EXPLORING THE ISLAMIC

ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS

NAMA AHLI KUMPULAN :

SAINUR SYAFIQAH BT SAMSUDDIN (2009529977)
NADHIRAH BT AZHARI (2009107617)
NURUL AMIZA BINTI AMRAN(20097644437 )
NURUL AFIQAH BINTI MOHD ISMAIL(2009151495)
 CONTENTS

1.0 INTRODUCTION
2.0

KHALIFAH – TYRANT OR TRUSTEE?
3.0

REVALUING NATURE
4.0

USE OF THE FRUITS
5.0 DEVELOPMENT (ENVIRONMENT PAYS


THE INTEREST)
6.0 BEYOND GROWTH AND GREED : TOWARD


SUSTAINABLE LIVING
7.0 RECOGNIZING NATURE THROUGH THE


SUNNAH
8.0

CONCLUSION
 INTRODUCTION
 Contemporary muslim scholars,with very few
excestions,have typically espoused an
exploitative attitude towards the environment in
order to emulate the conventional western model
of unconstrained economic growth and
technology development.It is dengerously
misleading to muslims and non-muslims.closer
look at the primary sources of Islamic
knowledege,the divine revelation and prophetic
sunnah,reveals a set of principles that point to a
basically different environmental ethics,with
farreaching social,economic and political
ramifications.
 KHALIFAH – TYRANT OR
TRUSTEE?
TYRANT- A CRUEL RULER WHO HAS COMPLETE POWER
OVER THE PEOPLE IN HIS/HER COUNTRY.
 - EXAMPLE: LIKE DICTATOR.
TRUSTEE- A PERSON WHO LOOKS AFTER MONEY OR
PROPERTY.
COMMENTATORS FROM THE MUSLIM CONTEMPORARY
ACCORDING TOM QU’RAN,WHICH STATES THAT
CLEARLY MANKIND HAS BEEN CREATED FOR ONE
PURPOSE ONLY.
IN THE SURAH STATE THAT:
 - “AND I HAVE NOT CREATED THE INVISIBLE
BEINGS AND MEN TO ANY END OTHER THEN THEY
WORSHIP AND SERVE TO ME”(51-56)

 OPINION OF SOME MUSLIM THINKERS
AND ACCORDING THE ISLAMIC
PRINCIPLES
A MAN WHO DOES NOT WORK TO TAP THE
RESOURCES OF THE EARTH AND THE UNIVERSE IS A
DISOBEDIENT SERVANT OF ALLAH,BECAUSE DOES
NOT WORK FOR WHICH HE HAS BEEN CREATED.
HARNESS THE RESOURCES OF THE EARTH.
MAN’S WAY TO FULFILL HIS TASKS AS VICEGERENT
ON EARTH.
MANY WAYS TO SERVE ALLAH, AND GOOD, HONEST,
USEFUL WORK, WELL DONE IS CERTEINLY PART OF
WORKSHIP DEPENDING ON NIYAH OR IN TENTION :
USE THE RESOURCES OF THE ERATH TO SEEKOUR PHYSICAL AND
SPRITUAL NEEDS.
PRODUCITIVITY AND DEVELOPMENT REPRESENT, MAN’S WAY TO
FULFIL HIS TASK AS RICESERENT ON EARTH.
 REVALUING NATURE
1. CONCEPTS OF KHALIFAH AND AMANAH IS VERY
CRUCIAL TO OUR ENVIROMENTAL ETHICS.
WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN TRUST TO MAKE OUR CORRECT
RELATIONSHIP TO ALLAH. BUT WHAT IS THAT WE HAVE TO
DO?
WE HAVE TO OBEY AND GLORIFY OUR CREATOR,THE
GLORIFICATION AND PRAISE OF ALLAH(SWT),AND
PROSTRATION BEFORE HIM.THIS WILL CREATE AND GIVE THE
: PERFECT HARMONY.



