Weekly Sermons

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Question: What is our religion’s perspective on environmentalism? Are there foundational principles in the Qur’an and the Sunnah that provide a basis for this issue?
Answer: With the advent of the industrial age, environmental pollution began to emerge. On the one hand, water, air, and soil were polluted by industrial waste; on the other, natural resources were treated carelessly and squandered without responsibility. Although technological developments have brought many benefits to humanity, they have also given rise to serious harms, including environmental degradation. Through their own actions, human beings have disrupted the balance on land and at sea. As the Qur’an states, “Corruption has appeared on land and sea because of what people’s hands have earned” (Surah ar-Rum, 30:41).*
As the damage inflicted upon nature began to affect human beings themselves, people gradually came to realize the gravity of their mistakes. In this context, movements aimed at protecting the environment emerged, particularly through the efforts of those who were sensitive to environmental issues. Scientific research revealed that all beings in nature are closely interconnected, and the vital importance of ecosystems for life became more clearly understood. This growing awareness made a significant contribution to the development of environmental consciousness.
Activities carried out under the banner of environmentalism generally aim to restore the disrupted natural balance, prevent pollution, and remedy the corruption and destruction caused thus far. For this reason, such efforts deserve appreciation and support. At the same time, it cannot be overlooked that environmentalism has, in some instances, taken on an ideological or political character. In certain cases, environmental concerns may be exploited as a means of confronting those in power or advancing particular political objectives.
Although some works include explanations regarding the importance of the environment and the need to protect it, there do not appear to be extensive, independent studies devoted specifically to this subject in classical Islamic history. This is largely because people of earlier times did not face a problem described as “environmental pollution.” However, once environmental issues began to occupy the global agenda, Muslims also undertook studies that evaluated the matter from a religious perspective, grounding their analyses in the Qur’an and the Sunnah. The late Muslim scholar İbrahim Canan, for example, authored a work entitled Environmental Ethics in the Light of Verses and Hadiths. It is likely that further studies will continue to emerge, addressing Islam’s understanding of the environment in a deeper and more comprehensive manner.
<h2>Khilāfah, Balance, and Responsibility</h2>
The issue of the environment is directly connected to humanity’s position on earth. God created human beings as His vicegerents on earth and granted them the authority to intervene in and benefit from created things. However, by virtue of this role, human beings are obliged to act within the framework of God’s commands. Accordingly, they may intervene in existence only in God’s name; they possess no right to arbitrary or self-centered intervention. Just as a person’s own existence does not belong to them, the beings with which they interact are not their property either.
From this perspective, human beings cannot dispose of existence as they wish. They cannot disrupt the order and balance that God has established on earth, nor can they corrupt the harmony of the universe, which has been created in perfect measure. Their duty is to use things in accordance with the purpose for which they were created (mā khuliqa lah). Just as they must properly understand and follow divine legislative commands, they must also read the creational commands correctly and act in line with the purposes for which God has instituted them. Moreover, they bear the responsibility of restoring damaged aspects of nature in a manner faithful to their original state.
God has created everything within a perfectly functioning order and balance, placing each thing in its proper position. With its inherent beauty, the world is almost like a corridor leading to Paradise. Indeed, in various verses, the Qur’an draws attention to these beauties and invites reflection upon them. However, to fully grasp the magnificence present in existence, one must view it through a comprehensive and holistic lens. Those who are able to do so experience profound wonder when observing nature and are overwhelmed by its unique beauty. In his Yıldızname, Bediüzzaman masterfully depicts the beauty of the lights and lamps that God has kindled in the heavens.
A person who can perceive this order, harmony, and balance will act with far greater care when intervening in existence and will refrain from all forms of destruction and corruption. Such a person reflects on how disturbing the ecosystem or interfering with the natural order can cause grave harm to humanity and may even darken the future of the world. With this awareness, they strive to preserve everything in its proper place. Knowing that everything God has created and set in order is ideal, they will also design the world they build according to these divine measures.
