Composting is one of the most daunting but easiest ways to make your home eco-friendly.  It reduces your garbage and produces a rich supplement for your garden soil.

Fact: The U.S. is the #1 trash-producing country in the world at 1,609
pounds per person per year, 3/4 of which is organic garbage that can be composted.

Fact: In the UK households throw away 8.3 million tons of food every year.

Make your Deen Green Tip: Compost.

Ever thought about composting your trash, but never followed up because it seemed too hard? Composting is good for the Earth and we will be held accountable for our actions- even the seemingly small ones like throwing away banana peels.

Take your:

-tea bags

-grass clippings

-dryer lint

-hair clippings

-houseplant trimmings

-shredded newspaper

-fruit and veggie peels and scraps

-egg shells- crush them first

-cardboard egg crates- wet and crush

Wet and crush

Get your kids involved-my daughter is my composting buddy. She helps me crush up the egg crates and throw it all into the heap.  Composting is the best way for children to witness how Allah has created the cycle of life.

Crushed egg carton

And put it in THIS:

My poor little composting container  It is just a tall, plastic Tupperware container with a cover- I need to get a new one (sheepish grin). They have ones with carbon filters to keep the smell at bay.

Our trusty compost bin

We save the scraps and dump it in here. I have the gardener put the grass clippings in it.  The soil that you harvest from it is so rich, and smells so good – like EARTH.  I don't ever buy soil amendments.

Do not add:

-meat

-bones

-grease

-bread (sometimes attracts rats or too many bugs)

There will be bugs but when you turn it once in a while, it's not that bad.

This is where the kitchen scraps go- you can cut it into smaller pieces to compost faster

Layer it with old newspapers

Turns into rich humus earth - use it as mulch, as soil amendment, or fertilizer

Doesn't this remind you of the ayah in the Quran:

“See you not, that Allah sends down water (rain) from the sky, and causes it to penetrate the earth, (and then makes it to spring up) as water-springs and afterward thereby produces crops of different colors, and afterward they wither and you see them turn yellow, then He makes them dry and broken pieces. Verily, in this, is a Reminder for men of understanding.” (Sūrat'l-Zumar, 39:21)

Imagine if every country in the world took eco-progressive steps like these, which are easy to implement, and revive a sunnah. The couple could make the trees symbols of their love, taking care of them as they nurture their new relationship. Sharing their love with the earth.

The Prophet said “If a Muslim plants a tree, or sows a field and men and beasts and birds eat from it, all of it is charity from him”. [Muslim]

Muslim couples in Indonesia are now required to plant two trees before receiving their marriage permit

“The policy has a noble purpose, and it is necessary to support the government's tree-planting program,” Iwan Zulhami, an official at the religious affairs office, told the BBC. The policy is only being applied to the Sumatran capital in Medan and in a number of districts on Sulawesi Island. Couples will get two seedlings when they register and the trees must then planted in the couple's home before the marriage permit is granted.

One official estimated that Medan will get at least 2,000 new trees as a result of the plan which starts in March. The initiative was announced by the religious affairs office, which is where Muslim couples intending to marry must register.

Indonesia is the largest forest nation in South-eastern Asia with an estimated 120 million hectres of rainforest. Illegal and legal logging, forest fires as well as the pressures of a growing population have all had a negative impact on their forests. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, Indonesia lost an estimated 18.7 million hectares of forest every year between 2000 and 2005.

In the last couple of years, the Muslim community in Indonesia has been playing an important role in promoting environmental conservation in the region. Indonesia's Muslim scholars formed an organization called Dignifying Environment Institution in 2011 with the aim of protecting the country's forests from harmful practices causing deforestation. Certain madrasahs in Indonesia have also been lauded for their work promoting environmental awareness through Islamic teachings.

:: Onislam.net and BBC News.

Here are some links for charities where you can plant trees in areas that need them.

1. Fruit Tree Planting Foundation- which plants fruit trees in low income areas in the USA and globally.
2. Plant trees in African communities for £10
3. Save the rainforest: to save one acre £50, but you can donate less than than too.
4. Plant an olive tree in Palestine (scroll down to the last one): £10 (not for US- apparently Interpal is banned)
5. Tree for a Future- plant a tree for a dime (10 cents)

“It is a great day for people of faith and for Illinois's Muslim. Illinois is the first state in the nation that recognizes the month of Ramadan, the month of fasting in Islam, as the month of protecting our environment and our earth for all faith groups.” said Dr. Zaher Sahloul, Chairperson of the CIOGC. “It is incumbent on us to translate the great teachings of Islam, especially during the month of Ramadan, into serious and practical steps to address the challenges that are facing our world like poverty, hunger, wars and global warming. Let us reflect during the month of fasting, not only on how to decrease our calories, but on how to shrink our carbon prints.”

CIOGC is proud to be the principal force in this accomplishment as stated in the resolution. “We recognize the leading role of the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago in raising awareness about green issues and the environment within the faith community… we designate the month of Ramadan, the 9th month of the Islamic lunar calendar, as a Green Month in the State of Illinois in order to promote awareness among faith communities about environmental issues, the reduction of carbon production, and the reduction of wasted water.”

