The global scale of the environmental catastrophe dictates that people utilize all means to save and preserve the environment.

While this column is based on Islamic and scientific values, it is important to remember that degradation of the environment is a loss for the human family. Religions can play a pivotal role in preserving our planet. Following is a brief understanding of the environmental ethics based on Islamic values.

“Truly, We have honored the children of Adam, and We have carried them on the land and the sea, and have made provision of good things for them, and have preferred them above many of those whom We created with a marked preferment.” (Quran 17:70)

Environmental ethics is a developing field. Unlike the polarity that exists between man and nature during Industrialization, Muslims have always been conscience of their environment — that it is a sign (ayat) that points to God. It is a sacred duty to protect and preserve the nature. There exists no concept of “conquering wilderness” in the Islamic sources. Historically, ethical conduct toward nature has been an essential component of any premodern society. With the coming of Industrialization and development of mass production and consumerism, waste culture has become the dominant modern paradigm for people. For this reason, the modern environmental crisis demands a new ethics — principles that discard the waste culture.

For Muslims, this new environmental ethic is based on the principles established in the Quran and the traditions of Prophet Muhammad, as well as the empirical data available to us through the development in physical sciences.

“Verily, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of night and day, there are indeed signs for people of understanding.” (Quran 4:190)

“People of understanding” are described in the Quran as individuals possessing a deep connection to God through zikr (remembrance of God) and fikr (intellect). These are men and women who have a grasp of mundane and profane. It is clear that environmental crisis requires more than a scientific quick fix. In reality it is not an “environmental problem,” but rather a human problem. Furthermore, it is only a modern human problem because there is no connection to the sacred ethics. Consequently, no scientific gadget will solve the current environmental crisis unless the society unlearns the materialism that has become part of the global culture. Unfortunately many are misled to believe that fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas) consumption and their byproducts are at the core root of all environmental mayhem. Therefore, a shift from fossil fuels to a cleaner burning energy resource such as fusion, hydrogen, solar energy, etc., will be the solution.

Nevertheless, past trends expound our current environmental crisis as a complex set of interlinked unethical behavior. A shift from equilibrium has resulted in global catastrophes such as acid rain, air pollution, global warming, hazardous waste, ozone depletion, smog, water pollution, rain forest destruction, desertification, ecosystem destruction and extinction. It is not a matter of lack of technology but rather a lack of sound philosophy and guiding principles that has led humanity to swim in a pool of pollution.

In the language of the Quran, these modern crises can be explained as: “Mischief has appeared on land and sea because of the work that the hands of men have earned. That God may give them a taste of the consequences of some of their deeds: in order that they may turn back from wrong ways.” (Quran 30:41) Islam prohibits waste, destruction and pollution and guides human behavior to respect their environment. Muslims recognize that the environment belongs to God, and thus there is no questioning the sacrosanctity of this world and/or trashing the environment. Hence, it is an obligation to delineate this path of environmental ethics based on the Islamic paradigm.

The approach to environmental ethics offered by the Islamic tradition is fundamentally different from the presiding environmental ethics. Islamic tradition defines the role of individuals and society and links them to a purpose driven life of servitude to God and humanity. In contradiction, the secular environmental ethics is based on either the anthropocentric view (human first) or the biocentric (humans are part of living organisms and do not afford a distinction above others) view, with shades of gray in between. Neither of these two views is in accordance with the spirit of Islamic teachings.

Islam forumulates a God-centric approach to any issue, and environmental ethics in Islam is an extension of this understanding of the divine guidance. In essence, the nature or environment is a creation of God — and any deviation from natural way is a divergence from the way of God. Quran clearly states “Do not transgress the balance” (55:8) and “There is to be no change in the creation of God” (30:30).

This natural way is a Quranic concept that takes into an account the harmony in creation and the balance that exists between living and nonliving creatures. In terms of preference of habitats and ecosystems, the philosophy of Islamic ethics dictates that everything belongs to God — and there is no dichotomy between living organisms and humans, whether considering biocentric or anthropocentric view in ethics.

However, God made human responsible to care for the creatures of God. This is important to understand when considering the arguments for intrinsic or instrumental value of living or nonliving entities in environmental ethics.

In a nutshell, the ecological balance should be maintained by humans because God made humans responsible as his vicegerent in the Quran. The word vicegerent does not reflect ownership for humans, but rather a role of a manager or a guardian. The Quran declares: “It is God who has created for you all that is on earth … “

Islam is a comprehensive way of life. It offers human beings not only a connection to their environment but also to their creator. The human behavior is controlled through accountability for one’s action before God.

The environmental ethics in Islam is based on serving humanity and preserving the resources, whether animate or inanimate. In conclusion, preserving the environment is a communal obligation based on the Islamic paradigm of living a well-balanced life.

Faraz Khan currently works in the environmental field as a wetland expert. He is also a regular khatib (speaker) at New Brunswick Islamic Center. He frequently lectures at local mosques and college campuses on issues related to Islam and Muslims.