Newsletter of the Claremont Main Road Mosque · No.14 - January 2015/1436
Mawlud Jan 2015
Reflecting on the Sirah Through a “Green” Lens especially interfaith movements to become innovative in trying to reduce our carbon footprint and contribute towards a healthier environment for all of us.
Dr. Rafiq Khan The noble teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), inspires us in beautiful symbolic and poetic language to live a more Eco-sensitive existence. There is a critical need to excavate this Prophetic legacy in view of the rampant environmental destruction we observe at multiple levels these days. No one can deny the challenges humankind face in dealing with this enormous problem. It has the potential either to put under severe strain or to eradicate many forms of life sustainable only on planet earth. The root cause of this crisis is man’s insatiable greed to exploit the earth’s resources. The earth is barely given a chance to regenerate itself. Scant attention is paid to the destructive consequences of polluting the soil, the atmosphere, the rivers, the oceans, the forests and the habitat of every known species of plant and animal life on earth. What are the unique strengths of the Prophetic teachings we can harness in our struggle to establish a balance between providing for present day human needs and preserving the environment for the benefit of future generations? The environmental crisis is a byproduct of modernity, of science, technology and dependence on pure rationality for human progress. Reliance on Revelation or Divine Guidance plays no role in the currently dominant way of engaging with the environment. Seeking guidance from Prophetic sources and traditions are therefore a major paradigm shift in our attempt to solve a serious social problem. Dire necessity has propelled the formation of many cooperative ventures between state, civil society and
The problems we face today simply did not exist in the time the Prophet lived. Nor do new technologies immediately manifest their unwarranted side effects. As a general rule, any technology which upsets the fragile balance in nature, destroys eco systems, increases toxicity in the composition of the air we breathe, the water we drink, the soil which is supposed to sustain our crops and pollutes our oceans are all interventions we should avoid. In our search we will find many different prophetic reports pertaining to the environment and the many resources it produces for our consumption. Whether it was water or food, the Prophet (pbuh) was always supremely conscious of praising and thanking Allah for what he was served with. Even simple mundane acts of eating and drinking became infused with a spirit of sacredness.
“The Prophet (pbuh) espoused an environmental philosophy which showed compassion (rahma) for all living things and advocated the harmonious balance between humans and nature.” His kind treatment of animals is legendary. Even a tree trunk against which he used to lean against was treated with the kindness and respect one would reserve for a speaking, feeling human being! It is this sense of gratitude and tenderness he displayed towards all elements of the natural world that will forever remain in our memories of him as a true reflection of what it means to be “a mercy unto all the worlds.”
Revealed Book containing His signs or ayat. He also reminds us that the entire creation of Allah is also a more primordial form of revelation. Like the Qur’an and other revealed texts, it is also composed of signs or ayat. The Prophet (pbuh) taught us that our soul is the seat of our moral and ethical consciousness. A similar sacred presence pervades the rest of Creation, which thus remains in a constant state of Remembrance and Glorification of Allah. Causing species to become extinct which is so emblematic of our current environmental crisis is nothing short of biological genocide. Spiritually, we are impoverishing the earth as we destroy the lives and habitat of those who are constantly engaged in Allah’s adhkar i.e. remembrance. Divine Revelations speak to humankind. They teach us to remain humble; we cannot run faster, see further, dive deeper, or hear better than many other animals on earth. Yet we have been endowed with wisdom, which comes from our ability to read Revelation. This gives us the ability to rise to a higher level of behavior, of compassion, of care and fulfilling the rights of others. We learn to transcend our individual needs and be sensitive to the needs of others; these are the hallmarks of a culturally and morally evolved individual, a true khalifatul Allah fil ard. The Prophet’s example embodies the highest possible human expression of what it means to live in awe of Allah (makhafa), seeking through love (mahabba) to be His servant (‘abd) and always striving to gain knowledge (ma’rifa). The Prophet (pbuh) teaches us to remain cognizant that our entire existence occurs within the total grasp of Allah’s control as He is indeed, Al Muhit or the One Who Surrounds.
It is qualities and actions such as the above that gives the environmental teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) a universal and a timeless appeal. As a Divine Messenger, the single most important teaching or word of wisdom, he teaches, is that Allah is One, Unique, and He alone is the Creator of the heavens and the earth. The Prophet is the bearer of Allah’s
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