To show appreciation, the Council asks the community to again thank the sponsors of this resolution.

Here are 7 simple steps to form a Green Ramadan Committee in your masjid.

Pies to petrol biofuels scheme launched

A company is to start transforming spoiled pies into fuel in a drive to cut waste and tackle rising fuels prices.

Greenergy will, from today (May 6), start taking the oil from unsold pies, pasties, crisps and other food waste to use for biodiesel production.

The company announced it has begun producing biodiesel from food waste in a partnership with Brocklesby.

Investment of around £50 million has seen Greenergy's biodiesel production facility in Immingham on the east coast of England updated to process used cooking oils, which are more complicated to deal with than oils like rapeseed.

To extend its use of waste-based biofuel even further the company is now making biodiesel from high fat solid foods such as pies, sausage rolls, pastries and crisps which are not fit for sale because they are mis-shapen, overcooked or past their sell by date.

These food products, which typically contain between 25% and 30% oil and fat, are sourced from a variety of food manufacturers nationally.

The oils and fats in these foods are extracted through a novel process developed by Brocklesby and are then further purified by Greenergy.

Only then are the oils and fats clean enough to be suitable for conversion into biodiesel.

Greenergy chief executive, Andrew Owens, said: “The quantities of biodiesel we're currently producing from solid food waste are small, but we're expecting to scale up so this soon becomes a significant proportion of our biodiesel.

“To put it into context, just one of these new facilities could handle enough waste pies or crisps to fill a cruise ship.

“With multiple plants, the potential for this kind of technology to reduce fuel emissions is considerable.”

via Pies to petrol biofuels scheme launched

Make your deen green is a series which will include small ways that our readers can make a difference in their daily lives to make it more earth-friendly as well as global environmental issues that affect the Muslim world. Surely changing a light bulb will not change the world, but what we need is a change in attitude to our eco-lives.  If we do these acts as forms of ibadah, of obeying Allah insha’Allah we can live up to the status that He has bestowed upon us. ‘Aisha (radiAllahu anha) narrated, that the Prophet was asked: “What deeds are loved most by Allah?” He said, “The most regular constant deeds even though they may be few.” He added, “Don’t take upon yourselves, except the deeds which are within your ability.” [Sahih al-Bukhari, 8:76:472]

How many of us have seen scenes like these. Piles of garbage, most of it non bio-degradable plastic. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that in the United States alone, more than 380 billion plastic bags, sacks and wraps are used each year. Worldwide, the number of plastic bags used is anywhere from 500 billion to 1 trillion every year. Meanwhile, Americans throw away about 100 billion plastic bags each year, according to the Worldwatch Institute, as only 0.6 percent to 1 percent of them are ever recycled. All across the world, they choke up gutters, suffocate dolphins, accumulate in your drawers. It takes 1000 years to biodegrade one. The little pieces of plastic act as a sponge for chemicals. They soak up a million fold greater concentration of such deadly compounds as PCBs and DDE (a breakdown product of the notorious insecticide DDT), than the surrounding seawater (Reusablebags.com). Marine life then eats these pieces and die. It is estimated that over a 100,000 different birds, seals and whales die every year. After the animal dies its carcass decomposes and the plastic is free to roam the ocean and kill again.

This is such an easy way to go green. Imagine how many resources we can save. As Muslims, it is incumbent on us to protect the planet that Allah has given as an Amanah (trust). As Muslim moms, we are the ones who usually buy the groceries for our homes – how hard is it really to make it a priority NOT to use single use bags, paper or plastic?

1. Use reusable bags -These days every store sells multiple-use bags for usually a dollar and many times you get free handouts. They last so long, I have some that are a few years old and they still look the same. Just be sure to practice hygiene and rinse them out from time to time, wipe them with a disinfectant wipe. Otherwise use canvas bags, they are the best and can be washed in the washing machine. No one will look at you like you are a weirdo any more than they already do, in fact in some places it is actually chic to carry reusable bags.  If you are not in the U.S., renew the customs of your country's heritage – use shopping baskets woven from sisal like these Kenyan ones or remember these ones – my Amma (grandmother)  had one, I am sure yours did too.

2.When packing school/office lunches use a reusable bag instead of a plastic baggie-more than 20 million sandwich bags from school lunches go into landfills in the US.  I found these amazing sandwich bags from 3 Green Moms, and use them for my kid's lunches everyday. They are washable too.  You can find more here, and here you can find instructions on how to make your own.  If you are going to use Ziplocs, wash them out and reuse them, tell the kids to bring them back in their lunchboxes. For more ideas on how to pack a more earth friendly lunch click here.

3. Ask the clerk NOT to bag things that already come in bags ie. the bag of oranges, onions.  Milk and juice jugs are easier to carry without a bag – ever had one burst because the bag broke?

