The environmental crisis

The plundering of the environment has been one of the disastrous consequences of modern technology. Leila Taheri explores the concept of balance in Islam with regards to the all-important relationships between God, man and nature.

As religions go, Islam is one where virgin nature is central to the basic message of the faith. The Quran repeatedly swears by the stars and fruits and there are whole chapters dedicated to animals. There is no other revealed text which places such a great emphasis on the natural world. So, if judged by content alone, we could assert the Quran was not only revealed to us, but the whole cosmos. And yet despite this, most of us Muslims are unaware of our relationship between our daily prayers, our interaction with the natural environment and our responsibility towards it.

The human being is considered to be the barzakh (interspace) between the heavens and the earth, as well as being guardian of the natural order. Could the ecological crisis we see today be a reflection of the distortion in human perception and behaviour?  It appears that in the appearance of this crisis, the planet has bore witness that we human beings have failed to realise who we are, where we are, where we have come from and how we should behave on this fragile planet.

When the earth is shaken with a (violent) shaking,
And the earth reveals what burdens her,
And man says: What has befallen her?
On that day she shall tell her story….
(Quran 99:1-4)

The environmental crisis is present and real. In all respects it is the single most dangerous threat we face because our very existence depends on a functioning ecosystem. From global warming to the extinction of animals and large scale deforestation, in the past few centuries corporations, governments and people in power have been hell bent in plundering, pillaging and raping the earth for all that it has, to satisfy the wants of today. While the rest of us look on, trapped in a state of helpless apathy, our world is fast dying.

Maintaining balance

Islam is characterised by the emphasis it places on equilibrium and harmony. It is known as the middle way, a path revealed to mankind which is in accordance with our fitra (instinct). This mizan (balance), a word repeatedly used in the opening verses of the beautiful chapter 55 ar-Rahman (the Mercy), can be seen in creation and the Quran urges us to strive to emulate this in our own actions. In our day to day activities, how many of us transgress the balance?

The cause

Seyyed Hossein Nasr, Islamic philosopher and leading thinker in the area, explains that the disconnect between man and nature has arisen because of a prevailing view that modern science embraces the whole of reality and that it determines how we understand reality.

This ‘scientism’ as he calls it, penetrated Islamic lands in the 19^th century and was propagated by well intentioned Muslim thinkers who wanted to save the Islamic world from the forces of colonialism by combining western science with Islamic ethics. They equated, Nasr says, modern science to Islamic ilm (knowledge) and understood this to be the only reality, when it is in fact, it is only one aspect of reality.

According to Nasr, this worship of science and modern technology is the one commonality all Muslim countries hold with each other. Modern Mecca is a prime example of this – from its high rise buildings to the sounds of mobile ring tones pervading the sacred space of the Ka’ba – in its metamorphosis to a Manhattan of the Middle East, in its exterior at least,  it is now anything but a traditional Islamic city.

In short, the environmental crisis in the Islamic world is due to a profound blindness to Islamic teachings about nature, the sciences of nature, the goal of knowledge and perhaps most importantly – our personal responsibility towards God, nature and ourselves. The Islamic world has substituted its own teaching on the relationship between God, man and nature for a purely secularist view of the world.

Communities

As al-Rahman (the merciful) and al-Khaliq (the creator),   Allah (swt) has created every creature which has a relationship with Him independent of us. This haq (right) that creatures possess has implications on our behaviour towards them. The Quran speaks of communities other than our own:

There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, but (forms part of) communities like you. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. (Quran 6:38)

Everything in the cosmos has a face turned towards God independent of us, and each sings its praises in its own unique way. Allah (swt) has charged us with the role of being His khalifa (vicegerent) on earth, and as such we have been charged with a sacred duty to protect and respect. We are guardians – not lords and masters.

Signs and symbols

The Quran reminds us continually to reflect upon Allah’s (swt) creation and to read the ayat (signs) Allah (swt) has imbedded within it:

We shall show them Our signs upon the horizon (afaq) and within themselves (anfus), until it becomes clear to them that this is the truth (Quran 41:53)

Nature is a living, breathing entity which reveals itself to us according to who we are. It is not only an objective science as we are taught in school. Modern science dictates that water is H₂O and nothing more. And although it is correct that this is the chemical structure of water, it is not its end and all.  The reality of water is not exhausted by chemical analysis.

Similarly, nature is not reducible to its purely quantitative, measurable or dissectible aspect. And to claim so, is to destroy its most precious message. Islamic scholars speak of al-Quran al-tadwini which is the written, composed Quran and al-Quran al-takwini or the cosmic Quran. It is this latter Quran which the written Quran refers to when it implores us to read the gnostic messages written in nature and understand the reality of the cliffs of high mountains, the leaves of the trees or the stars of the sky. Each page of this cosmic Quran – our very environment – reveals a truth about Allah (swt) and about us.

