Assalaamu alaikum [peace be to you],

The most fundamental belief that a Muslim has is that "There is only One God," the Creator, the Sustainer - known in the Arabic language as Allah.


ISLAM, the way of nature!
Allah created Earth, and put man as a caretaker and manager on Earth. but does man know his duties and responsibilities?
Allah said in his final revelation:
وَسَخَّرَ لَكُم مَّا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا مِّنْهُ ۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
"And He (the God) has subjected to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth - all from Him. Indeed in that are Signs for those who reflect."
^{translation of 45:13}

Did you know that there are hundreds of verses in the Qur'an dealing directly with nature, the environment and natural phenomena? In fact, numerous chapters (surah) are titled after either animals or natural phenomena. These include:
البقرة (Al-Baqarah) The Cow, الأنعام (Al-An'aam) The Cattle, الرعد (Ar-Ra'd) The Thunder, النحل (An-Nahl) The Bee, النور (An-Noor) the Light, النمل (An-Naml) the Ant, العنكبوت (Al-'Ankaboot) the Spider, الطور (At-Toor) the Mountain, النجم (An-Najm) the Star, البروج (Al-Buruj) the Constellation of Stars, الشمس (Ash-Shams) the Sun, التين (At-Teen) the Fig...

The qur'anic references to the natural world around us aim at:
- conscientizing us about the Creator of creations
- instilling in us a sense of respect for Allah's creation
- making us cognizant of our inextricable relationship with nature


Nature points to its creator!
We are commanded to use our sensory, conceptual and moral faculties to appreciate the realities around us and to be heedful of the signs we see and the lessons we learn.
We are encouraged to reflect upon the creation of the celestial and earthly spheres, upon the operations of nature, upon the alternation of night and day, upon the variety of life forms, upon the vegetation with all its variety and its tendency to decay and regenerate. Surely, in all these there are signs for those who reflect.
Allah said in the Qur'an:
إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلَافِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ لَآيَاتٍ لِّأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ
Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding.
^{translation of 3:190}


Beware of Mischief!
The Qur'an and Prophetic traditions make constant reference to Fitrah* natural disposition. We are informed that every person is actually born upon pure natural disposition. we are instructed to live according to the best of our nature and we are made aware that every creation submits its existence to a natural pattern.
We are commanded in the Qur'an: And do not cause disruption/corruption/mischief/chaos on earth after it has been so well ordered/organized. Allah said:
وَلَا تُفْسِدُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ بَعْدَ إِصْلَاحِهَا
And do not do mischief on the earth, after it has been set in order...
^{translation from 7:56}
and
الَّذِي خَلَقَ سَبْعَ سَمَاوَاتٍ طِبَاقًا ۖ مَّا تَرَىٰ فِي خَلْقِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ مِن تَفَاوُتٍ ۖ فَارْجِعِ الْبَصَرَ هَلْ تَرَىٰ مِن فُطُورٍ
He Who created the seven heavens one above another: You do not see in the creation of the Most Merciful any inconsistency. Then look again: "Can you see any flaws?"
ثُمَّ ارْجِعِ الْبَصَرَ كَرَّتَيْنِ يَنقَلِبْ إِلَيْكَ الْبَصَرُ خَاسِئًا وَهُوَ حَسِيرٌ
Then look again and yet again, your sight will return to you humbled and worn out.
^{translation of 67:3-4}


Will we understand!
Man's greed and desire for material profit tends to make him oblivious of the irreparable destruction caused to the environment. Mahatma Gandhi rightly said that "there is a sufficiency in the world for man's need but not for man's greed."
Native Indian Chief Seattle of the Duwamish Tribe said: "Wilderness complements and completes civilization... Any society that feels itself too poor to afford the preservation of wilderness is not worthy of the name of civilization."
An ancients Cretian prophecy warns: "After the last tree has been cut down; after the last river has been poisoned; after the last fish has been caught, only then will you realize that money cannot be eaten."
Chief Seattle said, "Whatever befalls the Earth - befalls the sons of the Earth. Man did not weave the web of life - he is merely strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself."
When will we understand, value and appreciate nature?

The last prophet of Islam, Mohammed -peace be upon him- reflectively said: "Have mercy for those on earth so that the One above may have mercy on you."
Pierre Troubetzkoy echoed the Prophet's sentiments when he said: "Why should man expect his prayer for mercy to be heard by What is above him when he shows no mercy to what is under him?"


Prophet Mohammed -peace be upon him- reminded us that the best of Allah's creation are those most beneficial to his creation, advised us that the world is green and delightful and Allah has put you in charge of the world and is observing carefully how you deal with it.


<sup>from [link] with some change

* Fitrah: When a child is born, it has with it a natural belief in Allah. Natural ability of determining right from wrong to a certain level. This natural belief is called in Arabic the “Fitrah”. If the child were left alone, it would grow up aware of the God in His oneness, but all children are affected by the pressures of their environment whether directly or indirectly.</sup>
I hope this was beneficial for you all.

THE DRAWING I got the idea from this [link]


More on Islam and the Environment:



Wassalaamu alaikum.


If I am right, it's from Allah. if I am wrong, it's from myself.