Many a Muslim countries customarily have for some time practiced to screen and validate drinking water as permissible for halal consumption. Plastic bottles containing water have been seen to depict halal logo for ease of mind.
Water, Origin and Purity
The Qur’an affirms that drinking water is sent down from the above; in Surat An-Nahal 16-10 it is said,
“He it is Who sends down water from the clouds for you, it gives drink and by it grow the trees upon which you pasture”, and further in Surat al-Waqi’ah “see you the water which you drink? Do you bring it down (in rain) from the cloud or do We? “56:68-69.
Then it is mentioned in An-Nur how fresh water is bestowed on earth, “see you not that Allah makes the clouds move gently, then joins them together, then makes them into a heap, then will you see rain issue forth from their midst” 24-: 43.
This then as explained in Az-Zumur how it is stored for usage “see you not that Allah sends down-rain from the sky, and leads it through springs (rivers) in the earth?” 39:21. And the specific condition of this rain-water is iterated in this verse “and He it is Who sends the winds as good news before His mercy and We send down pure water from the cloud” Al-Furqan 25:48.
The goodness of such water is described in Surat Qaf, 25:9 “and We send down from the cloud water abounding in good” and the verse ends by revealing that “then We cause to grow thereby gardens and the grain that is required”. In Al-Mursalat, Surat 77, verse 27 signifies that water coming from the skies is“ and given you to drink of sweet water”.
With goodness and purity of this water Allah says in Al-Ana’m “and He it is Who sends down water from the cloud, then We bring forth with buds of all plants, then We bring forth from it grain ….” 6:99. It is further mentioned in Surat Al-Araf that “ We drive it (cloud) to a dead land , then We send down water on it, then bring forth with it of all fruits of all all kinds …” 7:57.
All of the above factual narrations are indicative of the facts that to sustain life of the humankind and its provisions pure and good water is always required. It is imperative to note that salinity of soil and sea-water would not provide fruitful irrigation of any kind.
Scientific Vision
Since the advent of by-products of oil and researches in high polymer, we are now rejoicing and revelling in packaging of man-made plastics.. Prior to this scientific facilitation globally, for keeping liquids glass bottles, copper bottles or stainless steel bottles were used. Mostly in glass bottles there used to be of coloured variety for assorted reasons. Some were yellow, green or blue. Liquids were in fact stored in these coloured bottles and kept in the sunlit places or light-soaked conditions for medicinal remedies and purposes.
Objective and rationale of this opus-information is that we should all always see the pros and cons of what scientific advancements bestows upon us. Whence it is scorching and temperatures are unbearably up it is convenient to carry and easily drink water or thirst-quenching liquids to remedy dehydration from plastic bottles, albeit, sparkling still or mineral kind.
However, it is incumbent on us to pay heed to what scientists themselves describe as a snag in drinking water from a plastic bottle which has been exposed to direct heat or sun-light for a period. Bottled-water remains wholesome till it changes its properties because of effects of sun-light and higher atmospheric temperature. It is then prone to cause reactions resulting in skin cancer, digestive problems and other waterborne diseases. Best advise is to keep bottled water in cool condition or in a place of shade to avoid unwarranted consequences. This prudence would not spoil taste, it would allow making good use of scientific advancements and save and eschew us from attracting ailments which we do not deserve.
Rules and criteria of halal and permissibility have always been that foodstuffs and drinking-liquids should be pure, wholesome and fit for human consumption. Prevention is certainly better than cure!