Y Absalyamova - Department of Ethnology, Institute of History, Language and Literature,Ufa Research Centre, Russian Academy of Sciences

We will concentrate on one of the most significant aspects of the traditional conceptions of the Bashkirs, that related to theirs attitude toward water in the broad sense of the word and to sources, like river, spring, lake etc. Water itself has salubrious features, but in same cases they became stronger. First, when water of spring has some specified chemical composition, for example, is rich in silver, sulphur etc. The local population, as a rule, know about its and using it during a long period of time. And other case is holy water. Water can become holy after reading to it suras of the Quran. It is a very popular method that uses in the traditional medicine. Also water of some springs can be holy and thus has healing properties. Very often holy springs situates near graves of Muslim saints or other sacred places of Bashkir. Sometimes it considers holy if it flows in the direction of the Qibla (direction to the Mecca). The water from the most significant holy springs compares to «Zam-zam» water. In last years level of water in rivers is decreasing because of drought and human activities. In the traditional consciousness it connected with increasing of depravity among peoples and associated with God's punishment. It is stable conception that everybody has limit of water and it is a sin to spend too much water

Islam; traditions; holy; water; spring; rites; healing