Muslims Going Green: Recap and Notes from the “2009 Fighting Poverty with Faith: Good Jobs, Green Jobs Conference”

By Rami Elsawah

An Introduction.

Alhamdullilah, last month I had the opportunity to speak at the   “2009 Fighting Poverty with Faith: Good Jobs, Green Jobs Conference”; an interfaith event urging members of congress to pass legislation to create green-jobs and green-job training for the under-skilled and unemployed.

The preparation for this speech was rather daunting, as I truly realized how few resources we have from Islamic or scholarly sources on the issue of environmentalism, at least in English.  I was pretty much on my own in coming up with what Islam says on the issue of going green — and then representing that view in front of the leaders of other faiths.

I hope this article — and the wiki below — can serve as a base for like minded Muslims and Muslim scholars to help start the broader discussion on Muslims going green, and defining Islam's role academically.

Specifically in this article I will cover:

1. The Fighting Poverty With Faith Conference
2. An Appeal to Muslim Scholars
3. A Draft Wikipedia Page for: “Muslims and the Environment”
4. Resources To Help Your Masjid Go Green.
5. Other Websites and Resources

Fighting Poverty With Faith and Green Jobs.

I was surprised to see how many Christian and Jewish leaders and organizations  are really embracing the green movement; in fact the church which we held the conference at was in the midst of installing it's own solar panels.  In total, about 33 national faith-based groups co-sponsored the event, including Islamic Relief.   All of the faiths put their differences aside to call to a common interest;  fighting poverty and saving the environment.

Here is the video of the speech.  Don't mind the corny theological jokes (though you should have seen the clergy cracking up in the background), and the weird suit malfunction fixes itself about halfway through. =)

An Appeal To Muslim Scholars:

I have heard that some shuyukh  in the U.S. are actually big proponents of the green movement, and that they have turned their masjids into very environmentally friendly buildings (with solar panels, automatic water shutoff valves for wudu, etc).   Now I make an appeal to the scholars to document Islam's position on the environment, so that everyone can benefit.  Whether it be fatawa, articles, or khutbahs posted online; I appeal for you to post these positions publicly so that everyone can benefit.   I even came up with a Top-5 list, why Muslim scholars must define for us Islam's position on the environment:

1. Muslims make up one-quarter of the earth's inhabitants, leaving a large impact on the environment.
2. If going green is the right thing to do, Muslims should be at the forefront.
3. When scholars speaks and acts, people follow.  If a tree-hugger speaks or acts, people laugh.
4. Scholars should be attracted to this challenge of defining for the world what Islam says about the environment.
5. If Non-Muslim politicians, clergy, or laymen look to Islam's position and guidance on the issue, we do not want to stare at them with a blank face.

A Draft Wikipedia Page for: “Muslims and the Environment”

I've created a draft wikipedia page which everyone from the activist, layman, to the scholar can update.

With this collaborative effort insha Allāh, we can begin to really document what Islam says on the environment.

Note:  Once the page is up to wikipedia standards I will post it up insha Allāh.  Please remember to follow the encyclopedia guidelines by writing professionally, citing sources, and not advertising your blog or website (you can do that on the  Muslim Bloggers Directory)

Resources To Help Your Masjid Go Green

Get An Energy Audit For Your Masjid:

The average church saves around 15%-18% on energy costs after one of their energy audits.  Some churches end up saving around $6,000 a year, which they can then use for social service programs which are much more befitting of people's donations.

A Guide to Energy Conservation for Religious Institutions:

Now we can do our part and save some energy.  Print this out and give it to your imam or masjid board.

Installing Solar Panels On Your Masjid For Free

This company, and many others install free solar panels for commercial buildings.  The catch is that your masjid would agree to buy power solely from them, at a fixed cost for 10 years.  The price is comparable or cheaper than existing power costs, so the impact on the masjid's wallets will be minimal or non-existent, and the environmental impact will be great.

Other Websites and Resources

Article on Islamqa.com on global warming

The Muslim Bloggers Directory — iMuslim shared with us this great index for Muslim blogs.  If you have a blog about going green and would like to share it, here is the place to do so.