4. Keep the bags in your car and return them to the car when you have emptied out the grocery! I have a big insulated bag, that I keep in the car along with several reusable bags. Most stores even give you a nickel back for every bag you reuse.  It takes just a bit of retraining our habits.

5. Sometimes I forget to take the bags (I am so not perfect ), and that is when I ask the clerk to give me paper bags as a last resort. They are not that great (it takes one gallon of water to produce ONE paper bag) but at least it can go in your compost bin and you are much more likely to reuse them. With paper bags you can make bookcovers, use it as craft paper or wrap a gift. Or if you absolutely must use a plastic bag – please RECYCLE them, do not throw them in the garbage.

Watch this documentary – you will never look at a plastic bag in the same way again:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Image Credit: Illustration: Nino Jose Heredia/©Gulf News

Islam puts an emphasis on the environment like no other religion. It is not a foreign concept, a tree hugging fad or something to be done after we have acquired all other knowledge about Islam; it is an integral part of our deen. The branches of knowledge are all branches of a single tree whose roots are grounded in the belief in One God. From this we get our sense of unity and balance.  A Muslim has responsibility to this earth, to its environment.  As an ummah, Muslims have ignored this part of their deen.  Our emphasis in schools, khutbahs, lectures, Islamic courses is primarily on rituals, on spiritual growth at the expense of this very practical aspect of Islam.

If we believe that everything belongs to Allah and that we are just transiting then we have to treat the earth as His amanah – a trust of which we are the guardians, the khalifahs.  Abu Sa’id Khudri reported that Allah’s Messenger said: “The world is sweet and green and verily Allah is going to install you as vicegerent in it in order to see how you act.” (Muslim) Does this make you think? We have been placed on earth for the purpose of taking care of it.

According to Najma Mohamed, a lecturer and environmental journalist,  “Muslim environmental scholars interpret this to mean that men and women are custodians of creation and are provided with bounties to be enjoyed with limits. The interpretation of a khalifah as a vicegerent not master, trustee not tyrant is central to the environmental teachings of Islam. If a Muslim understands by trusteeship that he or she can exploit and abuse natural resources, then they fail to understand the concept khilafah. Humankind needs to carry out this role with compassion, kindness and sincerity – with justice and goodness. Our relationship with all of creation should reflect these qualities.”

Let's reflect on this eloquent ayah from Surah Rahman:

The All-Merciful has taught the Qur'an.
He created man and He taught him the explanation.
The sun and the moon to a reckoning, and the stars and trees bow themselves;
and heaven – He raised it up and set the balance. Transgress not in the balance,
and weigh with justice, and skimp not in the balance. And earth – He set it down for all beings,
therein fruits and palm trees with sheaths, and grain in the blade, and fragrant herbs.

Which of your Lord's favors will you then deny? (55: 1-12)

Frequently this verse is just used to deter us from cheating in business but look at the context here. Trangress not in the balance is an order from Allah the Almighty. So many ayahs of the Quran are devoted to reflecting on nature. If we cannot take care of the gardens of earth, how can we aspire to live in the garden of jannah?

“And it is He Who has made you successive (generations) in the earth. And He has raised you in ranks, some above others, so that He may try you in that which He has bestowed on you. Surely your Lord is Swift in retribution, and certainly He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”  (6:165)  This ayah is the crux of our relationship with this planet and all of creation in it.  It  is another test for us.

Nothing is more destructive than a khalifah who has stopped being an abd (slave) of Allah, disobedient to his commands. Why did the angels ask Allah (ta'ala), why He is sending humans as khalifahs?  Look at our state today? We have become so caught up in the consumerism, in gratuitous consumption, that we do forget that we will be held accountable in front of Allah for all our deeds.  We look for convenience over doing what is right.  This has caused disequilibrium in the balance that Allah has created and we see the consequence is the excess in the developed world and the deprivation and hunger in other parts of Allah's world.

But somewhere inside us we have that ability to live up to the lofty maqam of a khalifah.  Allah knows us better than we know ourselves, we just need to find that in us and live up to the personal responsibility that every one of us has.  Look at the example of Prophet Muhammad, he slept on the ground close to the earth on a bed made of palm leaves, wrapped in his shawl. He sat on the floor to eat simple, wholesome food. He repaired his shoes and urged us to wear out our clothes until they had patches on them.  According to a hadith narrated by Tirmidhi, “The worldly comforts are not for me. I am like a traveler, who takes a rest under a tree in the shade and then goes on his way.” So lets use the symbolic tree for shade, to nourish our self, but let’s also follow the sunnah and leave the symbolic tree intact so that the next traveler can use it.

Some American scholars are cognizant of our state and speak of this issue. Imam Zaid Shakir reminds us that “as Muslims we are called on to be a community of conscience, and as such we should be leading the cries urging a cessation of this madness. The Qur’an is a book of nature that alerts us to the importance of our lives being integrated into the natural world given us by God to nurture and sustain us.” Imam Ammonette says “faith has 73 branches, you live your faith, it's your life and the lowest part of faith is removing pollutants or harmful substances, whatever will cause harm to human beings, from the path… when you clean up whatever is dangerous or unhealthy, that is faith.”