L A Y S IT S IM P O R T A N T P A R T S IN L IF E , T O M A IN T A IN S U S T E N A N C E , P R E S E R V A T IO N O

N K IN D B E C A U S E T H E Y A R E N O T P R O P R IE T O R ( T H E O W N E R )
 3. EVERYTHING THAT ALLAH S.W.T CREATED, THE
WORLD AND UNIVERSE IS PERFECT, BECAUSE IT
HAS IT’S OWN LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEM, UTTERLY IN
PROPORTION, MEASURE AND BLANCE.
EVERYTHING HAVE WE CREATED IN DUE MEASURE AND PROPORTION
E C T IO N S , (54:49)
T H A T IS T H E IR P R O P O R T IO N M E A S U R E A N D B A LA N C E
O N O T U N D E R S TA N D ( 4 0 : 5 7 )


INGS CREATURES THAT ARE INDEPENDENT OF MAN , WILL MAKE UP COMMU

6. AS A LIVING AND SOCIAL CREATURES, MAN HAS
BIOLOGICAL ECOLOSICAL NEEDS:
COMMUNITY
LIGHT
AIR
WATER
FOOD
SHELTER
UTILITCE THE RESOURCAS OF THE EARTH TO SECURE THESE BASIC
UECESSITIES
MAN HAS ENDOUED WITH INTELLIGEACE WILL
PLANTS ANIMALS DOMESTICATION


7. MOST IMPOTANT DEVELOPMENT IN THE SOCIAL
ECONOMIC HISTORY OF MANKIND
8. LIFE WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT THE MAIN
DOMESTICATES
9. ONLY TO THOSE WHO BELIEVE, AND THOSE WHO
HAVE TAQWA GOD CONSCICUSNESS, AND TO
THOSE WHO HAVE CERTAINTY BEAUTY THEY ARE
SPECIAL SIGNIFICANCE FOR MUSLIM
10.LOVE OF ALLAH IS SHOWN BY THE RECEGNITION OF
AND REVERENCE FOR, AND PRESERATION OF THE
BEAUTY CREATED BY HIM.
11.ALL THE COMPPONENTS OF THE EARTH AND THE
UNIVERSE SUCH AS
AIR,LIGHT,WATER,SOIL,ROUGH,MINERALS.

12.AND PLANT,ANIMALS,COMMUNITIES,ECOSYSTEMS
AND THE WHOLE CREATION AS A WHOLE CAN BE
SUMMARIES AS FOLLOWING :
AN INHERENT VALUE AS THINGS-IN-THEMSELVES, BECAUSE THEY ARE
CREATED BY ALLAH, THEY OBEY THEIR LORD AND SING HIS GLORY
AN ECOLOGICAL VALUE, AS INTEGRAL PARTS OF THE WHOLE
A UTILIZATION VALUE TO MAN, BOTH AS SPIRITUAL SUSTENANCE AND
MATERIAL RESOURCE


 USE OF THE FRUITS
Its is the elevation of the resource value.
Detriment of the elogical and spiritual values that
is at the root of the environmental tragedy on the
earth.
There is no qur’anic sanction of use.
So that one power may usurp the resources of the
earth for its own sole use,as is perpetrated by
contemporary developed societies.
All peoples on the earth,have an equal right to
benefit from those resources.Similarly all future
generation have an equal right to Allah’s bounty.
There is a potential conflict of interest between the
spiritual and material man and nature,man and
man
Our use Allah’s earth must be in accordance with
our material and spiritual needs,the needs of
others,now in the future,and the need of all
other creatures on the earth.
In the Qur’an,the Prophet Dawud is singled out
as one whom Allah appointed as khalifah on the
earth to judge justly between men.
Allusion is made to a case to which he and his
prophet-son Sulayman brought “wisdom
knowledge”.
Which according to some Companions of the
Prophet,concerned a claim made by a cultivator
against a shepherd whose sheep had destroyed
the claimant’s crops.
The two prophets ruled in favour of “usufruct”.
The cultivator should have the use of the fruit’s of the
flock(milk,wool,lambs),until such time as the field had
been restored.
As a basic principle of resources use it is obviously
sound.
Allah has been fit to support mankid and all other
creatures by His provision of 2 resources which is
renewable resources and non-renewable resources .
Renewable resources,those which proper and judicious
use are perfectly capable of nurturing all of life until
the end of time.
Non-renewable resources,those minerals and fossil
hydrocarbons whose natural cycles are on a geologic
time-scale and are thus practically finite in human
terms.
 It is the rampant exploitation of such non-
renewable resources that has led to the
industrial and technological way to life that
now dominates the planet.
We may see in Qur’anic reference to the use of
iron a symbol of this turning-point in man-
nature relations.


