Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding. Who remember Allah while standing or sitting or [lying] on their sides and give thought to the creation of the heavens and the earth, [saying], “Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly; exalted are You [above such a thing]; then protect us from the punishment of the Fire. (Quran 3:190-191)

Allah created all that there is in the heavens and the earth. From the trees we take our wood, the birds we hear chirping in the early morning to the stars we gaze up at during the night. There is so much that fills this universe. Nothing came to existence but by the will of Allah.

Rushing around in our daily lives, from work, school and home, we sometimes lack the time to ponder about the creation of Allah as a reminder of our purpose.

We run, forgetting we scare the birds as we go along. We close our curtains at night, forgetting that there is so much more out there than just our little homes.

The outdoors is a beautiful creation: The natural and the man-made. We can easily associate the nature with Allah because we, as man, did not create it.

However, when looking at the concrete jungle that is the magnificent architecture found on buildings, we do not associate this with the creation of Allah. We sometimes see it like anything because it was the hands of a human that erected it.

However, it was the mind that Allah gave and the hands he created that placed that building there. It was the opportunities, the technological advances and the intelligent mind constructed by Allah that led to that building being created.

We rarely talk about the value of the natural world. The food we eat and the plants used in our medicine, many aspects of our existence are intertwined with the outdoor world that we sometimes give little thought to.

We live in our little bubble of working to live and living to work, that we lose the opportunity to achieve tranquillity and experience the other creations of Allah in a positive manner.
How can we change the way we look at the outdoors? Should we be thinking in a certain way?

1.    Slow Down

Next time you are rushing by to get home, stop when you get to your local park or lake. Take a moment to take in what you see around you. The birds and their interactions. The way the trees move with the wind, unresisting and following the flow guided to them. The sounds of the wind hollowing. All of this has been created by Allah. We are forever surrounded by nature in some shape or form; always look to it, remember Allah and utter words of gratefulness and awe: “SubhanAllah”.

2.    Respect your Surroundings

How many times have you littered on the ground and not thought twice? Shooed away a cat or dog, fearing they may litter on the ground you live on?

As humans, we see ourselves as the superior authority on the earth. We have intellect, unlike animals.

However, that does not mean we have the right to treat the other creations in a poorly fashion. Be this scaring animals or dropping litter on the earth, we should be treating each and every part of the creation with respect and dignity.

Why?

Because it is all a creation of Allah, whom we love. When you visit your parent’s home, you would not dare to disrespect them by leaving their house in a dirty condition or breaking something they made.

3.    Remember the Connection

We need the natural cycle of life to survive. What does that mean? Animals eat and grow, so we can correctly slaughter them and eat. The rain comes to help our crops grow so that we can sell them and make sustenance. The water flows in rivers so we have a means of survival. The animals that give us milk to make our dairy products. The animals and plants, which we see ourselves so highly above, are important aspects of our existence.

(This article is from Reading Islam’s archive and was originally published at an earlier date.)