'Water is a blessing': UAE worshippers to be urged to protect precious resource

On Friday, worshippers across the UAE will be encouraged to conserve water and educate their children about not wasting this precious resource during Friday prayers. The sermon will stress that water must never be taken for granted and will remind listeners of the hardships endured by earlier generations who had to embark on grueling journeys to find water.

The message will be delivered in mosques nationwide as the UAE intensifies its efforts to tackle water security issues both domestically and internationally. The 2026 UN Water Conference, jointly organized by the UAE and Senegal, will take place at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec) from December 8 to 10.

According to the sermon, wasting even a single drop of water without necessity is a misuse of a magnificent blessing and a breach of a trust placed in humans by Allah. It urges worshippers to envision the struggles faced by individuals traversing deserts in search of a solitary drop of water or digging through rocks in hopes of uncovering even a minuscule quantity.

The sermon will also spotlight the Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative, launched under the guidance of President Sheikh Mohamed, and its Water Pioneers Programme, aimed at engaging young Emiratis in devising solutions to water-related challenges. The sermon, called "We Made from Water Every Living Thing," derives from verses in the Quran, depicting water as the basis of life and emphasizing its role in various aspects of existence, including drinking, agriculture, and the prosperity of the land.

The sermon highlights the need for gratitude towards water to go beyond verbal expressions and be manifested through responsible usage. It instructs worshippers to employ water wisely and refrain from wasteful practices, quoting the Quranic command: "Do not be wasteful, for He does not love the wasteful." Additionally, it references the Prophet Mohammed's cautious use of water, performing ablutions with water equivalent to what can be held in two cupped hands, or approximately half a liter.

The sermon encourages individuals to serve as role models for their children in terms of water conservation. It concludes by linking the religious principle of avoiding waste to the UAE's broader initiatives to address water scarcity, emphasizing the Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative's objective of raising awareness about water scarcity, accelerating innovation, and promoting sustainable water management.