Islam and the environment (Part 1)

 We praise and glorify Allah, the Creator and Sustainer of the uni­verse. We send salutations upon the best of creation, Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), the final Mes­senger of Allah, who taught us to live in balance, justice, and compassion with all creatures of the earth.

Introduction

The preservation of the envi­ronment is not merely a con­temporary global concern; it is deeply

rooted in divine revelation.

In Islam, the environment is a manifestation of Allah’s signs (Ayatullah) and a trust (Amaanah) given to humanity. Unfortunately, modern civilisa­tion, driven by profit, exploita­tion, and ignorance, has led to climate change, deforestation, water pollution, biodiversity loss, and global warming.

Islam’s holistic worldview offers timeless ethical principles that advocate environmental protection, making it highly compatible with international frameworks like the United Na­tions Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

As Muslims, safeguarding the earth is both a spiritual duty and a social responsibility.

Definition of Environ­ment and the Islamic Perspective

The environment is broadly defined as the surroundings or conditions in which a person, an­imal, or plant lives or operates.

The Cambridge Dictionary defines it as “the air, water, and land in or on which people, animals, and plants live.”

In academic terms, it includes all external physical, biological, and chemical factors influencing living organisms (Miller & Spool­man, 2011).

From an Islamic standpoint, the environment is the creation of Allah entrusted to humanity to use with responsibility and moderation.

Allah says: “And do not cause corruption on the earth after it has been set in order, and invoke Him in fear and aspiration. Sure­ly, the mercy of Allah is near to the doers of good.”

(Surah Al-A’raf, 7:56)

This verse explicitly commands humans not to destroy the bal­ance (mīzān) that Allah has

established.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) further reinforced environmental

ethics through his actions and sayings, encouraging tree plant­ing, animal welfare, cleanliness,

and the preservation of water sources.

Components of the Envi­ronment in Islam

The environment encompasses various ecosystems and natural elements, including:

• Dry and fertile lands – used for agriculture and housing.

• Forests – sources of oxygen, biodiversity, and medicine.

• Water bodies – such as rivers, lakes, lagoons, seas, and oceans, essential for life.

• Ramsar Sites and World Heritage Areas – designated for ecological protection due to

their unique natural value.

Islam values every element of nature. For instance, the Proph­et (peace be upon him) said:

“If a Muslim plants a tree or sows seeds, and then a bird, or a person, or an animal eats from it, it is regarded as charity.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 2320)

 By Imam Saeed Abdulai