Water

We took the horse to climb up the mountains of Petra. They told us this is the same route as Indiana Jones took in the film The Last crusade. We took the ride because it looked adventurous and also we were trying to save time.

Anyway if you can notice in the picture, there are some black water hoses on the ground. This is what they have resort to, to water the whatever plants that are left in this area. I read how water is already a problem in Ustaz SaifulIslam's Travellog - "Rindu bau pohon tin". According to him, he was advised to take little shower let alone wash up. That was back in 1992. And I heard it's getting worse.

It is amazing that water is a problem because they have river, they have mountain, they have oasis. In fact Petra, for example, was chosen to be the location of a civilisation among many reason was access to water. They had water channel to channel it to residential areas around the city. They diverted big flood from the siq to a reservoir so that it will not flood the city and their temple. (Left is water channel in Petra)



The Dead Sea, for example is also dying. The water from different rivers in Jordan is drying up, either naturally or being diverted to farms and residential areas. The oasis in the north is also drying up.

A replica of a mosaic map in Madaba. You can see the Jordan river depicted there going into dead Sea with fish scampering away from the lethal water
This was the country that was thriving with civilisation after civilisation. Nearly all great civilisation around the vicinity wanted this land and the surroundings. All the ruins I went to, there are evidence of water management- water channel, open cisterns ducts and other means.
Cistern diagram in Citadel Amman


Left : From what is left from a river near Petra.

Some of the hotels that I went to (which was not of many stars rating) has very little water.

As we drive along Jordan, we saw many big pipes and water hoses along the road. A major desalination project all the way from Aqaba will be supplying water to Jordan.

The thing about desalination is the effects in the long run. They will have to spill the hot waste back into the ocean and it will destroy the marine life. In a long run, their thriving diving tourism will be affected. It will also affect the water and its evaporation into rain. It will give an illusion that you have so much water because the sea is there to exploit but will probably leave nothing for the next coming generation.

Allah Mustaan.

Sure Jordan has rain. In fact after I left the country was snowing and rain and flood follows. Ya Allah may we will be bestowed with rain that is beneficial. Don't we hear nowadays, so much rain and yet no water? Ya Rabb bestow mercy on us.

This trip made me reflect upon what we have. Our green country with abundant rain. Do we think this will last forever. Looking at past generations, we will learn and must take heed that Allah can take all of these away. look at rub al Khali, the vast desert which, they say, use to thrive with streams and gardens. look at these past civilisation. Where are the resources?

I reflect upon Qatar, a country with no water resource of whatsoever. A country that uses desalination plant as their stream and lake but yet has the highest water consumption per person in the world! Allahu Akbar. I feel afraid that Allah will take away when we are in excessive, when we do not care and when we do not show gratitude.

And throughout this journey I cannot help but to reflect on the last verse of Surah Al Mulk

67: 30

Tell me! If (all) your water were to sink away, who then can supply you with flowing (spring) water?"

And also from Surah Nuh

71: 11-13

"I said (to them): 'Ask forgiveness from your Lord; Verily, He is Oft-Forgiving; (10) 'He will send rain to you in abundance; (11) 'And give you increase in wealth and children, and bestow on you gardens and bestow on you rivers.' " (12) What is the matter with you, that [you fear not Allâh (His punishment), and] you hope not for reward (from Allâh or you believe not in His Oneness).