When offered the opportunity to guest edit this volume of Material Cultures in the Muslim World on the topic of water, I was humbled and honored, but also apprehensive. Water is ubiquitous throughout the Muslim world, just as it is across the globe— contextualized within the Islamicate world. However, it was imperative for this volume to go beyond the omnipresent paradigm of religiosity and examine water from a multiplicity of approaches. Faith in Water, Water in Faith is meant to convey that message: the human race requires water to survive, and as a species, we hold faith that water will be ever-present. For most in the industrialized world, open a tap and water flows. In turn, the sacred nature of water in Islam must be acknowledged. Therefore, in keeping with the vision for the journal, this volume views water through an interdisciplinary lens with consideration of the diverse and wide-ranging aspects of social and cultural history, politics, and technology across the Muslim world, temporally and spatially.

Sharon Smith, guest editor

Smith, Sharon. C. (2022). Faith in Water, Water in Faith. Journal of Material Cultures in the Muslim World, Volume 3 (Issue 1), 1-5. https://doi.org/10.1163/26666286-12340023

Brill