God has created everything in this universe in due proportion and measure both quantitatively and qualitatively.  God has declared in the Quran:

“Verily, all things have We created by measure” (Quran 54:49)

“…Everything to Him is measured.” (Quran 13:8)

“And We have produced therein everything in balance.” (Quran 55:7)

In the universe there is enormous diversity and variety of form and function.  The universe and its various elements fulfill human welfare and are evidence of the Creator’s greatness; He it is Who determines and ordains all things, and there is not a thing He has created but celebrates and declares His praise.

“Have you not seen that God is glorified by all in the heavens and on the earth - such as the birds with wings outspread?  Each knows its worship and glorification, and God is aware of what they do.” (Quran 24:41)

Each thing that God has created is a wondrous sign, full of meaning; pointing beyond itself to the glory and greatness of its Creator, His wisdom and His purposes for it.

“He Who has spread out the earth for you and threaded roads for you therein and has sent down water from the sky: With it have We brought forth diverse kinds of vegetation.  Eat and pasture your cattle; verily, in this are signs for men endued with understanding.” (Quran 20:53-54)

God has not created anything in this universe in vain, without wisdom, value and purpose.  God says:

“We have not created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them carelessly.  We have not created them but for truth.” (Quran 44:38-39)

Thus, the Islamic vision revealed in the Quran is of a universe imbued with value.  All things in the universe are created to serve the One Lord Who sustains them all by means of one another, and Who controls the miraculous cycles of life and death:

“God it is that splits the seed and the date stone, brings the living from the dead and the dead from the living: That is your God - how are you turned away?” (Quran 6:95)

Life and death are created by God so that He might be served by means of good works.

“Blessed is He in Whose Hand is dominion, and He has power over every thing: He Who has created death and life to try you, which of you work the most good.” (Quran 67:1-2)

 All created beings are created to serve the Lord of all beings and, in performing their ordained roles in a cohesively designed society, they best benefit themselves and each other in this world and the next.  This leads to a cosmic symbiosis (takaful).  The universal common good is a principle that pervades the universe, and an important implication of God’s Oneness, for one can serve the Lord of all beings only by working for the common good of all.

Man is part of this universe, the elements of which are complementary to one another in an integrated whole indeed, man is a distinct part of the universe and it has a special position among its other parts.  The relation between man and the universe, as defined and clarified in the Glorious Quran and the Prophetic teachings, is as follows:

·A relationship of meditation, consideration, and contemplation of the universe and what it contains.

·A relationship of sustainable utilization, development, and employment for man’s benefit and for the fulfillment of his interests.

·A relationship of care and nurture for man’s good works are not limited to the benefit of the human species, but rather extend to the benefit of all created beings; and “there is a reward in doing good to every living thing.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

God’s wisdom has ordained stewardship (khilafa) on the earth to human beings.  Therefore, in addition to being part of the earth and part of the universe, man is also the executor of God’s injunctions and commands.  He is only a manager of the earth and not a proprietor; a beneficiary and not a disposer or ordainer.  Heaven and earth and all that they contain belong to God alone.  Man has been granted stewardship to manage the earth in accordance with the purposes intended by its Creator; to utilize it for his own benefit and the benefit of other created beings, and for the fulfillment of his interests and of theirs.  He is thus entrusted with its maintenance and care, and must use it as a trustee, within the limits dictated by his trust.  The Prophet declared,

“The world is beautiful and verdant, and verily God, be He exalted, has made you His stewards in it, and He sees how you acquit yourselves.” (Saheeh Muslim)

All of the resources upon which life depends have been created by God as a trust in our care.  He has ordained sustenance for all people and for all living beings.

“ And He has set within it mountains standing firm, and blessed it, and ordained in it its diverse sustenance in four days, alike for all that seek.” (Quran 41:10)

Thus, in Islam the utilization of these resources is the right and privilege of all people and all species.  Hence, man should take every precaution to ensure the interests and rights of all others since they are equal partners on earth.  Similarly, he should not regard such as restricted to one generation above all other generations.  It is, rather, a joint responsibility in which each generation uses and makes the best use of nature, according to its need, without disrupting or adversely affecting the interests of future generations.  Therefore, man should not abuse, misuse, or distort the natural resources as each generation is entitled to benefit from them but is not entitled to “own” them in an absolute sense.

The right to utilize and harness natural resources, which God has granted man, necessarily involves an obligation on man’s part to conserve them both quantitatively and qualitatively.  God has created all the sources of life for man and all resources of nature that he requires, so that he may realize objectives such as contemplation and worship, inhabitation and construction, sustainable utilization, and enjoyment and appreciation of beauty.  It follows that man has no right to cause the degradation of the environment and distort its intrinsic suitability for human life and settlement.  Nor has he the right to exploit or use natural resources unwisely in such a way as to spoil the food bases and other sources of subsistence for living beings, or expose them to destruction and defilement.

