Ecology
and Islamic Education
Today many people follow a line of investigation about hot contemporary
concerns, such as ecology and Islam and it's a significant matter because of
many reasons, in which security, political, educational and economical issues are
some of the major motives.
It has become evident that some of the most imperative problems in the
affairs of humans, such as the growing populations, food shortages,
environmental pollution, and all the assistant sociological and political
obstacles are to a great degree ecological (Encyclopedia
britanica, 2005). Thinkers
today and in the past make an effort to use many ways toward safeguarding and
promoting nature by inculcating good morals, establishing sharp legislations,
and building institutions that can broaden both the knowledge and action of
human and society to live in a harmonic way and reduce dangers.
Educators give much attention to the issue of ecology in order to make learners
become more gentle and cooperative while dealing with nature (Gonzalez-Mena,
2005, P. 383).
The aims of Islamic education include the balancing of spiritual, esthetical,
and empirical skills in order to achieve a pleasant poise between the real and
ideal (Muessig & Allen, 1962, p. 142). Moreover, such goals are generally
reached by acquiring knowledge and implementing what one has learned and
Muslims have to live their lives in accordance with the Islamic method of life
(Alkanderi, 2001, p. 36). Basically, Islam teaches that God created everything
for humans to think, believe, and thank him so he/she can live in a moderate lifestyle.
Islam encourages all people to be responsible and kind with every living
creature. Qur'an, for instance, refers to the word earth (451) times to make
the readers think about the great gift that God gave all humans. Such notion empowers
faith, intellect, and performance.
Islam encourages people to seek wisdom and knowledge in order to live in mercy,
justice and an ecological balance (Busool, 1995, Abdelmaseeh, 2000) with other
creatures from all sorts. This encouragement to learn and discover has led to a
proliferation of Muslim scholars in the fields of the natural sciences,
geography, and mathematics for many centuries. "In Islamic philosophy, one
must always seek knowledge, both within and without, as knowledge illuminates
the path on which one must travel" (El-Hadi, 2005, Nomanul Haq, 2001).
"Muslims learn from the Qur’an that God created the universe and
every single atom and molecule it contains and that the laws of creation
include the elements of order, balance and proportion" (Khalid, 2002). As
a consequence, the teachings of Islam support all kind of deeds, whether it is
local, provincial, or global in range, and entitle for the joining of rigorous
efforts in all fields to preserve, protect, and mend our ecological world. (Bagader and others, 1994).
Islam is "rich in
proverbs and precepts that speak of the Almighty's design for creation and
humanity's responsibility for preserving it. For many Muslims, citing these is
enough to prove that Islam has always embraced a complete environmental ethic.
Others are more critical. They readily acknowledge that the guidelines are all
there in Islamic doctrine. Tawhid (unity), khilafa
(trusteeship), and akhirah (accountability, or literally, the
hereafter), three central concepts of Islam, are also the pillars of Islam's
environmental ethic. But Muslims have strayed from this nexus of values and
need to return to it (Hope & Young, 1994).
However, from historical point of
view, there were few Muslim scholars who overlooked some ecological principles.
They did not focus on such good things as the importance of working, farming,
and handcrafting, instead they have Mystic observations. For example, they
believed that writing is a good tool to use in life since it permits you to
escape from the world and the denial of the world (Malek & Al-Kanderi, 2004,
p. 24). Some researchers "argued that although the content and duration may be
appropriate, there is no link between the religious education
now taught in schools and the 'problems of society and environment" (Hilgendorf, 2003). The
educational curricula of many religious schools "need development as they
only focus on the formal Islamic teachings, without getting deeper into the
civilized aspects of Islam." (Tammam and Bashir, 2005).
In the Qur’an
and in the prophet Mohammed's legacy known as Hadith, there are ethics that
sustain what Muslims have achieved traditionally in protecting and developing
the environment, which leaves a wide opportunity for creative and novel
solutions in the modern context (. Moreover, both the Qur'an and Hadith portray several
effective stories about animals, in which it teaches Muslims to treat all
animals compassionately and warns those who mistreat them with harshness. Thus,
those short but valuable stories reveal that Islam motivates Muslims to regard
the natural environment as God's gift to be preserved.
The challenge
facing Muslim scholars and scientists in all fields is to originate on the
basis of such general Islamic teachings laws and principles that address
environmental issues in the modern context, from the application of technology
to the preservation of community and culture (Rahim, 1991). In addition, all
research centers should seek the brightness of the past and the compensations
of today in order to modify behaviors to be a leverage for the good of nature.
Thinkers of Islam developed three
principles agreed upon by scholar jurists, known as Fuqaha', over the Centuries
as follows: first, the interest of the community takes precedence over the
interests of the individual. The second principle is relieving hardship takes
precedence over promoting benefit as much as possible to reduce the
shortcomings. Finally the third principle is that a bigger loss cannot be
prescribed to alleviate a smaller loss and a bigger benefit takes precedence
over a smaller one. Conversely a smaller harm can be prescribed to avoid a
bigger harm and a smaller benefit can be dispensed with in preference to a
bigger one (Khalid, 2002). Such common sense principles are logically put into
words by scholars to be applied in different circumstances to save the nature
and obey the Creator.
Prophet Mohammed says "There is none amongst the believers who
plants a tree, or sows a seed, and then a bird, or a person, or an animal eats
thereof, but it is regarded as having given a charitable gift [for which there
is great recompense]". Francesca De Chatel (2003), an
anthropologist of the Islamic Culture, conclude the following of the
previous Hadith: a closer reading of such legacy, reveals that the prophet
Mohammed was a role model and a supporter of environmental protection, in which
he practiced the Qur'anic ethics. One could say he was an environmentalist and
one who constantly sought to maintain a harmonious balance between man and
nature. From all accounts of his life and deeds, we read that the Prophet had a
profound respect for fauna and flora.
In Conclusion, Muslims have a rich
legacy that can be developed in the light of modern framework to contribute an
effective way in serving the environment. With such views, educators must analyze
the attitudes of people in their society to discover the obstacles they are
facing and put practical tools to guide them to a more civilized trends and
skills that will help them use the natural sources wisely. No doubt there are
many global challenges facing our environment, and thus each society ought to
apply all international rules regarding nature and employ their inheritance to
support such a movement.
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