These voices are few. Responding to environmental issues in the Islamic world and teaching its rulings is the imperative of our present ulema (scholars), especially now as we can see the ubiquitous results of the destruction caused by our prevailing way of life.  All the injunctions are in the classic books of fiqh distributed across the different babs (chapters), they need be gathered and taught to the layman.

“All the produce of the earth is duly proportioned (bi-qadarin mawzun-15:19), not just in what is evident but as to their internal composition of nutrients, water, minerals, salts, etc. God blessed the earth and made it safe such that you shall not see imperfection in the creation of the Most Merciful (67:13).”   “When man acts, instead of a trusted custodian and architect of the earth, as its most dangerous destroyer, driven by greed rather than need,” then the result is havoc. We are obliged not to do injustice to the rest of creation.  These will be witnesses for or against us on the Day of Judgment.

Dr. Soumaya Pernilla Ouis, a senior lecturer at Lund University, Sweden, coined the phrase Islamic ecocosmology.  The idea is that nature in itself is Muslim; that we look around us and recognize every organism as our Muslim fellow being. That really changes the relationship, doesn’t it?  We know that everything from thunder to ants hymn the glory of Allah, all beings therein, declare His glory; there is not a thing but celebrates his praise: and yet ye understand not how they declare His glory. (17:44)

Allah asks us, do you not see that to Allah bow down in worship all things that are in the heavens and on earth – the sun, the moon, the stars; the hills, the trees, the animals; and a great number of mankind? (22:18) It is harder to ignore and cause destruction.

Many of the already established Islamic legal principles can be applied within the environmental field, and it is actually argued by some ecotheologicans that the environmental perspective has traditionally always been a part of Shariah. Institutions within Shariah such as harim (preserved natural environments) and hima (protected land for grazing purposes) are used for natural conservation. The five principles of protection in shariah are religion, reason, life, property and descendants, which may not include the 20th century term environment but all lead to its protection.

An addition to Islamic law includes a specific category of contemporary jurisprudence called fiqh al-bi’ah, or jurisprudence of the environment. “Law-makers take a number of the foundational concepts of Islam such as rahmah (mercy), tawazun (harmony) and shukr (gratitude) and apply them to this ethico-juridical discipline which links ecological health to the psychological health of man. Environmental degradation is seen as a sickness of the human ego because man is unable to give up short-term gratification in favor of long-term prosperity.”

If we look back at our heritage, the principles of reuse, recycle, clean energy are NOT new – “Muslim potters heated their kilns by burning fruit husks, fruit stones, pine-cones and vegetable waste. Millers ground their corn in mills turned by the wind. Both windmills and animals were used to lift water into irrigation channels.”  The industrial uses of tidemills and watermills in the Islamic world date back to the 7th century.

This may be because “traditional Islamic society, no matter how rich in spiritual and aesthetic content, was slower, and simpler in its technology. The production of the artifacts and adornments did not wreak havoc on nature or strew debris over land and sea. Means were simpler, materials natural and even crude. Exquisite ceramics emerged from raw clay and textiles of unrivaled beauty were born from hand-looms and the hand of the embroiderer. Travel, although surprisingly extensive – consider the journeys of Ibn Battuta – was on foot, on beasts of burden or by sailing boat.”

As Muslim nations are going through industrial renaissance and calls for industrialization increase, let us not make the same mistakes, importing inappropriate technology, setting up industry without studying the environmental ramifications.  We have the opportunity to inculcate Islamic injunctions into eco-concsiouness, and to be leaders protecting our  planet.

Make your deen green is a series which will include small ways that our readers can make a difference in their daily lives to make it more earth-friendly as well as global environmental issues that affect the Muslim world. Surely changing a light bulb will not change the world, but what we need is a change in attitude to our eco-lives.  If we do these acts as forms of ibadah, of obeying Allah insha'Allah we can live up to the status that He has bestowed upon us.

‘Aisha (radiAllahu anha) narrated, that the Prophet was asked: “What deeds are loved most by Allah?” He said, “The most regular constant deeds even though they may be few.” He added, “Don’t take upon yourselves, except the deeds which are within your ability.” [Sahih al-Bukhari, 8:76:472]

PRINCIPLES INTO PRACTICE: Islamic Traditions – Ismail Peter Hobson

Environmental Care in Islam: A Qur’anic Perspective – Mohammad Hashim Kamali

Global Environmental Relations: Islamic Perspective – Dr. Soumaya Pernilla Ouis

As true friends of earth, and vindicating Prince Charles's words that “man’s destruction of the world was contrary to the scriptures of all religions – but particularly those of Islam”, let's pray for an end to the spill. Today is Jumuah, the holy day for all Muslims. Use your khutbas, and your dua's, in congregation and in your prostrations, to pray for an end to the leak, and for the health and safety of all those effected by it (from plants to animals to humans).

Americans of all faiths asked to join nationwide spiritual effort

WASHINGTON, June 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — A prominent national Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization today called on mosques and other houses of worship across the nation to offer prayers for an end to the Gulf oil spill and the environmental disaster it is causing.