While the attitude of Islam to the environment, the sources of life, and the resources of nature is based in part on prohibition of abuse, it is also based on construction and sustainable development.  This integration of the development and conservation of natural resources is clear in the idea of bringing life to the land and causing it to flourish through agriculture, cultivation, and construction.  God says:

“…It is He Who has produced you from the earth and settled you therein...” (Quran 11:61)

The Prophet declared:

“If any Muslim plants a tree or sows a field, and a human, bird or animal eats from it, it shall be reckoned as charity from him.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Saheeh Muslim)

“If anyone plants a tree, neither human being nor any of God’s creatures will eat from it without its being reckoned as charity from him.”[1]

“If the day of resurrection comes upon anyone of you while he has a seedling in hand, let him plant it.”[2]

The approach of Islam toward the use and development of the earth’s resources was put thus by Ali ibn Abi-Talib, the fourth Caliph, to a man who had developed and reclaimed abandoned land:

“Partake of it gladly, so long as you are a benefactor, not a despoiler; a cultivator, not a destroyer.”[3]

This positive attitude involves taking measures to improve all aspects of life: health, nutrition, and the psychological and spiritual dimensions, for man’s benefit and the maintenance of his welfare, as well as for the betterment of life for all future generations.  As is shown in the Prophetic declarations above, the aim of both the conservation and development of the environment in Islam is for the universal good of all created beings.

Throughout the universe, the divine care for all things and all-pervading wisdom in the elements of creation may be perceived, attesting to the All-Wise Creator.  The Glorious Quran has made it clear that each thing and every creature in the universe, whether known to man or not, performs two major functions: a religious function in so far as it evidences the Maker’s presence and infinite wisdom, power, and grace; and a social function in the service of man and other created beings.

God’s wisdom has ordained that His creatures shall be of service to one another.  The divinely appointed measurement and distribution of all elements and creatures, each performing its ordained role and all of them valuable, makes up the dynamic balance by which the creation is maintained.  Over exploitation, abuse, misuse, destruction, and pollution of natural resources are all transgressions against the divine scheme.  Because narrow-sighted self-interest is always likely to tempt men to disrupt the dynamic equilibrium set by God, the protection of all natural resources from abuse is a mandatory duty.

In the divine scheme by which all creatures are made to be of service to one another, God’s wisdom has made all things of service to mankind.  But nowhere has God indicated that they are created only to serve human beings.  On the contrary, Muslim legal scholars have maintained that the service of man is not the only purpose for which they have been created. With regard to God’s saying:

“And He has made the ships to be of service unto you, that they may sail the sea by His command, and the rivers He has made of service unto you.  And He has made the sun and the moon, constant in their courses, to be of service unto you, and He has made of service unto you the night and day.  And He gives you all you seek of Him: If you would count the bounty of God, you could never reckon it.” (Quran 14:32-34)

…and similar verses in which God declares that He created His creations for the children of Adam; it is well known that God in His great wisdom has exalted purposes in them other than the service of man, and greater than the service of man.  However, He makes clear to the children of Adam what benefits there are in these creatures and what bounty He has bestowed upon mankind.”[1]

Even though the societal functions of all things are vitally important, the primary function of all created beings as signs of their Creator constitutes the soundest legal basis for conservation of the environment.  It is not possible to base the protection of our environment on our need for its services alone, since these services are only of supporting value and reason.

Because we cannot be aware of all the beneficial functions of all things, to base our efforts at conservation solely on the environmental benefits to man would lead inevitably to the distortion of the dynamic equilibrium set by God and the misuse of His creation, thereby impairing these same environmental benefits.  However, when we base the conservation and protection of the environment on its value as the sign of its Creator, we cannot omit any thing from it.  Every element and species has its individual and unique role to play in glorifying God, and in bringing man to know and understand his Creator by showing him, through their being and uses, God’s infinite power, wisdom, and mercy.  It is impossible to countenance the willful ruin and loss of any of the basic elements and species of the creation, or to think that the continued existence of the remainder is sufficient to lead us to contemplate the glory, wisdom, and might of God in all the aspects that are intended.  Indeed, because species differ in their special qualities, and each evidences God’s glory in ways unique to it alone.

Furthermore, all human beings and, indeed, livestock and wildlife as well, enjoy the right to share in the resources of the earth.  Man’s abuse of any resource, such as water, air, land, and soil as well as other living creatures such as plants and animals is forbidden, and the best use of all resources, both living and lifeless, is prescribed.

