Some Islamic Views on Environmental Responsibility

International journal of applied research, 2016

There is a growing concern about the threats posed by environmental issues throughout the World. Global warming, freshwater depletion, biodiversity reduction, hole in the ozone layer are all examples of such threats. How serious is it really? And what is to be done to change the direction? Many researchers have begun to look into underlying philosophical causes for man's rapacious attitude towards his environment. Part of this search involves a look at root philosophies affecting the human outlook and interaction with the world and the responsibility religion shares in creating the attitudes and philosophies that have led to the desecration of nature. Environment protection is an important aspect of Islam. Protection of the environment is essential to Islamic beliefs and mankind has the responsibility to ensure safe custody of the environment. This paper is an attempt to briefly present some aspects of the Islamic perspective on environment protection in the light of Quranic ver...

Jurnal Ilmiah Peuradeun, 2016

The paper studies the Islamic viewpoint about the environment. Environment holds a central position in most of the discussions of development strategies in the contemporary globalizes world. This is why that deteriorating environment is adversely affecting human lives and is a potential danger for future generations. Today, the environmental crisis endangers human being, other living organism and the natural world alike. How should human behave towards the natural environment is remained most important. Technological solution has not been resulting in satisfying outcome. Discussing the role of the Islamic principles of unity, trustee and responsibility, the Quranic teachings may enhance the environmental consciousness among the people which enable them to establish friendly relationship between God, humankind and nature. In this respect, this paper is a humble attempt to understand the Islamic approach to the environment to explore various conceptual dimensions of environmental secu...

2013

The field of the environmental issues has gained less concern amongs Muslim scholar. This article is an attempt to shed lights on this matter through selected Muslim scholars and philosophers. Sayyid Hussein Nasr is chosen here as the main thinker on the issue of the environment studies amongst our contemporary Muslim thinkers. By adopting an analytical method; this article found that the environmental concern is deep-rooted in Islam: Its creeds, practices and world-view. The concept of Tawhid (Unity of Allah), the relation of humanto the Creator, the Sufi concept of Wahadat al Wujud, etc… all these support the argument that natural environment and its conservation is a core concern of Islam. However, the contemporary Muslim scholars have attempted to address this issues from various perspestives. Some have even achieved significant contribution in this matter surpassing that of the Western environmental scholarly activities. Further researches are needed in order to bring up these various Muslim contributions in a systematic view in the environmental studies.

Islamic Research Institute, International Islamic University Islamabad (Pakistan), 2021

The present paper deals with Islamic moral teachings of the environment from a Qur'ānic perspective. It attempts to correlate some familiar Qur'ānic terms with human moral responsibility towards the natural world. The paper investigates whether the Islamic view of the natural world supports the anthropocentric and bio-centric approach to environmental ethics or not. In so doing, the paper aims to present an Islamic balancing approach to the environment and show why such a unique approach is necessary to address the present environmental degradation and how it can work for environmental sustainability.

KnE Social Sciences

Environment is one of global issues humans are facing today. The worsening condition of global environmental cannot be apart from various problems from garbage, logging, and air pollution due to industrial or transportation activities as the main factors of the environmental crisis. The basic principles of ecology are to protect, maintain, utilize and preserve the environment for the life of future generations. In the context of power, the idea of ecology and environmental sovereignty is related between God, humans and nature. The results of this study showed that Islam is very concerned with these environmental issues as proven through many discussions contained in classical fiqh literature, such as discussion of thaharah (cleanliness), ihya al-mawat (opening the unused land), al-musaqat and al-muzara’ah (utilization of land belonging to others), laws related to the sale and purchase and ownership of water, fire and salt, the rights of pets and other issues related to the environme...

2011

Through the teaching of Islam, the earth is mentioned more than four hundred times in the Qur'an, whereas the sky and beyond are mentioned only about three hundred times. This article intends to explore and share that Islam does understand the earth to be subservient to humankind. Therefore, the earth should not be administered and exploited irresponsibly. Based on the teachings and principles of Islam, one leads to a strong sense of goodness and purity of the earth. In Islam, human and environment interaction is guided by the notion of the person as a vicegerent or steward of the earth. The extensive evidence provided by the Holy Quran is indicative that the earth is an important protected element for future sustenance of the next generation and is to be a safe place to keep. Despite that, the concept of sustainable development on the earth is complex and murky. It lends itself to several interpretations and it is still in the process of evolution. However, an evaluation of different approaches to the concept leads to the same goal. The underlying issue behind the various interpretations is eventually the concern on how the environmental perimeter is sustained. The rapid deterioration of human environment is nothing but a crisis of values. Muslims and mankind at large are being instructed to look after the environment and not to damage it. Therefore, an Islamic way of a sustainable environmental life entails living in "peace and harmony (salam)" at individual, social as well as ecological levels. All human activities have some impact on the environment. And for that this paper will display the reconciliation of Islam and environmental sustainability through the perennial reference of the Holy Quran and the Words of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

