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

 “Be kind and compas­sionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”- Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)

 INTRODUCTION

CONFLICT is never easy—espe­cially when it happens within the church. Many believers can relate to the heartache of strained relationships, misunderstandings, or even church splits.

Though these moments don’t make us lose our salvation, they often test our faith deeply. At times, the dis­couragement can feel so intense that quitting the Christian walk seems like a tempting option.

Yet, in Christ, we are called into a new kind of family—a family transformed by grace. We are to be peacemakers, reconcilers, and forgiv­ers because we ourselves have been forgiven so completely.

Scripture doesn’t just call us to live in peace; it calls us to reflect the heart of Christ, the One who gave Himself for His enemies. The brief but powerful letter to Philemon offers timeless wisdom on this topic.

Living in grace

The Apostle Paul’s letter to Phile­mon is only 335 words in the original Greek, yet it carries profound lessons about grace, forgiveness, and recon­ciliation.

Paul writes not as an authoritari­an apostle but as a loving brother in Christ, appealing to Philemon on behalf of Onesimus—a runaway slave who had since become a believer.

Paul gently urges, “Though I could be bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is proper, yet for love’s sake I prefer to ap­peal to you…” (Philemon 1:8–9). He pleads with love, not law. He even offers to pay any debt Onesimus owes: “If he has wronged you or owes you anything, charge that to my account” (v. 18).

This is not “forgive and forget.” This is a real reckoning of wrong, met with real grace. Paul illus­trates what Christ has done for all of us—He takes our debt and pays it with His own life.

Our identity in Christ

Paul emphasises that Onesimus has undergone a radical transformation. Once “useless,” he is now “useful” (v. 11)—a beautiful play on the meaning of his name. The point? In Christ, our identity is changed. We’re not defined by our failures or past offenses. We are made new.

Philemon, a slave master, is being asked to receive Onesimus not as property, but as a brother in Christ. This is a powerful call to the Church: we must see each other through the lens of our shared redemption. Grace transforms social structures, erases labels, and redefines our relation­ships.

By Rev. Dr Joyce Aryee,
the author