The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is urging prayer leaders (imams) in the nation's more than 2,000 mosques to use sermons at congregational prayers this Friday to offer special supplications for a speedy end to the oil spill crisis.

Mosque officials are also being asked to encourage community members to volunteer to assist in Gulf Coast relief efforts as part of CAIR's ongoing “Muslims Care” volunteerism initiative.

SEE: Muslims Care

http://www.muslims-care.org/

CAIR is requesting that religious leaders of other faiths offer similar prayers and supplications based on their own traditions.

“Engineers, officials and residents of the Gulf Coast are doing their best to mitigate this environmental disaster and people of faith must also do what they can to seek divine intervention when human efforts fall short,” said CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad. “Along with the prayers, we ask American Muslims to volunteer their time and talents to assist in the massive clean up effort.”

He cited the Quran, Islam's revealed text, which states: “O you who have attained to faith! Seek aid in steadfast patience and prayer: for, behold, God is with those who are patient in adversity.” (2:153)

Awad said CAIR chapters around the nation will encourage interfaith partners to join the spiritual effort along with local mosques.

“This nationwide spiritual effort could have the added benefit of strengthening bonds between Americans of all faiths,” said Awad.

SEE: Calif. Muslim, Jewish Leaders Discuss Shared Values

http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/20100607/pl_usnw/DC16923_1

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

Become a Fan of CAIR on Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/pages/CAIR/42590232694

Subscribe to CAIR's E-Mail List

http://tinyurl.com/cairsubscribe

CONTACT: CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787 or 202-744-7726, E-Mail: ihooper@cair.com; CAIR Communications Coordinator Amina Rubin, 202-488-8787, 202-341-4171, E-Mail: arubin@cair.com

SOURCE Council on American-Islamic Relations

This article has been written to highlight the harmful effects not just on the Earth that we live in, but also the effect on ourselves. Please take a moment to contemplate the true message behind the advertisements on TV, newspapers and magazines after reading this post.

The media seems to be plagued with environmental buzz words such as ‘global warming’ and ‘carbon footprint’. These words seem to be giving us a warning, but do we really know what they mean?

When issues pertaining to the environment are mentioned to us, do we stop to ponder over them or do we continue with our daily routine oblivious to what is going on in the world?  Does the environment have any Islamic relevance at all?

As Muslims, we acknowledge our obligations to our Creator, Allah; to our spouse, our families, our relatives and our community. But have we ever contemplated our duties towards the finer details of Allah’s Creation?

Although this Earth is a temporary abode for Muslims, it is also a gift and a trust to us from Allah. We must remember this before we decide to throw that cola can on the kerbside, or throw that glass bottle into the conventional waste bin instead of the recycling one.

‘It is He who has appointed you as viceroys in the earth.’ [Qur’an - 6:165]
It is clear from the above verse that Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) has appointed mankind as guardians of this earth and therefore we must take every step with this responsibility in mind. We are accountable for everything we subject to the Earth and its helpless creatures. We need to ask ourselves whether we take these actions seriously at all.

There is a clear media driven push to make us all ‘environmentally friendly’. However, are our antagonistic activities towards the environment a disease, or are they merely symptoms of a wider pathological process?

Perhaps the best way to approach this problem is by observing it from a medical point of view.

Below are a handful of environmental symptoms:

• Global warming/Climate change – An increase in the average temperature of the Earth’s air and oceans and therefore the overall climate. This is a result of the continuous incineration of household waste and fuels.
• Overflowing landfills – Households are constantly disposing reusable waste as conventional rubbish.
• Deforestation – Large amounts of forest around the world have been cleared to provide new land for farming and agriculture in order to meet the growing demands of food companies.
• Pollution – This is a direct result of incineration of household waste and fuels, as well as dumping of chemicals and pesticides into the sea which further add to the eventual outcome: global warming.
• Exposure to radioactive waste and toxic chemicals from nuclear power – Due to the continuous dumping of waste and chemicals deep into the ground, our food and water will become contaminated and hazardous to consume.

The list of our effects on the earth and its inhabitants is endless.

But just as every patient has a deep-rooted cause for their multiple symptoms, so does the Earth on which we tread. A patient suffering from a brain tumour would initially suffer from headaches. Imagine if this patient went to their doctor complaining of a headache, and the doctor gave the patient painkillers without investigating the cause of the patient’s headache? The consequences would certainly be fatal. Perhaps environmental charities are also guilty of something similar, whereby they are treating the symptoms without treating the main cause.

One might ask, what is the main cause? The answer – consumerism.

Like a brain tumour, consumerism is like a cancer on the Earth as it has spread to the far reaches of the world taking over the hearts and minds of many people like a wolf in sheep’s clothing. We fail to realise how little we can survive on when push comes to shove and yet we feel that we ‘have to have’ the latest smartphone or we ‘need’ an Audi A4. Consumerism, it seems, has taken over the world.

Or has it?