Instilling such awareness—so that people do not pollute their environment or damage nature—is of vital importance. Achieving this from the outset is the easiest and most effective approach. Once the atmosphere, water, soil, and the resources derived from them have been polluted, restoring them to their original state becomes far more difficult. Today, we witness how enormous efforts and vast financial resources are required to rehabilitate polluted rivers and return them to their former condition. Similarly, reclaiming destroyed forests is by no means easy. Cleaning polluted seas, oceans, air, and soil is even more challenging and, in some cases, may not be fully possible.
<h2>The World as a Reflection of Divine Beauty</h2>
From a believer’s perspective, all of existence consists of manifestations of God’s names and attributes. Preserving the balance inherent in creation is therefore an expression of reverence for God and respect for the divine attributes. A believer who views existence through this lens approaches every being—animate or inanimate—with deep respect and affection. Seeing each entity as a book written by the pen of divine power, such a person feels a sincere and enduring concern for everything. Far from harming nature, this outlook leads one to refrain even from injuring an ant. Unless compelled by necessity, a believer does not deprive any living being of its right to life.
The depictions of Paradise presented in the Qur’an offer important clues about how an ideal world should be established, implicitly reminding humanity to design the world accordingly. From a believer’s perspective, Paradise represents an ideal realm that surpasses all utopias. The Qur’an and the Sunnah describe its waters, rivers, flowing streams, palaces, trees, shaded areas, and fruits as possessing breathtaking beauty. Accordingly, the responsibility that falls upon us is to take Paradise as a model, beautify our world in its light, and entrust future generations with a world that is pure and unspoiled.
The Qur’an draws attention to the resemblance between the blessings of Paradise and those of this world with the verse, “They will be given things resembling one another” (Surah al-Baqarah, 2:25). In other words, the blessings of this world are samples of those in Paradise. If the face of the world is darkened, polluted, and rendered uninhabitable, this resemblance disappears. To the extent that this beautiful exhibition of divine gifts is transformed into a place of filth and pollution, it moves further away from resembling Paradise.
<h2>Moderation, Cleanliness, and Prophetic Guidance</h2>
Islam’s emphasis on moderation and the avoidance of waste is a foundational principle that shapes humanity’s relationship with existence. The Qur’an states that God does not love those who are wasteful (Surah al-An‘ām, 6:141). Likewise, the Messenger of God instructed believers to avoid wasting water even while performing ablution beside a flowing river. This teaching highlights the need to transform moderation into a moral disposition. A person who internalizes this ethic reflects it in every aspect of life, from eating and drinking to the use of natural resources and personal abilities.
From the practices of the Prophet, significant principles for environmental protection can be derived. The designation of the sacred precincts of Mecca and Medina as protected zones—where cutting trees or harming animals is forbidden—represents an early model of conservation. Likewise, the Prophet’s sensitivity toward animals, his insistence on cleanliness, and his prohibition of actions that inconvenience others underscore the ethical dimension of environmental responsibility. He taught that removing harmful objects from the road is a branch of faith.
Just as God continuously brings about purity in the universe, human beings are likewise required to maintain cleanliness and harmony in their surroundings. Despite constant change and transformation in nature, order and purity prevail. In the same way, it is inconceivable for a believer to act in a manner that is disorderly, imbalanced, or devoid of harmony.
<h2>Moral Reflection and Hope</h2>
Considering the principles laid down by the Qur’an and the Sunnah, environmental neglect should not have arisen in Muslim societies. Yet, in pursuing modernity and postmodernity, many have gradually distanced themselves from their own values. As a result, the problems of the modern world have come to afflict these societies as well.
God willing, by returning to these values, humanity can revive and rebuild the world in a manner consistent with moral responsibility, balance, and care for creation.
* This article presents an understanding of environmental responsibility grounded in Islamic faith and moral values. It does not seek to replace scientific knowledge or environmental research, but rather to offer a complementary ethical perspective that encourages respect for nature, balance, moderation, and responsibility toward future generations.
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Islam’s Perspective on Environmental Responsibility