Purifying: Children play in the grounds of the Badi Masjid on the banks of the River Ganges during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The Prophet speaks of not wasting or polluting water and the importance of sharing it. Photo: Sanjay Kanojia/Getty Images
There is none among the Muslims who plants a tree or sows seeds, and then a bird, or a person or an animal eats from it, but is regarded as a charitable gift
Prophet Muhammed (PBUH)
‘Be merciful to those on the Earth and the One in the heaven will be merciful to you.” This is taken from a Hadith — sayings and teachings — of Prophet Muhammed, Peace be upon him (PBUH).
This specific Hadith talks about the importance of treating the creatures on Earth with kindness, which will lead to one being rewarded with kindness.
Looking after the Earth and everything, from plants and animals to water, must be prioritised. Islam notes this several times. The Qur’an, the book believed to be the word of God, describes how Muslims are khalifas — custodians or stewards — of Earth.
The Qur’an (10:14) says, “Thus We have made you trustees (khulafaa) on the Earth after them, to see how you would act.”
Giving people the task of stewardship of the Earth is both an honour and a test. Humankind must use nature but not in a way that destroys it. It must be done in a sustainable, equitable way that cherishes life and protects the environment. Muslims believe that God has mercifully given us this world and all it contains and to abuse and destroy it would be seen as abhorrent.
This is backed up by the following statement from the Qur’an (The Cow, Al-Baqarah, 2:60): “Eat and drink from the provision of Allah, and do not commit abuse on the Earth, spreading corruption.”
Speaking to how global greed has led to over-exploiting the world, The Islamic Foundation for Ecology and Environmental Sciences issued a declaration that noted how we have no right to abuse or damage the environment God has given to us. Their declaration notes, “Our faith commands us to treat all things with care and awe (taqwã) of their Creator, compassion (rahmah) and utmost good (ihsãn).”
Ibrahim Ozdemir, an environmentalist and professor of philosophy, wrote in Al Jazeera, “Muslims need to look no further than the Qur’an for guidance, where there are approximately 200 verses concerning the environment … The reality is that nothing could be more Islamic than protecting God’s most precious creation: the Earth.”
God has commanded that natural sources aren’t abused and any actions that would damage the environment must be avoided, according to an article titled Islam’s Perspective on Environmental Sustainability: A Conceptual Analysis in the journal Social Sciences.
Researchers at Khalifa University in the United Arab Emirates refer to guardianship or stewardship of the Earth and note research by other scholars on how critical it is to leave an Earth that is habitable and in a good condition for future generations.
Water is a crucial part of Islam and there are ways to perform a certain type of ablution to be in a state of cleanliness before praying or reading the Qur’an.
Thus We have made you trustees (khulafaa) on the Earth after them, to see how you would act
The Qur’an (10:14)
The Prophet (PBUH) advocated using water as efficiently as possible. He criticised those who were wasteful of water — even at a flowing river. His own ablution was done with little water so as not to waste it.
There are also scriptures in the Qur’an that talk about how important it is to share water. They mention that God has mercifully sent down water for us to use, that it is purifying and clean and that it is a grace from God.
Several Hadiths speak on the importance of not polluting water. One of them includes not urinating in bodies of water so that the water is not made impure for others. The Hadith goes on to say, “Allah curses a person who urinates in a water source or on a path or in a place of shade or in the burrow of a living creature.”
The Prophet (PBUH) also strictly warned against polluting land and waterways and forbade the unnecessary cutting down of trees and advised that people plant trees.
The Qur’an clearly states, “Teach them that the water will be shared among them.”
For me, Islam is kind and peaceful and invokes kindness to other beings. It advocates for helping others and being charitable.
This Hadith is a good example: “There is none among the Muslims who plants a tree or sows seeds, and then a bird, or a person or an animal eats from it, but is regarded as a charitable gift.”
Looking after the environment and food was specifically noted in Hadiths, even during wars, such as this one: “Even in war, do not kill a woman, or a child, or an old man, and do not burn palms or crops.”
The religion is clear about how animals should be treated. It is said that the Prophet (PBUH) on numerous occasions cursed those who were cruel to animals and praised those who were kind.
Two Hadiths talk about how people received eternal paradise for the kindness they showed to dogs who were thirsty. Their sins were forgiven. Another Hadith notes how a woman was punished with hell after allowing her cat to starve to death.
These Hadiths speak to the importance of looking after the land and its inhabitants.
Speaking of waste, the Qur’an (7:31) notes, “Oh children of Adam! … eat and drink, but waste not by excess, for God loves not the wasters.”