The environment is a unity from all of Allah’s creatures which is a proof of His greatness. Indeed, one of goals from human life is grateful for all blessings that are given by Allah SWT. As khalifah in the world, we have to take care the environment as one of our goals, as the Word of Allah SWT :
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ لَا تُفْسِدُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ مُصْلِحُونَ
“And when it is said to them : “Do not cause corruption on the earth,” they say, “We are reformers.”(Q.S. Al-Baqarah : 11)
وَإِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةِ إِنِّى جَاعِلٌ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً ۖ قَالُوٓا۟ أَتَجْعَلُ فِيهَا مَن يُفْسِدُ فِيهَا وَيَسْفِكُ ٱلدِّمَآءَ وَنَحْنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَ ۖ قَالَ إِنِّىٓ أَعْلَمُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
“And [mention, O Muhammad], when your Lord said to the angels : “Indeed, I will make upon the earth a successive authority.“ They aid, “Will You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood, while we declare Your praise and sanctify You?” Allah said, “Indeed, I know that which you do not now.”
Allah SWT has believed us to take care the environment when at that time, the angels doubted us. Then we should really do Allah’s command to take care everything which He has created for us.
But unfortunately, there are more people who damage the environment everyday. Many destructions happen everywhere and cause many disasters. Allah has also told us about this in the Quran :
ظَهَرَ ٱلْفَسَادُ فِى ٱلْبَرِّ وَٱلْبَحْرِ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِى ٱلنَّاسِ لِيُذِيقَهُم بَعْضَ ٱلَّذِى عَمِلُوا۟ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ
“Corruption has appeared throughout the land and sea by [reason of] what the hands of people have earned so He may let them taste part of [the consequence of] what they have done that perhaps they will return [to righteousness].” (Q.S. Ar Rum : 41)
Various destructions in the land and sea is one of cause is one result of people’s evil. Droughts, floods, volcanoes, storms, they are not only caused by natural disaster factors, but also they are caused by the ignorance of human hands and disobediences that they made. The Messenger of Allah saw said :
“When someone who often sins was dead, then the servants of Allah SWT, like humans, earth, trees and animals feel relieved.” (Narrated by Bukhori and Muslim)
This hadith shows us that the world will be peace if that evil man was died because there is no disaster and damage which was made by him. You may also read ways on how to get sins forgiven in Islam
[AdSense-B]
The Theorem About Keeping the Environment
There are many commands from Quran and hadith about the prohibition of damaging environments and preserving the environment, such as :
وَٱبْتَغِ فِيمَآ ءَاتَىٰكَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلدَّارَ ٱلْءَاخِرَةَ ۖ وَلَا تَنسَ نَصِيبَكَ مِنَ ٱلدُّنْيَا ۖ وَأَحْسِن كَمَآ أَحْسَنَ ٱللَّهُ إِلَيْكَ ۖ وَلَا تَبْغِ ٱلْفَسَادَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُفْسِدِينَ
“But seek, through that which Allah has given you, the home of the Hereafter; and [yet], do not forget your share of the world, And do good as Allah has done good to you. And desire not corruption in the land. Indeed, Allah does not like corrupters.” (Q.S. Al-Qasas : 77)
The Prophet Muhammad saw said :
“No Muslim plant crops, then that crops are eaten by birds, humans or animals, except for him, that plant is sadaqah.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim from Anas)
See also :
From the history of Abu Daud, Rasulullah SAW said :
“Whoever cuts down the trees, then Allah will dip them into hell.”
[AdSense-A] Abu Daud interpreted that the Apostle banned the logging without thinking of the impacts on the environment. The logging should only be done if it has been known and minimized the impacts.
Allah SWT said :
“And cause not corruption upon the earth after its reformation. And invoke Him in fear and aspiration. Indeed, the mercy of Allah is near to the doers of good. And it is He who sends the winds as good tidings before His mercy until, when they have carried heavy rainclouds, We drive them to a dead land and We send down rain therein and bring forth thereby [some] of all the fruits. Thus will We bring forth the dead, perhaps you may be reminded. And good land, its vegetation emerges by permission of its Lord; but that which is bad – nothing emerges except sparsely, with difficulty. Thus do We diversity the signs for a people who are grateful.” (Q.S. Al-A’raf : 56 – 58)
Allah SWT has given us many pleasure, whether from heaven or earth. Because of the rain, the barren land can be growth by corps again. All of that are signs of Allah’s greatness. Do we deserve to damage what Allah has given to us” Indeed, the act of damaging the environment is a disgraceful act and it is prohibited in Islam.
Rasulullah saw said :
Do not you abuse the wind, because indeed it comes from the spirit of Allah Ta’ala who comes with grace and punishment, but ask to Allah from the goodness of that wind and take refuge to Allah from its evil.” (narrated by Ahmad from Abu Hurairah)
The wind is also a Mercy from Allah SWT, but the wind can also be a form of Allah’s anger against those who always sinned.
أَلَمْ يَرَوْا۟ كَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا مِن قَبْلِهِم مِّن قَرْنٍ مَّكَّنَّٰهُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مَا لَمْ نُمَكِّن لَّكُمْ وَأَرْسَلْنَا ٱلسَّمَآءَ عَلَيْهِم مِّدْرَارًا وَجَعَلْنَا ٱلْأَنْهَٰرَ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهِمْ فَأَهْلَكْنَٰهُم بِذُنُوبِهِمْ وَأَنشَأْنَا مِنۢ بَعْدِهِمْ قَرْنًا ءَاخَرِينَ
“Have they not seen how many generations We destroyed before them which We had established upon the earth as We have not established you? And We sent [rain from] the sky upon them in showers and made rivers flow beneath them; then We destroyed them for their sins and brought forth after them a generation of others.” (Q.S. Al-An’am : 6)
The Prophet saw had traveled with Sa’ad bin Abi Waqqas. When Sa’ad took ablution, the Prophet saw said : “Do not use excess water.” Sa’ad asked : “Is using water also excessive?” The Prophet saw replied : “Yes, even if you did it in a flowing river.”
See also : Rules of drinking water in Islam
How to Take Care The Environment in Islam
Taking care the environment is a form of faith levels in Islam (see also how to increase faith). Here are some ways that we can do to take care the environment :
- Throw garbage in the right place
- Do not use natural resources excessively
- Plant trees
- Use electronics well
- Avoid the usage of plastic
- Recycle object that can still be used
- Walking or cycling when travel in close range.
Those are some ways that we can do in our daily life to keep the environment. By maintaining the cleanliness and preservation of environments, we also take care the inheritance for our children and grandchildren. Hopefully we can be His servants who are always grateful and take care every His gifts. Amen.
See also :