| Islam and the Environment |
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Allah (swt) created humans to be stewards on this Earth. This stewardship entails upholding and spreading the message of Islam - the noblest and heaviest trust (amanah) given to humans. Allah (swt) included in this stewardship another trust - that of the Earth. Allah (swt) tells us that he has subjugated the world for our use:
It is God Who hath created the heavens and the earth and sendeth down rain from the skies, and with it bringeth out fruits wherewith to feed you; it is He Who hath made the ships subject to you, that they may sail through the sea by His command; and the rivers (also) hath He made subject to you. And He hath made subject to you the sun and the moon, both diligently pursuing their courses; and the night and the day hath he (also) made subject to you. And He giveth you of all that ye ask for. But if ye count the favours of God, never will ye be able to number them. Verily, man is given up to injustice and ingratitude. (The Holy Quran 14:32-34) But in Islam, every right is balanced by a responsibility. Human beings do not own the Earth. It is trust given to them by its Master and Owner. Therefore, we are responsible for taking care of it in a responsible manner. With increasingly frequent and extreme abnormal natural phenomena, the world’s attention has shifted towards climate change and humans’ role in the rapid destruction of our environment. As Muslims, we have been charged by Allah (swt) with the leadership of humankind. We have a religious and moral duty to be at the forefront of promoting environmentally sustainable practices. |