Journal of Culture Society and Development, 2013

Islam is the monotheistic religion articulated by the Quran, the word of God, and by the teaching of Muhammad (PBUH). Islamic ethics is its moral principles, which defines what is good for the society. It enlightens the sacred views that man must strive to maintain the harmony of their inner and outer environments, in conformity with the world of nature. In the Quranic theology of creation God created this cosmos out-of-nothing. He created man, as a vice-gerent on this earth. He created lands seas, mountains, plants and animals, and than entrusted all this to humans to take advantage of it. So humans are now guardian of this cosmos for a limited period of time. After this life He will audit and judge the individual for using or misusing the world. The earth thus is a testing ground of the human species. In other words, the Quranic environmental ethics tells us that God has trusted humans His world. They have to prove them selves capable of this trust, by maintaining a balance, in a way to get benefits from the nature, and protect it from discards. Thus the relation of humans to its environment is a relation of "the trustee" and "the trust". The Qur'an says, "Cheat not in maintaining the balance. Establish just measure and do not fall short in maintaining the balance." 1 The article focuses to investigate the ethics in the Quran and teachings of the Prophet regarding the relationship of man towards the natural world.

International Journal of Environmental Studies, 2008

The paper is an attempt to explicate and nuance the Islamic perspective of environmental ethics which is divinely guided and recognized in essence. Today humanity is facing one of the sever problems of environmental degradation done partly by human greedy nature and partly by abandoning the religious aspect of environment. Man's pursuance of science and technology has led him to exploit the nature's bounties which in turn resulted into ecological imbalance thus disturbance in the environment. How a man is to act to his environment? And what is the relationship between man, God and nature, are some fundamental questions which I will illuminate in the paper. Apart from that, it also compares and contrasts other secular models of environmental ethics with that of the Islamic. It concludes that Islamic provides a comprehensive model of environmental ethics where at the same time man is a consumer and beneficiary as well as a guardian and trustee of the environment.

Religion has, throughout the centuries, been a powerful institution on the macro level, yet also stands as a force having significant influence in people’s personal lives. This does, however, lead to questions of how a traditional institution such as religion may or may not be adequate to address problems of the Late Industrial Era, most notably the environmental crisis. In this paper, we inquire how various dimensions of Islamic literature and thought can contribute to preserving the natural environment. We find that concepts such as “dominion of men over the earth” and “specialness of humankind” can lead to anti-environmental interpretations of Islam. Nevertheless, other interpretations of Islamic teachings emerge that are compatible with environmental stewardship. However, a number of Islamic governments have shown a decided bias against environmental stewardship, particularly in cases where there is an authoritarian government and one placing an emphasis on economic “development”. In counterpoint, Islamic Mysticism, or Sufism, can provide a spiritual context for environmentally conscious action.

Suraj Punj Journal For Multidisciplinary Research (ISSN NO: 2394-2886), 2018

The environment in which the man and other organisms live is called the biosphere. The biosphere is made up of different regions that have different types of flora (plants) and fauna (animals). The organisms, in addition to being dependent on the environment for their needs, are also dependent on each other. However, man tries to modify the environment to suit his needs unlike the other components of the ecosystem. This has upset the delicate balance being maintained in the environment. Every day there are stories about pollution, global warming and animal species facing extinction. Although human beings are seen as the most intelligent life form on earth, they are responsible for almost all the damage done to the planet. The problem of the environment is one of today's most serious problems. Many contemporary thinkers and scientists have stated that religion has an important role to play in overcoming these problems and in the development of comprehensive and integral environmental consciousness. The influences of religions on social activities need no introduction. Most of the religions in their holy books make references to the environment protection and its creatures. Furthermore, in all the revealed religions including Islam, human beings are considered the core of the world. In this paper we have made an attempt to discuss the importance, the religion of Islam attaches to the environmental issues, and tried to distil the Islamic imperatives, concerning environmental conservation, laid down in the Quran and expressed in the practice of Prophet of Islam (PBUH). The paper concludes with the observation that environmental protection is an important aspect of Islam. Islam is in principle for conservation and against wastage of resources.. The Islamic perspective on environment protection reflects a positive image about Islam The conservation of the environment is therefore not only a human obligation but also a religious obligation. Indeed, believers should undertake this responsibility more than anyone else.