Capetonians are now in crisis mode as they prepare for the inevitable Day Zero – when all taps will be turned off in Cape Town. The Mother City is in the midst of its worst drought in 100 years and with water fast depleting, its citizens will face the reality of queuing for water come April 12th. Dam levels in the Western Cape dropped to 25.3 percent this week and once it reaches 13.5 percent, Capetonians will not have the privilege of running water in their own homes.
While residents are forced to make changes to their daily usage of water to save the natural resource, religious leaders in Cape Town have also called for introspection from a spiritual perspective. The Muslim Judicial Council has implored on the Muslim community to use this critical period as an opportunity to draw closer to Allāh. As Muslims we believe that all natural conditions occur with permission and willing of Allah and have relevance with the actions of mankind. Good actions bring good conditions and evil actions result in adverse conditions.
The ulema have reminded Muslims that the rains are withheld from us because Allāh wants us to turn to him in sincere Taubah (repent) and Istighfaar (forgiveness) and to transform our lives in a meaningful way.
With this as a backdrop, the MJC has called for the following:
1. For every Imām of Masājid across the Western Cape, to intensify in Duā’.
2. To motivate our community to increase in the making of sincere istighfār, and in the process to shed tears of remorse in front of Allāh Almighty.
3) The MJC calls for Salāh Al-Istisqā in our communities across the City. Each region should identify a central and suitable venue for the Salāh in consultation with MJC .
As a start, the date for the Salāh tul Istisqaa is on Sunday, 28 January 2018 at 08h00 am in Mitchells Plain at Spine road high school.
The MJC have also called upon residents to use minimum water during Wudhu by washing each part once only. Washing once is also a Sunnah. This is applicable both at the home or at the masjid.
Masājid which has not adapted it’s taps to preserve water should do so without delay.
