The Elephant in the Room – as Caretakers of Earth, Muslims Must Oppose its Destroyers

Pollution has appeared on land and at sea because of what man’s hands have accomplished, so he may let them taste something of what they have earned, in order that they will turn back [in repentance]. (30:41)

Although many translators translate fasad as “corruption,” it can definitely also refer to “pollution” which is indeed a kind of corruption that conveys to modern understanding that this isn’t about leaders getting kickbacks or bribes, it’s about directly destroying the earth and its resources.

It is both dereliction of our duty and a threat to our survival as a species to harm the earth. The Quran warns us not to commit fasad (corruption of any kind) upon the earth many times (around 60x including non-environmental corruption). And our mandate from the Almighty as humans is to be caretakers of the earth. Thus we must also struggle against those who cause the pollution and destruction of the resources of our planet, its water, living things, minerals, air, everything. But now the earth is horribly polluted and made toxic at the hands of humans, and who is the biggest criminal? The U.S. military.

Beyond Ramadan, Let’s Work Toward Saving the Planet

Pollution has appeared in the land and the sea by the hands of humankind for what they earned. He will make them taste some of what they have done, perhaps they will revert (from corruption).

Al-Ruum 30:41

If ever humankind has tasted ”some of what they have done” in terms of corruption and pollution, it would be now. The word ”pollution” has also frequently been translated ”corruption,” but the Arabic word fasad can mean either or both. ”What they earned” shows us that greed and corruption in the sense of short-term greed for long-term harm played a major part in this. Most people now know that plastics, toxic chemicals, an imbalance of nutrients, and other products of modern human development have corrupted earth’s precious resources that sustain us, without which we cannot survive. But to take effective action, even to save the planet for our children’s future, is the hard part, left to political leaders whose power depends on the very corporations who produce and thrive on the pollution-producing systems in place. The solution? Faith-based cooperative activism such as the Islamic Declaration on Climate Change. Nothing motivates people to take action like faith; cooperation between religions has been shown to create a grassroots movement that in turn can affect how corporations conduct themselves. And the beneficiary? Humanity itself. Solutions and Faith-based organizations working on them are linked below.

Why Being a “Good Person” Is Not Enough – On the Need for Islamic Faith-Based Ethics

This article on Yaqeen Institute eloquently presents the profound truth about how ethics without a primal faith in God as Truth is not enough, leading to climate change and dysfunctional societies and more. It’s not just philosophy; it’s a matter if survival. The article is well-worth your time! A small excerpt is below:

…secular modernity—recall that the 19th century is precisely the time when Western populations began to embrace modern values—has killed the planet Earth. Even as the poor masses, including the majority of Muslims, of the world are being pressured to modernize and secularize, leading scientists and scholars are suggesting, in so many words, that the traditional, communal, and altruistic ethics they are leaving behind are necessary for humankind to survive.

https://yaqeeninstitute.org/read/paper/being-a-good-person-is-not-enough-why-ethics-need-islam

The Green Quran

(Photo by author.)

The Quran has much to say about what we call environmental issues, about taking care of the earth. Fasad fi’l ard is usually translated “corruption on earth,” and one of its meanings is in fact corruption in the usual moral sense: cheating, bribery, promiscuity, abusive behavior, theft, oppression, political corruption, spree or senseless killing. But the term “fasad” also can refer to spoilage, as in spoiled vegetables or fruits. Or to something adulterated. Or pollution, such as environmental pollution. Why else would it be constantly called “corruption on earth?” Why mention this? We know corruption takes place on earth already.