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A Malaysian company has invented a machine it said would help Muslims purify themselves before prayers without excessively wasting water.
The machine comes with automatic sensors and basins to curb water usage during "wudu", an Arabic word used to describe the act of washing the face, arms and legs before prayers.
The device, which also emits recorded Koranic verses and is 1.65m tall, only uses 1.3 litres of water compared to the conventional methods, which usually involve leaving taps running for the duration of the washing ritual, AACE chairman Anthony Gomez said.
The wudu, or ablution, rite precedes the five daily prayers Muslims are obligated to perform.
There are more than 1.7 billion Muslims in the world, with the majority in Africa and the Middle East where water supplies are scarce.
AACE Technologies are counting on rich countries in these two regions to buy the machines that will be available in the next six months and cost up to $4500 apiece.
“During the Haj, two million people used 50 million litres water a day for wudu,” Gomez said, referring to the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca. “If they introduce this machine they are saving 40 million litres per day.”
Dubai has shown interest in acquiring the product for its airport, Gomez said, adding that the machine took two years to develop at the cost of $2.8 million.
AACE also wants to target mosques and offices with new models that can be wall-mounted in groups of six.