•
 DEVELOPMENT – THE
ENVIRONMENT PAYS THE
INTEREST
Environtment without also considering development and its
handmaidens,industry,science and technology.
These core components of the dominant world-view are the
direct cause of environmental degradation and resource
depletion everywhere.
some of Muslim scholars still talk of development per se,and
even when economist among them stress that the goal of
Islamic development is moral,spiritual and social rather
than purely material.
The conventional Western model of industrial growth through
maximization of resources use is seen to be the only path
to economic development.
Based on the understanding all economic activity is
ultimately dependent on the natural resource input that is
neither unlimited nor free.
It is only to be expected that the inevitable environmental
destruction that accompanies conventional development is
everywhere.
Primal and tribal peoples,has long been intuited to direct
connection between the health of the planet and the health
of human society.
Muslim economists and planners would do well to recognize
that connection and promote sustainable development
policies for the well-being of both the planet and people.
In the Third Worl countries (Southern Countries) it has
become increasingly clear that the environmental and
social problems engendered by more than half a century of
modern development.It is actually worsened the plight of
most of their people.
It is assume that the condition of society before
industrial development was already bad.
For that wealth it has been accumulated only by
siphoning off resources and biological productivity
from the Southern Countries itself.
The rich become richer only because the poor become
poorer.
The idea that persuit of wealth through industrial
growth will somehow trickle down to all the countries
and peoples is a deception propagated and the
industrially developed nations in order to further
enslave the Southern Countries to the international
economy.
 The result is not only the impoverishment of the
people,but also the impoverishment of nature.
Muslims should understand that the environmental
tragedy now being played out is the poisonous
fruit of discordant world-view.
Development model and economic system fuelled
by usury and greed.
There is little doubt without usury,creating illusory
wealth by charging interest on loans and other
unjust monetary transactions,these enormously
destructive development policies could never
have been implemented.

Typically,Western development agencies and
banking institutions have been interested
only in high-profile,capital-intensive
development projects.
From the outset,social and environmental
considerations are subordinated to short-term
economic gains.
The resulting breakdown in the social fabric of
traditional societies only exacerbates the
poverty.chronic malnutrition and recurring
threat to famine.
Every piece of land given over to export
crops is that much less land available for
growing subsistence crops for local people.
p m en t le a d s in e vita b ly to e n viro n m e n ta l d e stru ctio n .
h e ve
 ry h e a rt o f h e d e ve lo p m e n t issu e , a n d A lla h h a s

y m u slim sch o la rs.

