Islamic Perspectives on Environmental Stewardship: Rituals, Cohesions, and Coorperations

Islamic Perspectives on Environmental Stewardship: Rituals, Cohesions and Cooperations

Dr Saidul Islam

Associate Professor of Sociology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

How can Islamic teachings contribute to contemporary responses to environmental challenges? In this paper, Dr Saidul Islam presents environmental stewardship as an integral dimension of Islamic thought and practice, grounded in a relationship of responsibility between humanity, creation and God. Drawing on the Islamic Ecological Paradigm, the paper explores principles such as tawḥīd (divine unity), khilāfah (stewardship), mīzān (balance), ʿadl (justice) and amānah (trust), showing how they provide an ethical and spiritual foundation for understanding humanity’s responsibilities towards the natural world.

Moving from principles to practice, the paper examines how Islamic rituals, everyday lifestyles, religious leadership and community initiatives can cultivate ecological consciousness and encourage sustainable behaviour. It also explores the potential of mosques, religious leaders, youth initiatives and interfaith partnerships to mobilise communities around environmental action. In doing so, the paper argues that Islamic environmental ethics can complement scientific and policy responses by bringing moral conviction, communal responsibility and social cooperation into the wider pursuit of sustainability.

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