Environment

Benjamin Hale *

[This research paper was presented at CILE 7th  Annual international Conference – Doha, Qatar – March 23, 2019]

[This research paper was presented at CILE 7th  Annual International Conference – Doha, Qatar – March 23, 2019]

#CILE2019 A Global Ethical Approach to Social Justice and Environmental Issues

Opening Session

Qur’an Recitation by Sh. Haitham Ali. Obaid Al-Dokhen - Education City Mosque (ECM)

The greater part of the world is in disorder in terms of political development, socio-economic policies and environmental concerns particularly. For instance, the crisis of the global economic order has intensified, inflicting substantial damages on most states and the vast majority of people. Currently, there are more than 820 million people in the world who do not have enough food to eat.

Despite the fact that Islam remains a powerful social force in the lives of the majority of its adherents, contemporary scholars lament the silence of Muslims on the environmental crisis. However, close scrutiny reveals a burgeoning ‘green’ movement amongst Muslims the world over. While scholarly works initially elucidated the scriptural basis for Islamic ecological ethics, efforts are now centred on translating these ethics into practice.

The ecological ethics of Islam are comprised of broad Qur’anic ethical principles which define the relationship between the Creator, humankind and creation, and a system of juristic methods, laws and institutions―the Sharī’ah―which puts these precepts into action. The ecological ethics of Islam present an environmental philosophy based on the sovereignty of the Creator, the responsible trusteeship of humankind and the intrinsic value of creation. Drawing upon this ethic, Muslims across the world are actively voicing their concern for the environment and striving to implement practical initiatives based on the ecological teachings of Islam.

The Islamic educational landscape, which extends from the minbar to the foundation-level maktab, is frequently put forward as the primary arena for imparting the ecological teachings of Islam. Revitalising the ecological ethic of Islam by way of education provides an impetus to not only uncover Islam’s environmental (and educational) tradition, but to affect awareness and action on environmental issues. Educational interventions have thus been among the primary strategies promoted to revive Islam’s environmental teachings and practices.

This essay will firstly provide a broad outline of the ecological ethics of Islam, and thereafter identify both existing and potential educational opportunities for translating the ecological ethics of Islam into action.

Islamic bioethics is in good health, this article argues. During the twentieth century, academic researchers had to deal with a number of difficulties including the scarcity of available Islamic sources.

The Center for Islamic Legislation & Ethics (CILE) held its second annual international conference under the title "Ethics in a Changing World: Contemporary Perspectives" during the period 15-16 March 2014, Doha, Qatar. The conference focused on four main themes (environment, gender, psychology and media), each of which was discussed in a separate panel, as following:

The industrial revolution followed the discovery of coal which coincided with advancements in agriculture, transport, medicine and technology. This was a turning point in man’s way of life.

The obligation of the Shari’ah is to provide the well-being of all Mankind, which lies in safeguarding their faith, their human self, their intellect, their progeny and their wealth.