The Prophet Muhammad ﭐ was once asked: ‘Which charity is best?’ He replied with a single word: ‘Water.’ Of every Sadaqah Jariyah a Muslim can give, water consistently sits at the top — in the Sunnah, in field impact, and in the multiplier of reward. Here is why a tubewell may be the most powerful Sadaqah Jariyah you ever give.
“The Messenger of Allah was asked: ‘Which charity is best?’ He replied: ‘Water.’”
— Prophet Muhammad ﭐ (Abu Dawud)
The hadith of Sa’d ibn Ubadah
The Companion Sa’d ibn Ubadah (radiyallahu anhu) came to the Prophet ﭐ after his mother passed away and asked which Sadaqah on her behalf would benefit her most.
“Sa’d ibn Ubadah asked: ‘My mother has passed away. What is the best charity I can give on her behalf?’ The Prophet said: ‘Water.’ So he dug a well and said: ‘This is for the mother of Sa’d.’”
— Prophet Muhammad ﭐ (Abu Dawud)
This is the precedent every Muslim follows when they build a well on behalf of a parent, grandparent, or loved one who has passed. The water flows; the reward flows; the recitation of Surah al-Fatiha on the day the village receives water flows.
Why water is the most multiplied charity
A single Sadaqah of money, however generous, helps one person once. A single well:
- Serves hundreds of families over its lifespan
- Lasts for decades with basic maintenance
- Removes the daily four-to-six hour journey women and girls walk for water
- Sends girls back to school — lessons they would otherwise have missed
- Reduces water-borne disease and child mortality dramatically
- Enables small-scale agriculture and livestock keeping
- Becomes the social and spiritual heart of the village
Every glass of water drawn from that well, every wudu, every cup of tea, every irrigation channel, is a fresh entry on the giver’s record of reward.
Types of water project at DHT
Family hand pump — from £180
A shallow hand-pump suitable for a family or a small cluster of households. Built in days, lasts for years. Carries the giver’s name plate, by request.
Community tubewell — from £600
A larger tubewell with a hand pump or simple motor, serving a small village. Photographed, named, and reported.
Deep-bore village tubewell with storage tank — from £1,500
The flagship water installation: a deep-bore well that pulls clean water from below the contaminated water table, with a storage tank and tap stand for the whole village. Lifespan of decades.
Water tanker deliveries — from £350/month
In emergency or hard-to-bore locations, weekly water tankers deliver life-saving supplies. Used heavily during floods, droughts, and displacement.
Where DHT digs wells
DHT’s water programme operates in some of the world’s most water-stressed regions:
- Sindh and Tharparkar (Pakistan) — where the water table is below 800 feet
- Drought-affected Punjab villages — where seasonal water failure forces displacement
- Rural Bangladesh — where contaminated shallow wells cause widespread illness
- Yemen and Gaza — emergency tanker deliveries to displaced families
What happens after you donate
- You choose hand pump, community well, or deep-bore.
- We find the location in consultation with the village imam and local elders.
- The drill team gets to work — usually 5-21 days depending on depth.
- The plate is fitted with your dedication (or your loved one’s name) if requested.
- You receive photos and a short video of the well being tested.
- The reward begins to flow — every time the water is drawn.
Build a well in your name — or in memory of a loved one
Sadaqah Jariyah that flows for decades. Photographed, named, and reported back to you.
A scholar’s note on intentions
Scholars remind us that the reward of Sadaqah Jariyah is proportional to sincerity. A £180 hand pump given purely for the sake of Allah may outweigh a £15,000 well given for recognition. The Prophet ﭐ said: ‘Actions are by their intentions.’ (Bukhari) Make your intention clear — for the pleasure of Allah, on behalf of a loved one, for the relief of His creation — and let DHT handle the rest.
Water is the simplest, most universal, most multiplied form of Sadaqah Jariyah in the entire Islamic tradition. If you have been waiting for a project that combines clarity of impact with depth of reward, a well is hard to beat.
