Three Principles

The Prophet Muhammad’s environmental philosophy is first of all holistic. It assumes a fundamental link and interdependency between all natural elements; and it bases its teachings on the premise that if man abuses or exhausts one element, the natural world as a whole will suffer the direct consequences.

This belief is nowhere formulated in one concise phrase; it is rather an underlying principle that forms the foundation of all the Prophet Muhammad’s actions and words, a life philosophy that defined him as a person.

The three most important principles of the Prophet’s philosophy of nature are based on the Quranic teachings and the concepts of unity, stewardship and trust.

Tawheed, the oneness of God, is a cornerstone of the Islamic faith. It recognizes the fact that there is one absolute Creator and that man is responsible to Him for all his actions. The Quran says what means:

To God belongs all that is in the heavens and in the earth, for God encompasses everything. (4:126)

The Prophet Muhammad considered all of God’s creations to be equal before God; and he believed animals, but also land, forests and watercourses should have rights. Therefore abusing one of His creations, whether it is a living being or a natural resource, is a sin.

The concepts of khalifa, stewardship, and amanah, trust, emerge from the principle of tawheed. The Quran explains that mankind holds a privileged position among God’s creations on earth; he is chosen as khalifa, “vicegerent” and carries the responsibility of caring for God’s earthly creations.

Each individual is given this task and privilege in the form of God’s trust. But the Quran repeatedly warns believers against arrogance: they are no better than other creatures:

Surely the creation of the heavens and the earth is greater than the creation of man; but most people know not. (40:57)

The Prophet believed that the universe and the creations in it – animals, plants, water, and land – were not only for mankind. Man is allowed to use the resources but he can never own them. Thus while Islam allows land ownership, it has limitations: an owner can, for example, only own land if he uses it; once he ceases to use it, he has to part with his possession.

The Prophet recognized man’s responsibility to God but always maintained humility. Thus he said:

When doomsday comes, if someone has a palm shoot in his hand, he should plant it.

The Prophet Muhammad is suggesting that even when all hope is lost for mankind, one should sustain growth of nature. He believed that nature remains a good in itself, even if man does not benefit from it.

Similarly, the Prophet incited believers to share the earth’s resources. He said:

Muslims share alike in three things – water, herbage and fire.

And he considered it a sin to withhold water from the thirsty.

The attitude of Prophet Muhammad towards the sustainable use of land, conservation of water and the treatment of animals is a further illustration of the humility of his environmental philosophy.

Sustainable Use of Land

The earth has been created for me as a mosque and as a means of purification. (Al-Bukhari)

With these words the Prophet emphasizes the sacred nature of earth or soil, not only as a pure entity but also as a purifying agent. This reverence towards soil is also demonstrated in the ritual of tayammum, or “dry wudu’” which permits the use of dust in the performance of ritual purification before prayer when water is not available.

The Prophet saw earth as subservient to man, but recognized that it should not be over-exploited or abused; and that it had rights, just as the trees and wildlife living on it. In order to protect land, forests and wildlife, the Prophet created inviolable zones known as hima and haram.

Both are still in use today: haram areas are often drawn up around wells and water sources to protect the groundwater table from over-pumping. Hima applies particularly to wildlife and forestry and usually designates an area of land for  grazing and woodcutting, or for protecting certain animal species.

The Prophet Muhammad not only encouraged the sustainable use of fertile lands, he also told his followers of the benefits of making land productive: planting a tree, sowing a seed and irrigating dry land were all charitable deeds. Thus any person who irrigates a plot of “dead”, or desert land becomes its rightful owner.

Conservation of Water

In the harsh desert environment where the Prophet lived, water was synonymous to life. Water was a gift from God, the source of all life on earth:

We made from water every living thing. (21:30)

The Quran constantly reminds believers that they are but the guardians of creation on earth:

Consider the water which you drink. Was it you that brought it down from the rain cloud or We? If We had pleased, We could make it bitter. (56:68-70)

Saving water and safeguarding its purity were two important issues for the Prophet: we have seen that his concern about the sustainable use of water led to the creation of haram zones in the vicinity of water sources.

But even when water was abundant, he advocated thriftiness: thus he recommended that believers perform wudu’ no more than three times, even if they were near to a flowing spring or river. The Prophet also warned against water pollution by forbidding urination in stagnant water.

The Treatment of Animals

The Prophet Muhammad once said:

If anyone wrongfully kills even a sparrow, let alone anything greater, he will face God’s interrogation. (Mishkat al-Masabih)

These words reflect the great reverence, respect and love that the Prophet Muhammad always showed towards animals. He believed that as part of creation, animals should be treated with dignity and the Hadith contains a large collection of traditions, admonitions and stories about his relationship to animals.

It shows that he had particular consideration for horses and camels; to him they were valiant companions during journey and battle; and he found great solace and wisdom in their presence.

Even in the slaughter of animals, the Prophet showed great gentleness and sensitivity. While he did not practice vegetarianism, the Hadiths clearly show that he was extremely sensitive to the suffering of animals.

Thus he recommends using sharp knives and a good method. He also warned against slaughtering an animal in the presence of other animals, or letting the animal witness the sharpening of blades. To him that was equal to “slaughtering the animal twice” and he emphatically condemned such practices as “abominable”.

Conclusion

It is impossible to do justice to the full scope and significance of Prophet Muhammad’s environmental philosophy in this short article. His holistic view of nature and his understanding of man’s place within the natural world pioneered environmental awareness within the Muslim community.

Sadly, the harmony that Prophet Muhammad advocated between man and his environment has today all too often been lost.

As we face the effects of pollution and over-exploitation, desertification and water scarcity in some parts of the world; and floods and violent storms elsewhere, it is perhaps time for the world community as a whole, Muslims, Christians and Jews, Hindus and Buddhists, atheists and agnostics, to take a leaf out of the Prophet’s book and address the current environmental crisis seriously and wisely.

 From Islamic Society of Tulsa.