e ld b y co n firm sch o la rs, b u t is a ctive ly p u rsu e d b y e v
It is still firmly believed that the development
means economic growth,which equals to
industrialization,modernization,progress,equals
success.
The conceptual basis of Islamic model has
emerged or been implanted.
This is not the place to outline such an Islamic
model of development,but given the
environmental precepts that have been
discussed,it would have to be a sustainable
development based on the lowest possible
consumption of non-renewable resources.
System of usury and greed,andfor the rich
developed countries it must mean donning the
affluence that has been built at others cost.
BEYOND GROWTH AND GREED :
TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE
LIVING
WE MUST CONSIDER THE SIGNS IN THE BOOK OF ALLAH. ITS
FOR THOSE OVER – DEVELOPED AND AFFLUENT NATION
THE QUR’AN IS FULL OF WARNING.
THE PURSUIT OF AND ABSOLUTE TRUST IN AND COMPLETE
SURRENDER TO AND UTTER DEPENDENCE ON MATERIAL
PROGRESS IS NONE OTHER THAN WORSHIP – THE RELIGION
OF THE KUFR WORLD – VIEW.
THE MUFSIDIN AL-ARD - PHARAOH, THE PEOPLE OF ‘AD AND
THAMUD – ARE REFERRED TO AS THOSE WHO
“TRANSGRESSED ALL BOUNDS IN THE LAND” TAGHAWA FI’L
– BILAND :
 (IT WAS THEY) WHO TRANSGRESSED ALL BOUNDS OF EQUITY
OVER THEIR LANDS, AND BROUGHT ABOUT GREAT
CORRUPTION THEREIN (89:11’12)
 TAGAHAIS TO TRANSGRESS OR EXCEED THE BOUNDS, TO
OVERSTEP THE LIMITS OF ALLAH’S LAWS, TO UPSET THE
BALANCE AND HARMONY OF THE CREATION “AFTER IT HAS
BEEN SO WELL ORDERED”
EVEN THOUGH ALLAH HAS GIVEN MAN EVERTHINGTHAT HE
COULD POSSIBLY NEED, MAN’S GREED KNOWS NO
BOUNDS:
LEAVE ME ALONE(TO DEAL) WITH WHOM I ALONE HAVE CREATED, AND
TO WHOM I HAVE GRANTED VAST RESOURCES (MALAM MAMDUDAN),
AND CHILDREN AS WITNESSES, AND TO WHOM I HAVE GIVEN SO
GENEROUSLY : AND YET GREEDILY DESIRES THAT I GIVE YET MORE!
N EC E T H E (74:11-15)
B LIN D P U[AND
R S UIN
ITTHT
O F SURAH
IN C R EITSELF
A S E D CALLED
M A T E R‘GREED’(AL-TAKATHUR)
IA L P O S S E S S IO N S , IN C R
THERE ARE 3 PRINCIPLES – MODERATION, BLANCE AND
CONSERVATION – MUST BE THE CORE OF EVERY MUSLIM’S
MOVE TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE LIVING, FOR IT PROVIDES
THE FRAMEWORK FOR DISCRIMINATION WITHOUT WHICH
THERE IS NO LIMIT TO OUR CURRENT MALPRACTICES.
AT THIS POINT, ISLAM’S ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS IS :
ALLAH IS THE CREATOR, SUSTAINER AND OWNER OF ALL.
MAN IS TRUSTEE ON PLANT ERATH
EACH MAN AND WOMAN IS, AS SUCH, ACCOUNTABLE TO ALLAH FOR HIS
OR HER ACTIONS ON THE ERATH. THERE IS REWARD AND PUNISHMENT
FOR BEHAVIOUR TOWARDS THE EARTH AND ITS CREATURES.
 RECOGNIZING NATURE
THROUGH THE SUNNAH
THERE ARE FEW PEOPLE IN THE WORLD TODAY WHO ARE
UNWARE OF THE ACCELERATING DETERIRORATION OF THE
ENVIRONMENT, EVEN IF THEY DO NOT EXPERIENCE
IMMEDIATELY AND DIRECTLY
ISLAM’S DEEP ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS HAS BEEN SO
DISTORTED BY THE FEVER OF DEVELOPMENT AND
