A Sip of Water for God
By Choiril Anwar
The midday sun poured its heat like spilled fire from the sky. The air in the village trembled; the asphalt of the small road shimmered. Arga, a final-year student, pedaled his bicycle slowly while wiping his sweat. He had just returned from campus after a thesis defense that had made him nervous since morning.
At an intersection, he saw an old man sitting under a waru tree. His worn clothes were drenched with sweat, his breath heavy. Beside him was a sack filled with used plastic bottles, but no water bottle in sight. Arga glanced, lowered his head, and kept pedaling.
“It’s so hot today,” he thought. “I’m thirsty too. Better hurry home.”
A few meters later, a faint voice followed him. “Son... do you have some water?”
Arga turned briefly. The old man smiled weakly, his lips cracked. But Arga pretended not to hear and kept going. His heart reasoned: I don’t have time, there’s water at home — and besides, I don’t even know him.
By afternoon, gray clouds covered the sky. Arga fell asleep in his room, his body still tired. In his dream, he found himself in a vast plain bathed in soft light but without a sun. Suddenly, a majestic voice called:
“O son of Adam, I asked you for water, but you did not give Me to drink.”
Arga was confused. “O Lord, how could I give You water, while You are the Lord of all worlds?”
“Do you not remember, My servant so-and-so asked you for water, but you refused him? Had you given him water, you would have found Me with him.”
Trembling, Arga tried to speak but his tongue froze. He saw the same old man who had sat under the waru tree now smiling at him, holding a glowing bottle of water.
Arga woke up gasping, his heart pounding—not from fear, but from guilt weighing heavy on his chest. He grabbed a large water bottle from the kitchen and ran toward the tree.
He stopped in shock. The old man was still there, but now lying on the ground, leaning against the trunk. Arga approached and gently patted his shoulder.
“Sir... here’s some water. Please drink.”
The old man opened his eyes and received the bottle with trembling hands. A sip, then another. A small smile appeared on his face. “Thank you, son. May Allah reward your kindness.”
Arga swallowed hard, his eyes burning. “Forgive me, sir... earlier today I passed by and didn’t stop.”
The old man patted his hand. “It’s alright. What matters is that you came now.”
Arga sat down on the ground, keeping the old man company until dusk. They spoke briefly — about the weather, about life, and about how sustenance always comes at the right time.
When Arga went home, the sky glowed golden orange. In his heart, he repeated the words from his dream: *Had you given him water, you would have found Me with him.* Now he understood — giving someone a sip of water could be a path toward finding God.
Since that day, Arga always carries an extra bottle of water on his bicycle. He never again wants to miss a small chance that might be great in God’s eyes.
Source of Inspiration
This story is inspired by a Hadith Qudsi narrated by Imam Muslim (no. 2569) from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him):
“Allah, the Almighty, will say on the Day of Resurrection: O son of Adam, I fell ill and you did not visit Me. He will say: O Lord, how could I visit You, while You are the Lord of the worlds? Allah will say: Did you not know that My servant so-and-so fell ill and you did not visit him? Had you visited him, you would have found Me with him. O son of Adam, I asked you for food and you did not feed Me. He will say: O Lord, how could I feed You, while You are the Lord of the worlds? Allah will say: Did you not know that My servant so-and-so asked you for food, and you did not feed him? Had you fed him, you would have found that (reward) with Me. O son of Adam, I asked you for water, and you did not give Me to drink. He will say: O Lord, how could I give You water, while You are the Lord of the worlds? Allah will say: My servant so-and-so asked you for water, and you did not give him to drink. Had you given him water, you would have found that (reward) with Me.”
(Narrated by Muslim, no. 2569)
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