This piece was originally published in Eurasia Review.
To build a sustainable future for our planet, it is essential to include all religious and ethnic groups. Achieving our sustainability goals will be impossible without the active participation of the nearly 2 billion Muslims worldwide. This article highlights the Quranic guidance on sustainability and clarifies the misconception that sustainability is an imported concept.
The Quran, along with many Hadiths, strongly emphasizes the principles of sustainability. Given that there is no disagreement among different Islamic schools of thought regarding the Quranic verses, this article focuses exclusively on select verses from the Quran, intentionally omitting many other sources to avoid potential controversy between the various schools of Islam. The goal is to demonstrate that sustainability is deeply rooted in Islamic teachings without argument. First, let’s look at the recent events related to sustainability.
Since the Industrial Revolution, natural resources have been exploited without any measure for the sake of economic development. When the percentage of uses is over its regeneration rate, we lose natural resources and deteriorate the status quo of the ecosystem. Colonization and many forms of natural resource exploitation seriously impacted the harmony of humans and ecology and broke the balance of ecosystems. When the world realized the consequences of that ambition only for economic development without considering the ecosystem, many scholars and scientists tried to find a way to recover from this ecosystem deterioration. The meaning of Sustainability was defined by the United Nations Brundtland Commission in 1987 as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” There are three main pillars in sustainability: (i) environmental well-being, (ii) economic and social well-being. The United Nations Millennium Declaration, signed in September 2000, represented world leaders' first significant global commitment to address critical issues such as poverty, hunger, disease, illiteracy, environmental degradation, and gender inequality. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) emerged from this declaration, with specific targets established for 2015 and indicators to measure progress based on 1990 benchmarks. By 2015, UN member states decided to build upon the MDGs by adopting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which served as a more detailed and refined framework, incorporating the lessons learned during the MDG era.
The concept of sustainability did not emerge solely in the late 1990s. While the modern definition of “sustainability” has been articulated more recently, the underlying principles and wisdom are deeply rooted in ancient teachings, including those found in the Quran. Contrary to the belief held by some that sustainability is a Western concept, Islamic teachings have long addressed principles that align with the concept of sustainability. Are contemporary Muslims truly engaging with the teachings of the Quran, or are they merely reciting its verses without following into their deeper meanings? To explore this, let’s examine Quranic guidance on sustainability. The first verse that I want to discuss in this article is Chapter 40, Verse 57: “The creation of the heavens and the earth is certainly greater than the re-creation of humankind, but most people do not know.” This verse underscores the significance of nature, suggesting its creation is a profound act that surpasses even the creation of humans. The second verse I selected today is Chapter 6, Verse 38: “All living beings roaming the earth and winged birds soaring in the sky are communities like yourselves.” This verse emphasizes that humans and other living creatures are equal in the sight of God. These verses highlight that, according to the Quran, all life forms are interconnected and should be treated respectfully. The Quran advocates for a balanced and mindful interaction with nature, aligning with what we understand today as sustainability.
Now, I want to illustrate the Quranic guidance on sustainable consumption and production. The third verse is Chapter 6, Verse 141: “He is the One Who produces gardens both cultivated and wild, and palm trees, crops of different Flavours, olives, and pomegranates, similar in shape but dissimilar in taste. Eat of the fruit they bear and pay the dues at harvest, but do not waste. Surely, He does not like the wasteful.” This verse emphasizes sustainable production and consumption by instructing us to enjoy the fruits of our labor while being mindful not to waste. It aligns with the core principles of contemporary sustainability, highlighting the importance of responsible consumption and appreciation of resources. The fourth verse is Chapter 7, Verse 31: “O Children of Adam! Dress properly whenever you are at worship. Eat and drink, but do not waste. Surely, He does not like the wasteful.” This verse reinforces the idea of minimalism and responsible use of resources, extending beyond consumption to everyday behaviors. It underscores that wastefulness is not favored, urging us to balance our needs with respect for the resources provided. Both verses reflect the Quranic wisdom of aligning our practices with sustainability principles and advocating for mindful consumption and stewardship of resources.
Thus, sustainability principles are not a modern invention but are deeply embedded in Islamic teachings and must be followed by Muslims.
Tin Shine Aung is the Consulting Director at SRIc and a Researcher at ITI. He mentors for the YSEALI 2024 Fellowship Program and is pursuing a PhD in Sustainability Science at the University of Lisbon, focusing on "Sustainability Literacy."
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