World Environment Day
A Muslim’s faith is incomplete if he does not observe the rules of cleanliness and tidiness, which are very essential to keep the environment clean and free from pollution.
Syed Khalid Husain
EACH year on June 5, the world celebrates World Environment Day to create awareness and encourage action for environmental protection. Many people today are concerned about the preservation of the environment and the conservation of nature, so much so that it has become a trend worldwide.
As Muslims, what should be our role in protecting the environment and preserving nature?
Islam’s position towards the protection of the environment and conservation of nature is very clear and unambiguous. It lays great stress on tidiness and cleanliness, so much so that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “Cleanliness is half of faith”. This implies that a Muslim’s faith is incomplete if he does not observe the rules of cleanliness and tidiness, which are very essential to keep the environment clean and free from pollution.
Allah made the heavens and the earth neat, clean and beautiful. He wants us to keep it so. The Holy Prophet said: “God is beautiful and He loves beauty.”
To guard against littering, Muslims are enjoined to remove dirt and obstacles from roads and streets. This is an act of worship in Islam. Cleanliness of the front of houses and their backyards is also encouraged.
Islam commands Muslims to avoid all bad habits that are harmful to their bodies and to other people, such as smoking, drinking alcohol and consuming drugs. It even enjoins avoiding eating onions or garlic before attending public meetings and prayers to prevent bad odour.
In no other religion, philosophy or ideology except Islam do we find a unique attitude towards nature, i.e. the universe. Time and again we find Allah swearing in the Holy Quran by various elements of nature, His creation. Several chapters in the Holy Book begin with oaths such as: by the Heavens, by the Moon, by the Sun, by the stars, by the night, by the day, by the trees, by animals and by vegetation. This is to indicate, among other things, the great value of these elements.
To conserve nature, Islam makes it incumbent on every Muslim to contribute his or her share in improving greenery. Muslims should be active in growing more trees for the benefit of all people. The Holy Prophet said: “If the Hour (Day of Judgement) is about to take place while any one of you has a sapling in his hand, which he can cultivate before it (Day of Judgement) takes place, let him cultivate it for he will be rewarded for it.”
Islam’s care of the environment is not limited to peacetime. This applies to behaviour even during wars, where Muslims are required to avoid cutting trees that are useful to people in general.
Every country in the world worries about wasting water. Let’s see how Islam deals with this issue. According to a Hadith (saying) of the Holy Prophet, a Muslim is recommended to save water in his ablution (ceremonial washing before offering prayers) even if he has a river at his disposal. Furthermore, a Muslim is warned against urinating in still water.
Again, Islam has in fact introduced a more comprehensive meaning of the environment or nature. It considers man the major factor in this universe and has defined for him a course of action and behaviour that makes him an ideal model. In this context, Islam enjoins the protection of human nature as it considers human life sacred. No one is permitted to take the life of another person except as life for life. Suicide is a crime in Islam.
Islam encourages breast-feeding for the full period of two years for the sake of both the newborn as well as the mother. It recommends women to specialise in taking care of children, bringing them up and serving the needs of the family, rather than go out for jobs unless it is necessary for them to do so.
To protect birds and animals against cruelty and possible extinction, Islam forbids game hunting for the sake of fun. To minimise pain to animals while slaughtering them for eating, a Muslim is enjoined to sharpen the knife and to treat the animal gently, and never cut its meat until it has become completely senseless and lifeless.
Cruelty to animals is not allowed in Islam. The Holy Prophet once saw a mother-bird flying over the heads of a group of Muslims as if seeking for its little one which the group had taken. Seeing this, the Holy Prophet ordered them to return the little bird back to its mother.
Once the Holy Prophet said: “One woman qualified to enter Hellfire just because of her treatment of a cat. She imprisoned it, and neither did she feed it nor release it to seek for its food from the open land.” (Bukhari/Muslim)
We are told by the Prophet of mercy that a prostitute’s sins were forgiven because she gave drinking water to a thirsty dog. After she drank from a well, she saw a thirsty dog to which she gave drinking water.
The Holy Prophet has warned against even cursing animals which we ride, and which carry our burdens. He, on the contrary, commanded Muslims to treat them gently and with kindness. All games and sports harmful to animals and birds are forbidden in Islam because of their cruelty.
Islam gives special attention even to insects. It considers them signs and miracles of Allah. That is why insects such as flies, spiders, bees and ants are mentioned in the context of being miracles of Allah in the Holy Quran.
Islam considers all creatures to be slaves of the Almighty God. They surrender to His laws, and every creature has his form and method of worship. They all glorify God, each in his own way. Thus, Islam establishes a relationship of true love and harmony between man and all creation. In brief, Islam makes this world of ours a better and a happier place for all creation.
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The writer is a Singapore-based senior journalist. He may be reached at [email protected]
