Islamic Guidelines In Terms Of Utilizing & Preserving The Natural Resources: Moving Towards A Sustainable Environment

Abstract

Since the destruction of nature and the natural environment is one of the greatest challenges of the world today, this article endeavors to review this important issue from an Islamic perspective. A review of Qur’anic verses and Islamic narrations regarding the environment and natural resources suggests that in one view these teachings have been divided into the following two parts: how to utilize and how to preserve these two Divine blessings. We have investigated this topic utilizing a qualitative research method in form of content analysis. The law of abstaining from incurring loss and causing harm to oneself and to others is among the laws that direct us in regards to the management and engineering of exploitation and preservation of the environment.
Another part that has been discussed in this article is attention to Divine wisdom in the formation of nature and the environment. In the Holy Qur’an, the environment and natural resources have been described and distinguished in a specific way. Some of the attributes that the Qur’an recounts for the environment and natural resources are the following: being the wealth and possession of God; being a Divine trust; having a serious responsibility in respect to divine possessions and trusts; being a factor of beauty and adornment; eye-catching and being a blessing of Allah. Another aspect of the Qur’anic depiction of the environment includes the sanctity of nature, its worshipfulness, its instructiveness and the necessity of contemplation regarding the subtleties of nature and the environment.
Yet another part of Islamic teachings regarding the development and preservation of the environment is its harmony, the two-way connection between the well-being of human beings and the environment, the relation between pursuing extreme comfort and luxury and ruining nature, and human motivation in the destruction of nature and the environment. In the ethical aspect regarding this issue, Islam invites towards the development of nature and environment and encourages conformity and convergence in enjoying nature.
Another part and the last aspect of Islamic teachings discussed in this paper is the necessity of a replacement-creation plan when destroying the environment, encouragement in planting fruit- bearing trees instead of trees that simply provide an aspect of beauty and greenery, doing a good job in planting trees and greater correlation between attaining greater benefit and efforts to preserve and develop nature. The final part of this paper is a report of a new and Islamic idea regarding a spiritual natural environment and the factors that can make this environment lasting and enduring.