World Environment Day: Care for the environment is a sacred duty

Word For Peace

Each and every faith tradition affirms that this universe has been created by God for all creatures and human beings to live together in full harmony and in an ecological and spiritual symbiosis. All religions exhort us to be careful for the bounties of the nature that nourish and sustain us. However, man’s baser instincts and selfish desires coupled by modern technologies seek to conquer and control the natural resources. As a result, much damage has been done to the beautiful environment and ecology of the divine universe.

Environmental protection is indeed a matter of grave concern for the entire mankind. In this ravaging situation of the pandemic, people of all faith traditions should wake up to the divine call for the preservation of the Nature and Mother Earth that has been repeatedly given in their respective scriptures.

Stressing the need for ecological conservation and care for the environment, the primary Islamic scriptures– Qur’an and Hadith– greatly exhort us to live a balanced, moderate and sustainable life without causing any corruption to the Earth (Fasad fil Ardh’). This divine injunction has been enunciated in the following verses in the Qur’an:

“Do not seek to spread corruption in the land, for Allah certainly does not like the corruptors.” (28:77)

“And do not commit abuse on the earth, spreading corruption.” (2:60)

In the Qur’anic view, corruption on earth or Fasad fil Ardh’ is not confined to only political crimes such as frauds, theft, rape, illegal banking or other conventional crimes and prevalent malpractices. In fact, the above Quranic verses guide us to put an end to all forms of earthly corruption which are rampant at all levels of public and social life in this age of consumerism and covetousness. Deforestation, toxic waste, pesticides and cutting trees are also considered grave corruptions and flagrant violations of the divine commandments and hence they stand completely against the universal Islamic values. Thus, the Qur’an offers a completely integrated view of the Universe where human soul and the environment, mind and matter are all part of one living, conscious whole.

While the Qu’ran is the Word of God, the Nature is the Work of God. Therefore, the Qur’an describes the natural world as the handiwork of a unitary benevolent power. It very explicitly describes Nature as possessing an “intelligibility” and that there is no separation between Man and Nature. Thus, viewed from the Quranic perspective, there is an inseparable relation between the environment and our soul. If we try to focus on this, we will learn from the Qur’an as to how to lead an ecological-spiritual life which will give us the bliss of heaven on this Earth planet before we chance upon the eternal life in paradise.

Prophet Muhmmad (pbuh) left great traditions and glaring examples of leading an ecological-spiritual life. He spent a great part of his life in an eco-friendly endeavour, caring for all creations, preserving the earth, planting trees and protecting the environment. Right from his young age, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was inclined towards the preservation of trees. When he was just 12, he travelled to Syria with his uncle and took shelter under a tree. Today, after more than 14 hundred years, the same tree is alive in the northern deserts of Jordan. This tree, which sheltered the Prophet, is the only living tree in hundreds of square miles of emptiness. It speaks so well of the Prophet’s utmost care for the protection of the environment. He was keen on planting trees and exhorted his Companions also to keep it up. Therefore, he promised ample rewards and heavenly bliss for those who contribute to it. He said, “Whoever plants a tree and diligently looks after it until it matures and bears fruit is rewarded” (Musnad).

There are numerous other Prophetic traditions (Ahadith) which greatly emphasize the need to care for the environment, conservation of the ecology, preserving natural resources, protecting wildlife, showing kindness towards animals and birds, planting trees and living an ecological-spiritual life. Here, I would love to share some of those beautiful prophetic traditions that serve today as gentle reminders for us to reflect on the need to care for the environment and practice Islam as an environment-friendly faith:

• “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 a charitable gift (Sadaqah) for him.” (Bukhari)

• One day Prophet (pbuh) passed by Sa`d ibn Abi Waqas (r.a) while he was performing Wudu’. The Prophet (pbuh) asked Sa`d: “What is this wastage?” Sa`d replied: “Is there wastage in Wudu also?” The Prophet said, “Yes, even if you are at a flowing river.”(Ibn Majah)

• Likening a believer with a growing tree, the Prophet (pbuh) said: “The example of a believer is that of a fresh tender plant; from whatever direction the wind comes, it bends it, but when the wind quietens down, the plant becomes straight again…” (Bukhari)

• Considering tree-planting a renewable source of reward, he 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 a charitable gift (Sadaqah) for him.” (Bukhari)

• Reminding Muslims of how important it is to keep the environment sanitary to maintain the community, the Prophet stated: “Beware of the three acts that cause you to be cursed: First, relieving yourselves in shaded places (that people utilise), in a walkway or in a watering place……” – (Narrated by Mu`adh, Hasan)

• Similarly, the Prophet (saw) gave paramount importance to street clean-ups, when he said: “Removing harmful things from the road is an act of charity (Sadaqah).” (Riyadhus Saliheen)

Notably, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) left behind a living inspiration for all his followers and lovers to respect the greenry, as his holy shrine is known as “the Green Tomb”. Greatly venerated by Muslims the world over, it is one of the most visited Islamic heritage sites. Inspired by his teachings, Prophet’s Companions (Sahaba) were therefore keen on planting trees, protecting wildlife and other acts of environmental stewardship.

According to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), a tree was not only a resting place, but also an infinite mercy of God that one should take care of. Ultimately, planting a tree is a Sadaqah-e-Jariya, an ever-lasting sacred duty and charity in Islam. Whenever a human being or even an animal shelters under the shade of a tree or relishes a fruit that it produces, the planter earns infinite rewards, even after his death. For the poor and rich alike, planting a tree is the easiest and surest way to earn the optimal rewards of Sadaqah-e-Jariya.

Prophet (pbuh) and his companions also gave us practical guidance on how to protect the animals’ rights. They took special care of crippled animals, rescued strays and guarded birds’ nests of eggs. One of the Companions was named ‘Abu Huraira’ (father of kittens) because he was very fond of kittens. Prophet (pbuh) accorded great value to the animals in his bid to protect the ecological welfare system. Driven by his care and compassion for the animals, the Prophet himself narrated a story to his companions so they could drive inspiration from it:

“A man felt very thirsty while he was on the way; there he came across a well. He went down the well, quenched his thirst and came out. Meanwhile he saw a dog panting and licking mud because of excessive thirst. He said to himself, “This dog is suffering from thirst as I did.” So, he went down the well again, filled his shoe with water, held it with his mouth and watered the dog. Allah appreciated him for that deed and forgave him.” The Companions said, “O Allah’s Messenger! Is there a reward for us in serving the animals?” He replied: “There is a reward for serving any living being.” (Bukhari)

Thus, the Holy Qur’an and Hadith exhort us to reflect on the need for the protection of the environment. There is a pressing need to take a fresh look at all the related Qur’anic verses and the Prophetic traditions in an effort to mitigate the increasing degradation of environment on this planet. It is also of vital importance to revisit other references to explore the wisdom of our faith traditions finding ways to live in full harmony with the environment. After all, it is the moral responsibility of the adherents of all faith traditions to protect this earth and its climate in accordance with the divine teachings of our faith traditions. And if we don’t take serious steps today towards the preservation of the ecological balance, tomorrow our children will inherit an earth steeped in corruption, disorder and depleted natural resources.

By Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi