Ecological Footprint – an Islamic perspective – Our present generation of humanity (past 50 years) has damaged the environment so much that we are actually beginning to see huge cracks in it. For us to damage such a massive environment in such a short time shows how devastating our lifestyle is to our environment. Scientists rightly predict an ecological disaster in the near future.
With the name of Allah, most Beneficient, ever Merciful.
Ecological footprint is a term coined to measure the impact that we as individuals (or as a group) have on the environment. In a 2005 study, scientists worked out that the average size of fertile land needed to sustain one human being was 2.1 hectares.
The people that had the most impact on the environment were the first world countries with the worst being the American needing 9.4 hectares per person. In addition to this, the American government refused to sign the Kyoto protocol which is an agreement between countries of the world to cut back on carbon emissions.
What does come to light is that the wealthier a person or nation is, the greater is the footprint that they leave on the environment.
In South Africa, we, the Muslim community is a wealthy community and like the Americans, the environment is the last thing that we think about.
Instead of following the Prophet (SAW) and living a simple life, we instead opt to follow the western way of extravagant living.
Instead of using our wealth and time to do good we instead waste it on lavish cars, houses, clothing, weddings and holidays.
Think about how extravagant the last wedding you went to was.
The Prophet’s (SAW) life was absolutely practical, realistic and totally in tune with the environment. He always prayed to be poor and to live with the poor. He slept on the floor, had such a small room that if his wife slept and he prayed then he touched her when he prostrated.
He wore simple clothes which he used to the maximum by patching it up when it tore. He even disliked that the mosque be built high because people would then want to decorate it.
He, Salallahu Alayhe Wasallam, taught us to bury our dead simply and not to waste water even if we are at the banks of a river or making ‘wudu’. He said : “Eat, give charity and clothe yourselves, without being extravagant, and without showing off.”
What western environmentalists recommend is that people cut back on their fuel consumption, save water and recycle materials in order to “save the planet”.
Although these steps will help to alleviate the environmental crisis it is not the solution. We need to tackle the very roots of the problem. We need to change the focus of our lives from one that is a materialistic life to a simpler, more practical and realistic life like the way the Prophet (SAW) lived.
Instead of grooming our children or allowing them to be influenced by the media towards becoming money-making machines that need to be entertained all the time we must guide them towards being serious people that ponder about themselves and their lives.
“But waste not by excess: for Allah loves not the wasters.” Al Quraan 6:141
Peace and Salutations be upon Muhammad Salallahu Alayhe Wasallam.
Published by Anjuman e Waris e Mohammedi in 2010 – Author: Mohammed Hassan Gaffoor (WhatsApp +27849101486)