The government is pushing us all to recycle our waste through the provision of recycling bags by local councils or encouraging us to invest in solar panels and electric cars. But as with the headache analogy, these only treat the symptoms, not the main cause. It is only reducing the production of household waste and finding alternative methods to fuel our high maintenance consumer-driven lives.

In reality, the problem lies in an evermore problematic disease that is rarely acknowledged as our adversary, unless, of course, one is a Muslim.

Mankind, it seems, is suffering from an almost incurable disease. A disease which has spread so far into each and every single one of us that it has blackened our hearts almost to the core. However, if we are not careful enough to protect ourselves with the remembrance of Allah, this disease could destroy us completely.

What could be a bigger cancer than consumerism? Materialism. Attachment to the worldly life.

It’s laughable for one to consider themselves attached to the temporary life of the world, and yet, if we look around us, we can find several examples of the depth of our attachment, ranging from the BMW parked outside our 3-storey home to the plasma TV hanging on the wall down to the latest model of the iPhone snugly tucked away in the pocket of our Versace jeans. Not so funny now, is it?

Unfortunately, Muslims have been engulfed by the fire of materialism…a fire which could lead us to the ultimate Fire. Fortunately, we have a solution better than a thousand government environmental policies.

Islam.

It is through Islam that one of my early questions can be answered. We as Muslims seem to have overlooked a crucial point when we argue that Islam is the truth and applicable to all aspects of life. The environment is one of our strengths, and one of the ways in which we can earn eternal reward by caring for it.

Islam, as a way of life, teaches us as human beings to care for the environment for several reasons. First and foremost, we should look to appreciate and conserve the beauty of Allah’s creation, especially since this creation praises Allah in its own way. By doing so, we will develop an understanding and awareness of our Lord and strengthen in our consciousness of Allah’s Power and Mercy upon us.

‘The seven heavens and the earth, and all beings therein, declare His glory: There is not a thing but celebrates His praise, and yet you understand not how they declare His Glory!’ [Qur’an – 17:44]

Since humans are the ones who have been entrusted with guardianship of the earth, we are the ones who have the ability to look after the environment, as no other creature can. By looking after the creation of our Lord, we are glorifying Him and it is therefore imperative that we make this a part of our daily lives, as opposed to the odd bit of recycling or throwing money at Greenpeace and hoping the problem will go away.

However, the benefits of caring for the environment as Muslims are not only spiritual, but also social.

The Muslim community needs to highlight the principle cause for maltreatment to the environment. Unfortunately, we’re all afflicted by the following situation:

You’re in the middle of reading a newspaper and just as you turn the page, a glossy leaflet from your local supermarket falls out advertising the latest bargains on food that may need. You subconsciously feel that there will be a void in your life if you don’t buy these goods, therefore you decide to pop down to your local supermarket and buy those pastries, plus a whole lot more that you decide you need as well. You come home and put the food away in the cupboard and fridge. As the days progress, you forget about the pastries that you bought once upon a time ago with such a desperate need in mind. Opening the fridge, it seems that not only is the food still there, untouched, but it is also beginning to build its own community in the form of our good friend, mould. Naturally, these groceries must be thrown away into your conventional bin.

From the above example, not only has the household waste been increased and food unnecessarily thrown away, but this person has accrued sin for wasting food and hurting the earth. The money that was spent on this food could have been given away in charity to feed a starving person. The packaging could have been recycled had this person not disposed of it as part of their conventional rubbish. Multiply this scenario by the number of households in the UK alone. A frightening thought.

This demonstrates that we are easily affected by media ploys encouraging us to ‘buy, buy, buy’, possibly as part of a parliamentary scheme to boost the supposedly failing economy. Money makes the world go round, as they say.

A verse from the Qurán defines our nature:

‘The mutual rivalry (for piling up of worldly things) diverts you.’ [Qurán – 102:1]

As Muslims, we are perfectly equipped to protect and conserve the environment due to the fact that we are supposed to be travellers in this world. Therefore, we should take ONLY what we need and nothing beyond that. But, as the verse above goes, we become diverted by consumerism and lose sight of what we are ultimately working towards. Our materialistic habits are not only affecting our efforts for the afterlife, but also the world in which we live.

Since our detachment from the luxuries of the worldly life is such a fundamental principle of Islam, we should be at the forefront of the environmental campaign. We should put this principle at the core of the campaign, showing how important it is that the Muslim community be educated about how essential the protection of the Earth is not only to mankind, but also in Islam.

Coming back to the original headache analogy, we need to find a treatment that will cure the disease rather than merely controlling the symptoms.

It seems that our lifestyles need to be evaluated against what the Quran and Sunnah mention with respect to consumerism and materialism, and what they warn us against. Once we have acknowledged our main problems with regards to our constant expenditure on things we don’t need, we can then begin to educate our community on the importance of caring for the environment.

If one were to combine such a lifestyle with initiatives such as recycling, water conservation and introducing renewable energy, we would certainly lessen our effect on the environment quite significantly.

