophet. Having his name is an honor for each of these people. It is a commitment to inherit his ways. Yet, today, and with the help of the Colombo-based agency, these people — and we can only hope others who perform ablution, too — inherit Muhammad’s commitment to protecting Mother Nature.

Religious scholars analyzed the Quran and came across the Prophet’s way of ablution. Therefore, he is believed to only use one mudd for ablution (a cup which could hold 625-650 ml of water). Inspired by his way of ablution, the artists redesigned the mudd, contouring it by using environmental-friendly clay. The recipient is adorned by the Prophet’s own words, giving tips on conserving water.

The vessel was made public to the believers just in time for World Water Day and highlighted the importance of inheriting the name “Muhammad,” and what he felt about water conservation. The agency introduced the Prophet’s way of using the mudd and how this can help people do the ritual of ablution properly.

“The Muslim community is one that is deeply committed to the word of the Prophet. Wudhu brought to life his wisdom in a relevant and timely manner that was both understood and compelling enough to be put into practice by the common worshipper. Communication is only as effective as the practice it inspires. Wudhu is simply unmatched in that context,” concludes Varuni Fernando, Jt. Managing Director / CCO, TRIAD.

The initiative helped people educate themselves when it comes to this ritual. The project has seen a significant reduction in water consumption, and, by using the mudd, an average of over 90% less water is consumed. The project turned “consecration into water conservation,” claims the agency.

Credits:

Credits: TRIAD