Fruitful Living
Sanitation, Hygiene, and the Morality of Public Space: Reclaiming Ghana’s Civic Virtue through Faith and Policy (Part 2)
Classical scholars like Al-Qaradawi (1990) emphasized that tahārah extends beyond the body and home to include the collective environment. Polluting rivers or littering public spaces constitutes a moral transgression against Allah’s creation.
The Qur’an warns:
“Do not cause corruption on the earth after it has been set in order.” (Qur’an 7:56)
Environmental neglect is a form of fasād (corruption), and every citizen who litters or dumps waste unlawfully becomes a participant in social and spiritual corruption. When Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) prohibited urinating in stagnant water (Sahih Bukhari, Hadith 236), he set a timeless precedent for environmental hygiene and ecological awareness.
Faith and sanitation are thus inseparable. Islam’s concept of ʿibādah (worship) encompasses every act done in obedience to Allah and for public benefit. Sweeping one’s compound, cleaning a drain, or preserving public water sources can be acts of worship if done with sincerity. The believer’s environment is a reflection of their inner purity, for as the Prophet said:
“Allah is beautiful and loves beauty.” (Sahih Muslim, Hadith 91)
Clean surroundings, therefore, are an aesthetic expression of divine beauty and an essential pillar of social morality.
III. The Erosion of Shared Responsibility: The Moral Decay of the Commons
Public space in African societies once symbolized collective dignity. The village compound, the communal well, and the shared road reflected moral unity. Today, however, Ghana’s public spaces have become neglected, reflecting an erosion of shared moral responsibility.
This decline is rooted in what Garrett Hardin (1968) called the “Tragedy of the Commons”—when individuals act for personal convenience while imposing costs on the community.
A. Violation of Huqūq al-Jīrān (Rights of Neighbours) – Best Environmental Practices
Islam places extraordinary emphasis on the rights of neighbours. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
“Gabriel kept advising me concerning the neighbour until I thought he would make him my heir.” (Sahih Bukhari, 6014)
When a person dumps refuse near a neighbour’s home or blocks drainage systems, they violate this sacred right. Such acts not only spread disease but represent injustice (zulm), which the Qur’an unequivocally forbids:
“And do not wrong one another.” (Qur’an 2:279)
By harming others through unhygienic practices, one sins against both humanity and Allah. Cleanliness thus becomes a moral expression of ihsān (excellence) toward neighbours and society.
B. The Deficit of Amanah (Trust and Stewardship)
The Qur’an teaches that stewardship of the earth is a divine trust:
“Indeed, we offered the trust (amanah) to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they declined to bear it… yet man undertook it.” (Qur’an 33:72)
To pollute air, soil, and water is to betray this amanah. As custodians of Allah’s creation, humans are accountable for how they treat the environment. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
“The world is sweet and green, and verily Allah is going to install you as vicegerents in it to see how you act.” (Sahih Muslim, 2742)
Each overflowing gutter or choked waterway is thus evidence of collective betrayal of that sacred trust. As Ofori-Atta (2019) notes, environmental ethics in Africa are inherently communal and intergenerational—pollution today mortgages the moral and physical health of tomorrow’s generation.
By Imam Alhaji Saeed Abdulai, the Author
Fruitful Living
The Maqāṣid al-Sharī’ah: The Islamic framework for addressing contemporary social challenges
In the Name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all worlds. We send peace and blessings upon the noble Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), his family, his companions, and all those who stand for justice until the Day of Judgment.
Introduction
We live in an era of rapid social transformation. Technological advancement, urbanization, changing family structures, health crises, unemployment, moral decadence, drug abuse, cybercrime, and weakening social bonds have created enormous challenges for Muslim communities across the world. The Muslim Ummah in Ghana is not immune to these realities.
Islam is not merely a religion of rituals. Islam provides guidance for every aspect of life— spiritual, social, economic, educational, political and health-related.
Allah said in the holy Quran “We have neglected nothing in the Book.” (Qur’an 6:38).
Before discussing the practical challenges facing our communities today, it is important to understand that Islamic law was revealed to achieve specific objectives known as Maqāṣid al-Sharī’ah (The Higher Objectives of Islamic Law).
The great scholar, Imam Abu Ishaq al-Shatibi, explained that all Islamic laws aim at securing benefit (Maslahah) and preventing harm (Mafsadah).
The scholars have summarized these objectives into five fundamental necessities known as:
Hifz ad-Din (Protection of Religion)
Islam seeks to preserve faith, worship, Islamic identity and moral values.
Allah said, “And I did not create the jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me.”
(Qur’an 51:56)
Therefore, strengthening Islamic education, supporting the mosque, preserving family values, and protecting the next generation from immoral influences are all means of preserving the Islamic religion identity.
Today, social media abuse, drug addiction, pornography, cybercrime, and moral decay threaten the faith of many Muslim youth. The Muslim Ummah must equip itself with sound Islamic knowledge to preserve its religious identity.
Hifz an-Nafs (Protection of Life)
One of the greatest objectives of Islam is the preservation of human life.”And do not kill yourselves. Indeed, Allah is Most Merciful to you.” (Qur’an 4:29)
This objective forms the basis for:
• Public health programmes
• Vaccination campaigns
• NHIS registration
• Hospital care
• Disease prevention
• Environmental sanitation
• Road safety
• Maternal and child healthcare
Every effort to save lives is an act of worship.
“Whoever saves a life, it is as though he has saved all mankind.” (Qur’an 5:32)
Throughout the Old Testament, God’s presence was associated with a particular location the Tabernacle and later the Temple. These sacred places represented the meeting point between heaven and earth.
But Pentecost changed everything
When the wind and fire entered the house where the disciples were gathered, God was revealing a new reality. His presence would no longer be confined to a building made by human hands.
The Temple was no longer merely a structure in Jerusalem.
The Temple had become a community of believers.
Every follower of Jesus would now become a dwelling place of God through the Holy Spirit.
This was a revolutionary truth. The overlap between heaven and earth was no longer limited to one geographical location. Wherever believers gathered and wherever the Spirit dwelt, God’s presence was manifested.
As the Apostle Paul later wrote: “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16).
Gods desire to dwell with his people
From the very beginning, God’s desire has always been to live among His people.
We see this desire in:
- The Garden of Eden
- The Tabernacle
- The Temple
Yet sin continually created separation between God and humanity. A holy God could not fully dwell among a sinful people without judgment.
But Jesus made a way.
Through His death and resurrection, Jesus dealt with the problem of sin once and for all.
John beautifully describes this truth: “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed His glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)
Because of Christ’s redemptive work on the cross, our sins are forgiven and we are reconciled to God. The Holy Spirit can now live within believers, making us the new temple of God.
To be continued!
Stay blessed!
Please note that the preaching programme on Sunny 88.7 FM – Tuesdays at 5:30 am has been temporarily put on hold. However, please continue to join us on Asempa 94.7 FM – Sundays at 5:30 am and YFM 107.9 – Sundays at 6:30 am for our Radio Bible Study, as well as on Sunny 88.7 FM every Sunday at 3:30 pm for Hymns and Their Stories.
By Rev Dr. Joyce