Our community should embark upon an environmental campaign, and approach the issue from a different angle than everyone else. Our campaign should start off by creating a realisation within the minds of the wider public that we have a tendency to be wasteful in almost every aspect of our lives. We should actively encourage the idea that ‘less is more’. Alongside this, we can join with environmental charities to promote ‘green behaviour’. If we can do this, it would be a successful exhibition of the multi-dimensional nature of our beautiful religion, Islam.

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.

From left, Front: Father Ron Gioffi, Director of Social Concerns, Diocese of Trenton; Jacob Toporek, Executive Director, NJ State Association of Jewish Federations; Valorie Caffee, Director of Organizing, NJ Work Environment Council; Rami Elsawah, Preacher; Rabbi Clifford Kulwin, Temple B’nai Abraham, Livingston, NJ Back: Ved Chaudhary, General Secretary, Hindu Collective Initiative; Rev. Fletcher Harper, Executive Director, GreenFaith; Rev. Bruce Davidson, Director, Lutheran Office of Governmental Ministry in NJ; Roy Tanzman, President, NJ State Association of Jewish Federations

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. =)

Click here to view the embedded video.

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 Allah, 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 Allah.  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.

The Earth’s Complaint (Final)

4. SANCTITY
Another tenet in Islam’s weltanschauung or worldview concerns sanctity of life: both human and animal. As for the human being, he is indeed sacred creation, and so any infringement of that sanctity is deemed by Islam to be a heinous crime: “Whosoever kills a person for other than crimes of manslaughter or corruption in the earth, it shall be as if has killed the whole of humanity; and whosoever saves the life of one person, it shall be as if he has saved the whole of humanity.”[18] Acts of terror, then, in which women, children and other innocent civilians are targeted and killed is categorically repudiated by the shari'ah and amounts to nothing less than murder. The juristic consensus about this was typified by al-Nawawi, who stated: “Scholars are unanimous about the prohibition of killing women and children providing they do not engage in [direct] combat.”[19] Ibn Qudamah, in a like vain, said: “Women, the elderly, children or monks may not be killed, for they are non-combatants.”[20] The cue for this classical doctrine is taken from the order of the Prophet, peace be upon him, who “forbade the killing of women and children.”[21]

It goes without saying that the above rule is in context of a legitimate war. In Islam, judgements related to war and peace are not left to scholars, soldiers, let alone vigilante cells. Rather, it rests solely with the head of state. This is a cardinal rule of war, as Ibn Qudamah says: “The question of declaring war is left to the head of state and his decision. Compliance with that decision is the subject’s duty with regards to what the authorities deem fit in the matter.” [22] The acts of terror that a fringe minority now seek to pass of as a legitimate jihad is, therefore, a gross deviation from the shari’ah. In fact, Abdal Hakim Murad contends: “Terrorism is to jihad what adultery is to marriage.”[23]

Turning to the animal kingdom, here the Qur’an insists on courtesy: “There is not an animal in the earth, nor a creature flying on two wings, but they are nations like you.”[24] The courtesy required is one based upon a sense of awe and respect for all of earth’s living creatures. The Prophet, peace be upon him, was once asked: “Shall we be rewarded for doing good, even to animals? He said: “There is a reward for serving every living creature.”[25] On another occasion, he told a group of people mount- ed on their camels, chatting to one another: “Ride these animals safely and leave them safely, and do not use them as chairs for your conversations in the streets and marketplaces.”[26] He also informed that. “A women was once thrown into Hell for caging a cat until it starved to death.”[27] There is also the hadith wherein a man took an egg from a bird’s nest which then distressed the mother bird. Observing this, the Prophet, peace be upon him, instructed the man: “Have mercy on the mother and give back her egg.”[28] If this is Islam’s ethical teachings in respect to animals, how odd it is for someone to then believe that the same faith could allow the intentional killing of innocent men, women or children: “What! Have you slain an innocent soul though he has killed nobody? Truly you have done a thing most foul.”[29]

5. JUSTICE
The subject of justice permeates the whole of Islam. The Qur’an is strewn with references to the theme of justice, identifying the good society with a just one. “O you who believe!, exhorts the Qur’an, Be steadfast witnesses for God in equity; and never let hatred of any people make you swerve from justice. Be just; that is nearer to God- fearingness.”[30] There is also the ethical imperative which requires: “If you give your word, do justice; even though it be against a kinsman.”[31] Justice is so intrinsic to Islam that, according to Ibn Taymiyyah: “It is said that: “Allah upholds a just state even though it be disbelieving, but will not uphold an unjust state even if it is Muslim.” It has also been said: “The world may endure with justice and disbelief, but not with injustice and Islam.”[32] This goes a long way, I suppose, in explaining the pitiful state of so many countries in the Muslim world today.

In a stark warning, the Prophet, upon whom be peace, announced: “What destroyed those who came before you was that whenever one of their nobility committed theft, they left him alone; but if one of their weak stole, they applied the prescribed punishment on him.”[33] In the absence of retributive justice, ill will be the fruits.