MODERNIZATION THAT IT IS NO LONGER PART OF THE
MUSLIM’S WORLD VIEW AND CODE OF BEHAVIOUR
THIS EROSION OF THE AD-DIN(THE RELIGION) HAS BEEN
ACCOMPANIED BY AN ALMOST UNBOUNDED FAITH IN THE
ABILITY OF SCIENCE TO SOLVE THE PROBLEMS OF THE
MODERN WORLD.
AS IN MODERN MEDICAL SCIENCE THE SYMPTOMS ARE
TREATED, NOT THE PATIENT. SCIENCE WILL PROVIDE THE
APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGI FIX.
INDUSTRIAL MACHINE STEAMROLLERS ON, TECHNOLOGY AT
THE WHEEL AND ALL PEOPLE HAVE TO DO IT IS JUMP ON
AND ENJOY THE RIDE. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO QUESTION
ABOUT THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL, THOUGH NOBODY
THIS OBSESSION WITH SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY REVEALS
A FAR MORE DISTURBING TREND IN THE MUSLIM WORLD –
A MARKED DISINCLINATION TO ACCEPT PERSONAL
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE WORLD BEYOND THE DOORSTEP
THE KHALIFAH IS NOT ONLY RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS OWN
ACTIONS, BUT ALSO FOR ALLOWING THE WRONG ACTIONS
OF OTHERS TO GO UNCHECKED.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEM AS A HUMAN PROBLEM AND HAS
ITS CAUSE IN A DISTORTED AND UNBALANCED PERCEPTION
OF EXISTENCE.
IT IS FAILURE OF WORLD – VIEW, OF THE KUFUR WORLD VIEW
AND REQUIRES A FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE IN THE WAY
LIVES ARE LIVED – A CHANGE IN PERSONAL AND SOCIETAL
DIRECTION
FITRAH OF LIVING NATURALLY ACCORDING TO THE LAWS THAT
GOVERN THE UNIVERSE (ECO PHILOSOPHY OR DEEP ECOLOGY)
FUNCTION OF KHALIFAH ON THE EARTH AND DELIVER THE
TRUST,EVERY MUSLIM MAN AND WOMEN HAS TO STRIVE TO
EMULATE THE BEHAVIER OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD,PEACE
AND BLESSING OF AllAH BE UPON HIM,FOR IN THE WORLD OF
HIS WIFE.
LEAVING EMBODIMENT OF THE QUR’AN THE PERFECT EXAMPLE
THE OF ISLAMIC BEHAVIOUR.
FOLLOWED HIS LEAD IN EVERYTHING,INCLUDING HIS BEHAVIOUR
TOWARDS THE EARTH AND ITS CREATURES.
ASPECT THE SUNNAH,OR WAY OF THE PROPHET,HAS RECEIVED
SCAN ATTENTION FROM MODERN SCHOLARS,AND IS TYPICALLY
RELATED TO THE REAL OF CHILDREN’S BOOKS.
OF VIDE IMPORTANCE TO THE RE-AWAKENING OF THE
ECOLOGICAL CONSCIOUSNESS AMONG MUSLIMS TODAY,AND
A SURE KEY TO DA’WAH IN THE WEST.
 CONCLUSION

• HENCE,TO CONCLUDE WE MAY RETURN TO THE GENEROUS

QUR’AN AND TO A SYMBOL AROUND WHICH ISLAMIC
ENVIRONMENTAL THOUGHT COULD GATHER-NAQAT
ALLAH, ALLAH’S SHE-CAMEL. THE STORY OF THE PEOPLE
OF THAMUD, THEIR PROPHET SALIH, AND THE SHE-
CAMEL OF ALLAH IS MENTIONED SOME 22 TIMES IN THE
QUR’AN AS A WARNING TO MANKIND. THEIR STORY IS A
SIMPLE ONE- OF A POWERFUL, ARROGANT PEOPLE GIVEN
TO AXCESSES AND SPREADING CORRUPTION ON THE
EARTH.
• WE MAY SEE IN ALLAH’S SHE-CAMEL A SYMBOL CREATION
OF THE NATURAL WORLD, THAT HAS A RIGHT TO BE,
AND TO BE LEFT ALONE. NATURAL MUST HAVE IT PLACE,
ITS SHARE OF THE EARTH WITHOUT EXPLOITATION. WE
DISREGARD THIS AT OUR OWN PERIL.