Abstract
A comprehensive paradigm of environmental ethics should encompass two things: (1) a particular way of life, and (2) a path to achieve that ideal. An effective paradigm must also be internally consistent, yet externally workable in the real world. On the whole, the modern environmental movement has failed to provide these essential components and qualities in its associated philosophies, most of which suffer from being too abstract or too utopian.
This paper suggests that Islam, as a religion and as a body of knowledge, is capable of providing its followers with a comprehensive and practical system of environmental ethics. The basic principles and guidelines of the faith represent the conceptual ideal, while Islamic institutions and laws provide the operational components of an ethical system.
Answers are provided to two key questions:
-
1.
What are theShariah (Islamic Law) values pertaining to natural resources planning and management?
-
2.
Is it practically possible to derive from the Islamic jurisprudence and injunctions a set of planning and management criteria to guide the development process?
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Al Faruqi, I.R. 1984.Islam. Brentwood, MD: International Graphics.
al-Hussaini, M. 1969. The Institution of theHisbah in Early Islam. InThe Islamic Review and Arab Affairs, vol. 57, no. 2,. Feb. p. 31.
al-Mawardi, A. 1983.al-Ahkam as-Sultaniyyah. [The Sultanic Rules.] Cairo: Dar el-Fikr.
Al-Saloose, Ali. 1990.Al Iktisad Al Islami. [The Islamic Economy.] Cairo: Mijalat Al Azhar Publications.
Al sibai, Mustafa. 1977.Ishtirakiyat Al-Islam. [The Socialism of Islam.] Cairo: Dar Al-Sha'b.
Caponera, D. 1954.Water Laws in Moslem Countries, Rome, Italy: FAO Research Paper.
Draz, O. 1969.The Hema System of Range Reserves in the Arabian Peninsula. Rome, Italy: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, #06732.
Eighmy, J. and Ghanem, Y. 1969.The Hema System: Prospects for Traditional Subsistence Systems. Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: KAU Working Paper (unpublished).
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. 1954.Water Laws in Moslem countries, Rome, Italy: FAO.
Hasaini, S. Wagar. 1980.Islamic Environmental Systems Engineering. London; U.K.: Macmillan Press, Ltd.
Ibn-Taimiyya, T.E. 1982.Public Duties in Islam: The Institution of the Hisbah. [Translated by Muthar Holland.] London, U.K.: The Islamic Foundation.
Ibn-Taimiyya, T.E. 1985.As-Siyasah ash-Shariyah [The Policies of Islamic Law.] Damascus: Dar el-Baian.
International Union for the Conservation of Nature. 1980.World Conservation Strategy. Gland, Switzerland: IUCN Publications.
Joma, H.A. 1991.The Earth As A Mosque. Ph.D. Dissertation. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania.
Kahf, Monzer. 1978a. Islamic Economic System — A Review.Al-ittahad, (January).
—. 1978b.The Islamic Economy: Analytical Studies of the Functioning of the Islamic Economic System. Plainfield, IN: MSA of U.S.A. & Canada.
Khan, M.M. 1976.The Translation of the Meanings of Sihih al Bukaria. Vol. 3. Chicago, IL: Kazi Publications.
Leopold, Aldo. 1949.A Sand County Almanac. London, U.K.: Oxford University Press.
Llewllyn, Othman. 1982.Desert Reclamation and Islamic Law. Saudi Arabia; The Haj Research Centre (unpublished).
McAllister, Donald. 1982.Evaluation in Environmental Planning. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.
McGinnis, James B. 1979.Bread and Justice: Toward a new international economic order. New York, NY: Paulist Press.
McHarg, Ian L. 1969.Design with Nature. Garden City, NY: Natural History Press.
Naisbitt, John. 1982.Megatrends, Ten New Directions Transforming Our Lives. New York, NY: Warner Books, Inc.
New World Bible Translation Committee. 1984.New World Translation of the Holy Scripture. New York, NY: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society.
Pickthall, M. 1988.The Meaning of the Glorious Koran: An Explanatory Translation. New York, NY: Dorset Press.
Qureshi, A. 1978.Fiscal Systems of Islam. Lahore, Pakistan: Institute of Islamic Culture.
Rosenthal, E.I. 1958.Political Thought in Medieval Islam. Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge University Press, p. 53; [cf. Ibn khaldun, Muqadimah, 1∶322-27.]
Serageldin, I. 1989.Space for Freedom: The Search for Architectural Excellence in Muslim Societies. New York, NY: Butterworth Publishers.
—, et al. 1991.Friday Morning Reflections At the World Bank. Washington, DC: Seven Locks Press.
Siddiqui, M. Nejatullah. 1972.The Economic Enterprise in Islam. Lahore, Pakistan: Islamic Publications.
Ward, Barbara 1976.The Home of Man. Vancouver, Canada: United Nations Publications.
Weeramantry, C.G. 1988.Islamic Jurisprudence: An International Perspective. New York, NY: St. Martin's Press.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hamed, S.ED. Seeing the environment through islamic eyes: Application ofShariah to natural resources planning and management. J Agric Environ Ethics 6, 145–164 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01965481
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01965481