Environmental Protection and Islam: A Forgotten Duty
Key Takeaways
While Islam is not commonly associated with environmental consciousness, the Qur’an and Sunnah are filled with environmental injunctions. Allah (SWT) has appointed humanity as his Khalifah (Successor) on Earth, where we are to act as caretakers of the planet based on His injunctions.
The Prophet (SAW) demonstrated this by living a simple, sustainable life, and introducing measures to protect the environment, such as designating protected areas (Hima) for conserving flora and fauna.
A fundamental aspect of our responsibility is preserving the sanctity of all life. All beings have inherent value not based on how useful they are to humans, but based on their status as God-conscious creations of Allah (SWT).
PART I: Islam’s Environmental Message
Islam and environmental protection are not usually associated with one another in popular discourse. This is an unfortunate state of affairs as the Qur’an and Sunnah are filled with directives and guidance on the importance of environmental protection as a duty upon Muslims.
Let us explore some of these directives regarding our sacred, forgotten duty.
Environmental Protection and The Qur’an: Humans as Khulafah
The Qur’an has declared humans as Stewards (Khulafah) of the Earth:
As Stewards of the Earth, environmental protection and the care and preservation of all life that has been placed under our care is a sacred responsibility of ours.
However, this does not mean that we are free to do with the environment as we please. We are not masters of the Earth, rather we are in service to it. Allah (SWT) reminds us of our place in the Qur’an by saying:
“And walk not with arrogance. Indeed, you can never tear the Earth apart, nor can you surpass the mountains in height.”
Therefore, we are to carry out this sacred duty of environmental protection in accordance with Allah’s (SWT) Divine Will and Islamic injunctions of justice and compassion.
The Prophet’s (SAW) Environmental Injunctions
The Hadith corpus is filled with injunctions from the Prophet (SAW) emphasizing environmental protection, living a simple and sustainable life, and preserving the resources Allah (SWT) has blessed us with.
In addition to his general instructions regarding environmentalism, the Prophet (SAW) practiced conservation efforts in his time, by designating certain areas as Hima. These were protected areas where the hunting of animals or the cutting down of trees were prohibited for the preservation of the ecosystem.
A prominent example of this is the Hima-ash-Shajar (Protected Area of the Trees), an area surrounding the Haram of Madinah where hunting and the cutting of vegetation are forbidden.
Islamic Environmentalism and the Inherent Value of All Life
Allah (SWT) has declared in the Qur’an that all life on Earth is similar to our own.
“There is no creature moving on the Earth, nor a bird flying on its two wings, but they are all communities like you.”
One point that merits clarification is the manner in which the sacredness of nonhuman life in Islam is often framed. Often we see it highlighted that animals are to be preserved and treated with dignity as they are a blessing of Allah (SWT) owing to the many benefits we derive from them. However, the life and teachings of the Prophet (SAW) contradict this line of reasoning, and instead highlights that dignified treatment and compassion is to be extended even to those creatures that provide no obvious benefits to us. Consider the following:
“The Prophet (SAW) explained to us that one of the prior Prophets was resting under a tree when an ant bit him, and so he ordered the ant hill to be burned down. This displeased Allah (SWT) as He revealed:
’A single ant has bitten you, yet you have destroyed a nation that glorifies Allah?’”
Therefore, the value and dignity of all lifeforms is an inherent feature of their existence as subjects of the Almighty, and not due to their usefulness to humans. This is why we must extend kindness, compassion, and dignified treatment to all nonhuman life irrespective of their value to us.
Reviving Our Sacred Duty
To conclude, environmental protection is, and has been throughout its history, a fundamental aspect of Islam. Therefore, the onus is on us Muslims to revive this forgotten duty not just as a response to present times, but because environmentalism is a foundational feature of life as a Muslim.
If you’re ready to take your first step towards an environmentally-friendly lifestyle, have a look at Green Islam’s Green Living Guide where we lay out simple, everyday acts you can incorporate today!