God has made water the basis and origin of life.  God says:

“We made from water every living thing…” (Quran 21:30)

Plants, animals, and man all depend on water for their existence and for the continuation of their lives.  God has said:

“Verily... in the rain that God sends down from heaven, thereby giving life to the earth after its death...” (Quran 2:164)

“It is He Who sends down water from the sky; and thereby We have brought forth the plants of every kind…” (Quran 6:99)

“And you see the earth barren and lifeless, but when We pour down rain upon it, it stirs and swells, and puts forth growth of every resplendent kind.” (Quran 22:5)

“And We send down pure water from the sky, thereby to bring to life a dead land and slake the thirst of that which We have created-cattle and men in multitudes.” (Quran 25:48-49)

God has called on man to appreciate the value of this so essential source of life:

“Have you seen the water which you drink?  Was it you who sent it down from the rain cloud, or did We send it?  Were it Our will, We could have made it bitter; why then do you not give thanks?” (Quran 56:68-70)

“Say: Have you considered, if your water were one morning to have seeped away, who then could bring you clear-flowing water?” (Quran 67:30)

In addition to this vital function, water has another socio-religious function to perform which is the purification of the body and clothing from all dirt, impurities and defilement so that man may encounter God clean and pure.  God has said in the Glorious Quran:

“And He caused rain to descend on you from heaven to cleanse you therewith…” (Quran 8:11)

God has also shown us other functions of lake, sea, and ocean water.  He has made it the habitat of many created beings which play vital roles in the perpetuation of life and the development of this world.  God has said:

“It is He Who has made the sea of service, that you may eat thereof flesh that is fresh and tender, and that you may bring forth from it ornaments to wear, and you see the ships therein that plough the waves, that you may seek of His bounty.” (Quran 16:14)

“Lawful to you is the pursuit of water-game and its use for food a provision for you, and for those who travel…” (Quran 5:96)

There is no doubt that conservation of this vital element is fundamental to the preservation and continuation of life in its various forms, plant, animal, and human.  It is also obligatory, for, in Islamic law, whatever is indispensable to fulfill the imperative obligation of preserving life is therefore itself obligatory.  Any action that obstructs or impairs the biological and social functions of this element, whether by destroying it or by polluting it with any substance that would make it an unsuitable environment for living things or otherwise impair its function as the basis of life; any such action necessarily leads to the impairment or ruin of life itself and the juristic principle is, “What leads to the prohibited is itself prohibited.”

Owing to the importance of water as the basis of life, God has made its use the common right of all living beings and all human beings.  All are entitled to use it without monopoly, usurpation, despoilment, wastage, or abuse.  God commanded with regard to the people of Thamud and their camel,

“And tell them that the water shall be shared between them…” (Quran 54:28)

and the Prophet said:

“Muslims are to share in these three things: water, pasture, and fire.”[1]

Extravagance in using water is forbidden; this applies to private use as well as public, and whether the water is scarce or abundant.  It is related that the Prophet passed by his companion Sa’d, who was washing for prayer, and said:

“What is this wastage, O Sa’ d?”

“Is there wastage even in washing for prayer?”  asked Sa’ d;

and he said, “Yes, even if you are by a flowing river!”[2]

The long experience of Muslim jurists in the allocation of water rights in arid lands has given rise to an outstanding example of the sustainable use of a scarce resource; an example which is of increasing relevance in a world where resources which were once abundant are becoming progressively more scarce.

2.      Air

This element is no less important than water for the perpetuation and preservation of life.  Nearly all terrestrial creatures are utterly dependent on the air they breathe.  The air also has other functions which may be less apparent to man but which God has created for definite purposes, as we have been made aware of by the Glorious Quran -such as the vitally important role of the winds in pollination.  God has said:

“And we send the fertilizing winds...” (Quran 15:22)

The winds are also clear evidence of God’s omnipotence and grace, and the perfection of design in His creation.  He has also said:

“Verily in the creation of the heavens and the earth; in the alternation of night and day in the change of the winds, and the clouds compelled between heaven and earth surely there are signs for a people who have sense.” (Quran 2:164)

“And He it is Who sends the winds as tidings heralding His grace: until when they have raised a heavy-laden cloud, We drive it to a dead land and cause the rain to descend upon it, and thereby bring forth fruits of every kind.” (Quran 7:57)

Since the atmosphere performs all these biological and social functions, its conservation, pure and unpolluted, is an essential aspect of the conservation of life itself which is one of the fundamental objectives of Islamic law.  Again, whatever is indispensable to fulfill this imperative obligation is itself obligatory.  Therefore any activity which pollutes it and ruins or impairs its function is an attempt to thwart and obstruct God’s wisdom toward His creation.  This must likewise be considered an obstruction of some aspects of the human role in the development of this world.