The parallel between the two Qurans can be further extended to our treatment of the written Quran. We carry the word of God with the utmost courtesy, we kiss it, pass under it when we go on a journey, we are silent when it is recited – in short, we revere it. This attitude provides the foundation for how we should behave with nature. It too must be respected and revered for it is sacred.

One of the names of God is al-Qudud (the Sacred) and just as it is said the breath of the Merciful gives life to creation, this sacredness can be said to flow and permeate through creation. Once understood in this way nature, animals and man all take on a sacred garb which makes it difficult to have a careless or indifferent attitude towards them. The parallels are clear for those of us who think and reflect.

Remembrance

Modern technology has alienated us by allowing us to build an artificial ambience which allows us to forget God. This is not to say that Islam is opposed to science, or that science is an absolute evil but simply to point out that in the outlook of a Muslim, God is always at the centre. In the 800 years or so when Islamic science was unrivalled, not one of the great scientists became an atheist and never did religion play the role of opposing innovation and progress. The atheism of today has been born in cities devoid of God. Where there is concrete, pollution and consumerism, remembrance seems like an activity for another age. And even where nature is allowed space, it is made to conform to modern man’s wants and desires.

Islamic tradition

It is worth noting that the first revelation to the Prophet (pbuh) came not in a room or in the market place, but in a cave. Indeed, the Prophet’s love of nature and the desert is well known and the hadith (sayings) and sunnah (traditions) provide a rich source of examples of how kindly he treated animals.

For those who need laws to convince them of their duty to the earth, the shariah (religious laws) provides much  guidance. For example, under Islamic law, it is forbidden to burn trees, destroy orchards or pollute water. It is also forbidden to own a source of water privately. A quick glance to the practices of Muslim countries will show that even these basic laws are not adhered to.

Whose responsbility

Most modern Muslims have a trust or hope deep down that the West will take care of this problem. But, judging by the current course set, there is little hope in this crisis being resolved by world powers which only have economic interests in sight. There is some hope as the environmental crisis is gaining an increasingly important profile in the media and as groups work on various initiatives to tackle the issue.

However, we too must accept responsibility for our actions and take on problems caused by others. In the Islamic world and to a lesser extent here in the West, we are under tremendous economic pressure to buy whatever comes on the   market. We must change our ‘must have everything’     mentality to one where we scrutinize and resist where appropriate. The solution to this problem lies in different way of living – possibly reverting back to a traditional way of living. This does not mean we should all get out the goats and start milking, but rather that we should think about every action we do on every scale and think, what is this doing to the environment around me?

As an example, traditional Islamic architecture successfully harnesses natural energy in creating buildings with minimal environmental impact. Anyone who has been to such homes has experienced the freezing cellars where water in the āb anbār (water reservoirs) was stored at temperatures close to zero in scorching desert heat. The bād-gir (wind catcher) is an example of a traditional Persian architectural device which creates natural ventilation by using thick ceramics and the natural wells which existed under houses to create frigid temperatures inside. It meant people could survive the extreme heats of the Middle East in relative comfort in their homes – all without even plugging into the mains.

Even the façade of such homes is one which has low visual impact – homes are made of walls with earth colours and tiles of blue, green and yellow – in complete harmony with the surrounding environment. However, in these very lands we now see modern high rise buildings with air conditioning which guzzle huge amounts of energy to keep the heat out in summer and the cold out in winter.

Revolution

We need a revival both in the Islamic world and in the West. We need to make use of our own traditions. Reformulations in the very way we live need to be made in order to change the dismal outcome for our children. The survival of the planet is deeply intertwined with our own survival – both physical and spiritual. In order to save it and us, urgent action is needed.

To the question “well what can I practically do?” there are numerous answers. Drive less, walk more. Eat less red meat, eat more vegetables and fruits. Buy locally produced food which has not taken a truck, airplane and ship to get to the supermarket. Recycle and consume less – that means less shopping, but more time to do things that really matter.  Insulate your home and wear a jumper before turning up the heat. Turn your barren lawn into a meadow. Use less water, and turn the lights off when you leave your room.

The list is endless, however, this crisis cannot be solved by the enforcement of environmental legislation or the rehabilitation of degraded ecosystems alone. As commendable as these actions are, we need to move towards understanding and rehabilitating consciousness itself which is in tune with the divine presence. We will not be able to find any solution unless we learn to reconcile our personal, limited nafs (self) with the eternal, unbounded, unconditioned ruh (spirit).

Understanding creation – nature in particular – is key to realising Allah’s tawhid (unity of being). And it begins by acknowledging that the whole of creation is the work of one Originator.

To Him belongs every being that is in the heavens and on earth: all are devoutly obedient to Him. (Quran 30:26)

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References:

Man and nature: the spiritual crisis of modern man; Seyyed Hossein Nasr

Knowledge and the sacred; Seyyed Hossein Nasr

I of the heart; http://ioftheheart.wordpress.com/