Wastewater reuse in Muslim countries: An Islamic perspective

Recycling wastewater seems to have become a highly useful technique for meeting the shortage of fresh water in all parts of the world. It seems all the more important for Muslim countries because a large number of these countries face acute fresh water shortage. This paper views the problem from an Islamic viewpoint, that is, in the light of the Qur'ān, the Sunnah, and Fiqh works. In Islamic law, water is classified into three categories of tahūr, tāhir, and mutanajjis. The last two categories can be transmuted into tahūr water and thus may be used for all mundane as well as religious purposes if they are assimilated into the overall supply of tahūr water. This would be lawful from the Islamic viewpoint even without treating the water. To make use of modern technology in order to recycle wastewater effluents after treatment seems quite in keeping with the spirit and letter of the Islamic teachings.