Abu Naim Mohammad Hosain: Although the environment is a very short and common word, it has a wide meaning. Just as every element of the environment (The term environment, it comprises air, water and land ) is important for the survival of mankind, if any one of them goes bad, the consequences are terrible for human society. We have already suffered irreparable damage as a result of our negligence  and indiscriminate treatment to the environment. The Great Creator has made for us every object on earth to have its own trajectory. He pointed to this and said in the Holy Qur’an, “Each one revolves in its own way”  But in the name of industrialization, Urbanization and modernization, we the humans are pushing the environment of the only habitable planet in the universe into the throes of an inevitable erosion. And that’s why all kind of disasters are happening to us. Allah Ta’ala says, “Allah makes them taste the outcome of some of their deeds they have committed in order that they may desist”  So what is our responsibility to this environment? What are the religious restrictions? We will discuss all these in detail in this article In Sha Allah.

What is Environment: “Environment is the sum total of all conditions and influences that effects the development and life of organism” 

“To include air, water and land dynamically the interrelationship which exists between these and human beings other living creatures, plants, microorganisms and property.”

The identity and boundaries of the environment can be easily inferred from the above quotations.

Now let’s focus on some of the aspects of Islam in protecting the environment from pollution.

Air Pollution and Islam to prevent pollutions:: “And Allah alone sends winds that raise and builds up clouds. Then we (Allah) drive it (The cloud) towards some dry and dead land to water it. Then with that, we give life to the earth after its death. Similar will be the process of the Rising (of the dead)”  Just as we know the importance of air in human life from this verse of The Qur’an, we also know the indescribable harm that air pollution causes to human health. That is why Rasulullah Kareem (peace be upon him) pointed out that for the warning of mankind, one and a half thousand years ago today, Muslims were taught how to seek refuge in Allah from air pollution. In Sahih Muslim, it is narrated from Hazrat Ayesha (R) that when the wind was blowing, the Holy Prophet (PBUH) would say: “O Allah, I want the good things of it from you. I want the good inside and I want the good of what you send by it.”  And I seek refuge in you from its evil (pollution) and from the evil (diseases) that you send by this. Even millions of years ago, after the creation of human beings, Allah Ta’ala has taught us the method of burying people through crows in order to save one of the means of air pollution from decay of living beings. He says, “Then Allah sent a crow that started scratching the earth to show him how to hide his brother’s corpse.”  Not only burying the dead but also cigarettes which cause air pollution are unanimously rejected in Islam. Also, to prevent all airborne diseases, including the current epidemic Covid-19, medical Scientists are advising to cover the face during coughing, but the prophet (PBUH) taught us that many years ago. Narrated Abu Hurairah (R): When the Prophet (PBUH) sneezed, he would cover his face with a piece of cloth or his hand.

In this way, everything that pollutes the air has been discouraged by Islam.

Water: Pollution and Islam to prevent pollutions: “And We (Allah) originated (the life of) living organisms (on earth) from water.”  From this verse of Quran, it can be easily inferred that water is the source of all things which is scientifically proven as well as recognized by Islam. According to the Qur’an, water is the main source of sustenance.  So according to the importance of water, similar importance has given by Islam to keep it pure and pollution free. Narrated from Hazrat Abu Huraira (R): The Prophet (PBUH) said: None of you should urinate in stagnant water which does not flow.  It is clearly understood from the Hadith that urination cannot be done everywhere. So that the environment is not polluted. The Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH) is also effective in keeping drinking water germ free. He said that none of you should breathe in a container of water.  The above two hadiths prove that how strong the call of Islam is to prevent water pollution.

 Soil: Pollution and Islam to prevent pollutions: “And Allah has made the earth a vast expanse for you, so that you may move around through its broad ways.”  

One fourth of the earth is soil. As the population grows and the sea level rises, so does the ratio of soil to human. As the population grows, the soil loses its fertility as a result of industrialization and urbanization under the influence of waste products and various harmful chemicals. But if we look at the situation 100-150 years ago, the soil of the earth was different. There was a fertile land suitable for planting crops and trees. Allah Ta’ala himself has described it in the Qur’an, “So man should look at his food, Indeed we split the earth and tear it asunder. We then grow from it grain, and grapes and vegetables and the olive palm and the date palm and thickly planted dense gardens, and (a variety of) fruits and (animals’) fodder.”  We have done unplanned deforestation and turned the fertile soil of this planet into a barren rock. But Islam instructs us to plant trees and forests and to cultivate uncultivated lands through someone else if we can’t so that the fertility is not destroyed. Regarding the planting of trees, the Prophet (PBUH) said: “If you know for sure that the Hour has come, then if you have a sapling of a tree in your hand that can be planted, then plant that sapling.”  Also, in Islam, when one plants a tree, the fruit of that tree, the air that generated from the tree and even the shade are considered as Sadaqah. The prophet (PBUH) also said about cultivating land, “whoever has extra land (excluding accommodation) will either cultivate it himself or have sock done by one of his brothers.” 

In this way, Islam has direct and indirect direction in almost every issue related to environment.

Sound pollution is being considered as another aspects of pollution. There are clear provisions in regard as well. Everything that pollutes the sound is considered disliked in Islam. For example, From music to loud crying and even laughter is disliked in Islam.

Also, in a Hadith of the Prophet (PBUH) he mentions 7 ways of getting free reward after death of a Muslim, three of which are related to the protection of the environment. These three are digging canals, digging ponds and planting fruit trees.

Finally, concluding this article with a verse of the Qur’an, which we recite in our daily prayers. “Oh our Lord, grant us excellence in this world, and excellence in the Hereafter (as well).”  The excellence in this world is not possible when the environment is endangered, so we have to develop ourselves as a real eco friendly in the light of Islam’s direction in the interest of creating a beautiful habitat suitable for us and future generations.