Quranic ecology: key ideas

The main aim of this article is to provide a discussion of fourteen ideas that may be considered as central to Quranic ecology. From the perspective of Islamic epistemology, these ideas being Quranic are viewed as of divine and thus of supra-rational origin. Many people, including Muslims, may not b...

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Main Author: Bakar, Osman
Format: Book Chapter
Language:English
Published: Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (ABIM), Vajrayana Buddhist Council of Malaysia (VBCM), Tibetan Buddhist Culture Centre of Malaysia (TBCC), Centre for Civilisational Dialogue (UMCCD), UM 2023
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Online Access:http://irep.iium.edu.my/104939/13/104939_Quranic%20ecology_.pdf
http://irep.iium.edu.my/104939/
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spelling my.iium.irep.1049392023-06-08T07:35:24Z http://irep.iium.edu.my/104939/ Quranic ecology: key ideas Bakar, Osman B Philosophy (General) BJ Ethics BJ1188 Religious ethics BL Religion BP1 Islam BP130 Works about the Qurʼān BP171 Relation of Islam to other religions BPG113 Environmental ethics/responsibility. Sustainable living. BQ Buddhism GE196 Sustainable living GF Human ecology. Anthropogeography The main aim of this article is to provide a discussion of fourteen ideas that may be considered as central to Quranic ecology. From the perspective of Islamic epistemology, these ideas being Quranic are viewed as of divine and thus of supra-rational origin. Many people, including Muslims, may not be aware that ecology is a popular theme in the Quran. One main reason for their unawareness is because the ecological ideas in question are usually not identified in exegeses of this sacred book as ecological. In order to be able to identify verses in the Quran that may be justifiably viewed as those dealing with ecological themes or issues, one needs to not only understand the meaning of ecology but also to be well-versed with Quranic exegesis. In this article I will be referring to the Quranic verses from which I have derived the fourteen key ecological ideas that are to be discussed in the following sections. In my book on Islamic environmental wisdom pertaining to the Earth’s planetary health I discussed rather briefly several ecological doctrines contained in the Quran. In the first edition of the book, I discussed six of them, which I view as fundamental in its importance to Islamic ecology and environmentalism and at the same time to be epistemologically related. To recapitulate the discussion, here are the six ecological doctrines we have presented in the book: (1) the idea of the earth’s destiny, including that of man, as being linked to the rest of the cosmos; this cosmic linkage is a manifestation of the metaphysicaltheological principle of divine unity (al-tawhid), which is the most fundamental teaching of the religion of Islam; (2) the uniqueness of the earth as a life-supporting planet; (3) the harmonious relationship between biological organisms and their environments; (4) the idea of ecological balance and equilibrium; (5) the idea of a divine economy prevailing in the natural order that abhors the intrusion of waste; and finally (6) the ecological function of man in relation to his role as God’s vicegerent on earth (khalifat’Llah fi’l-ard). Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (ABIM), Vajrayana Buddhist Council of Malaysia (VBCM), Tibetan Buddhist Culture Centre of Malaysia (TBCC), Centre for Civilisational Dialogue (UMCCD), UM 2023 Book Chapter PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://irep.iium.edu.my/104939/13/104939_Quranic%20ecology_.pdf Bakar, Osman (2023) Quranic ecology: key ideas. In: Islam-Buddhism Eco Dialogue (IBED): Application of Religion and Science to Ecology and Sustainability. Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (ABIM), Vajrayana Buddhist Council of Malaysia (VBCM), Tibetan Buddhist Culture Centre of Malaysia (TBCC), Centre for Civilisational Dialogue (UMCCD), UM, Kuala Lumpur, pp. 25-38. ISBN 978-983-3070-57-2 https://www.ibedconf.com/
institution Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia
building IIUM Library
collection Institutional Repository
continent Asia
country Malaysia
content_provider International Islamic University Malaysia
content_source IIUM Repository (IREP)
url_provider http://irep.iium.edu.my/
language English
topic B Philosophy (General)
BJ Ethics
BJ1188 Religious ethics
BL Religion
BP1 Islam
BP130 Works about the Qurʼān
BP171 Relation of Islam to other religions
BPG113 Environmental ethics/responsibility. Sustainable living.
BQ Buddhism
GE196 Sustainable living
GF Human ecology. Anthropogeography
spellingShingle B Philosophy (General)
BJ Ethics
BJ1188 Religious ethics
BL Religion
BP1 Islam
BP130 Works about the Qurʼān
BP171 Relation of Islam to other religions
BPG113 Environmental ethics/responsibility. Sustainable living.
BQ Buddhism
GE196 Sustainable living
GF Human ecology. Anthropogeography
Bakar, Osman
Quranic ecology: key ideas
description The main aim of this article is to provide a discussion of fourteen ideas that may be considered as central to Quranic ecology. From the perspective of Islamic epistemology, these ideas being Quranic are viewed as of divine and thus of supra-rational origin. Many people, including Muslims, may not be aware that ecology is a popular theme in the Quran. One main reason for their unawareness is because the ecological ideas in question are usually not identified in exegeses of this sacred book as ecological. In order to be able to identify verses in the Quran that may be justifiably viewed as those dealing with ecological themes or issues, one needs to not only understand the meaning of ecology but also to be well-versed with Quranic exegesis. In this article I will be referring to the Quranic verses from which I have derived the fourteen key ecological ideas that are to be discussed in the following sections. In my book on Islamic environmental wisdom pertaining to the Earth’s planetary health I discussed rather briefly several ecological doctrines contained in the Quran. In the first edition of the book, I discussed six of them, which I view as fundamental in its importance to Islamic ecology and environmentalism and at the same time to be epistemologically related. To recapitulate the discussion, here are the six ecological doctrines we have presented in the book: (1) the idea of the earth’s destiny, including that of man, as being linked to the rest of the cosmos; this cosmic linkage is a manifestation of the metaphysicaltheological principle of divine unity (al-tawhid), which is the most fundamental teaching of the religion of Islam; (2) the uniqueness of the earth as a life-supporting planet; (3) the harmonious relationship between biological organisms and their environments; (4) the idea of ecological balance and equilibrium; (5) the idea of a divine economy prevailing in the natural order that abhors the intrusion of waste; and finally (6) the ecological function of man in relation to his role as God’s vicegerent on earth (khalifat’Llah fi’l-ard).
format Book Chapter
author Bakar, Osman
author_facet Bakar, Osman
author_sort Bakar, Osman
title Quranic ecology: key ideas
title_short Quranic ecology: key ideas
title_full Quranic ecology: key ideas
title_fullStr Quranic ecology: key ideas
title_full_unstemmed Quranic ecology: key ideas
title_sort quranic ecology: key ideas
publisher Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (ABIM), Vajrayana Buddhist Council of Malaysia (VBCM), Tibetan Buddhist Culture Centre of Malaysia (TBCC), Centre for Civilisational Dialogue (UMCCD), UM
publishDate 2023
url http://irep.iium.edu.my/104939/13/104939_Quranic%20ecology_.pdf
http://irep.iium.edu.my/104939/
https://www.ibedconf.com/
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