Shabby tyrants and corrupt government officials are not the only stains upon justice, there is distributive or social injustice too. The Qur’an states: God created for you all that is on the earth.[34] Moreover: “He has subjected to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth.”[35] The earth’s bounties, according to the Qur’anic reading, are for all humanity, not just for some. Yet having stated the obvious, we live in a world where twenty percent of the globe (that’s principally us in the developed nations) consume eighty-six percent of the earth’s resources and goods in order to buttress a materialistic driven lifestyle. Our growing concern here in the industrialized West is not so much the fear of poverty as it is obesity! The U.N. recently warned: “The imbalance in economic growth, if allowed to continue, will produce a world gargantuan in its excesses and grotesque in its human and economic inequalities.”[36]

Bleaker still, of the 6 billion people living on the planet, 1.2 billion of them live in severe poverty; 800 million of them got to bed starving each night; 1.3 billion have no access to safe drinking water; and 30,000 die each day from poverty related diseases – many because they are too poor to afford vital medicines. Yet the U.N. alerts us that: “Globally there is enough food to feed the world. But to our shame, we live in a world where food rots and people starve.”[37] “Partake of the fruits of the earth for our needs we must; partake of them for our enjoyment we certainly can; but partake of them excessively or irresponsibly we cannot and must not. Eat and drink, says the Qur’an, but not excessively. For God loves not the excessive.”[38]

6. MERCY
Finally, no vision of society could be complete without compassion, mercy and kindness. Islam seeks to nurture a compassionate society: one rooted not in rugged individualism, selfishness or hyper capitalism;[39] but “rooted in,” as Abdal Hakim Murad duly points out, “immediate and sincere concern for human welfare under a compassionate God”[40]

“And My mercy”, proclaims God in the Qur’an, “embraces all things.
[41] The Qur’an also says that He has prescribed “mercy on Himself”.[42] The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “When God created creation, He wrote down in a book – which is with Him above the Throne: Indeed My mercy outstrips My wrath.”[43] The Divine Rigour is still present in creation, but it is conditioned and dominated by Divine Mercy.

As for creation, the Prophet, upon whom be peace, said: “Those who show no mercy, shall receive no mercy.”[44] One celebrated hadith has it: “Those who show mercy will be shown mercy to by the All-Merciful. Be merciful to those on earth, and those in heaven will be merciful to you.”[45] Such teachings flowing from the Prophet, the Messenger of the All-Merciful, are only to be expected when we recall the Qur'anic declaration about him: “We have not sent you except as a mercy to the worlds.[46] He said of himself: “I am the Prophet of Mercy.”[47] While on another occasion, he remarked: “I have not been sent to curse, I have only been sent as a mercy.”[48]

In an age where calls for justice reign paramount, some may wonder why Islam celebrates the Prophet with the quality of mercy more so than with justice. We need only reflect on the fact that justice – which is giving all things their due – is not always enough to bring about healing in the social fabric. So long as injustices and wrongs are remembered and not forgiven, or justice is perceived as an instrument of punishment, then resentment on either side remains and can, at the slightest provocation, ignite into anger and rage. Forgiveness and mercy, by contrast, can melt away grievances and put a closure on conflict. This was vividly demonstrated by the Prophet, peace be upon him, the day he re-entered Makkah. After suffering persecution, humiliation and rejection by the Makkans, the Prophet, some eight years later, returns as the City’s conqueror. Rather than exacting retribution or revenge, which would have been the normal course of events for most conquerors, the Prophet, peace be upon him, said to his opponents: “I say to you what my brother Joseph said: This day, no reproach shall be upon you. May God forgive you; He is the Most-Merciful of the merciful.”[49] “Go, for you are all free.”[50] Thus, in choosing forgiveness over justice, the Prophet, peace be upon him, breaks the possible cycle of vengeance and vendetta, and liberates the people from being held hostage to history. A clear case of the Shakespearean: “That quality of mercy … ‘Tis mightiest in the mightiest.”

This is not to belittle justice, or to suggest that righteous indignation against tyranny or injustice is not mandated by faith. Rather, it is simply asserting that some situations require ‘transcending’ justice, and healing hurt through forgiveness and mercy’s warm embrace.

————–————–
Footnotes:
18. Qur’an 5:3.
19. Sharh Sahih Muslim (Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah,1995), 11:292.
20. Al-Mughni Sharh al-Kabir (Saudi Arabia: Dar al-Alam al-Kutub, 1999), 13:177-8.
21. Al-Bukhari, no.3015; Muslim, no.1744.
22. Al-Mughni, 13:11.
23. From his Contentions 5.
24. Qur’an 6:38.
25. Al-Bukhari, no.3321; Muslim, no.2245.
26. Ibn HHanbal, Musnad, no.15629. The hadith was declared sound (Hasan) by Shu’ayb al-Arnaut et al., in his critical edition of al-Musnad, 24:392.
27. Al-Bukhari, no.3318; Muslim, no.2242.
28. Abu Dawud, Sunan, no.2675.
29. Qur’an 18:73.
30. Qur’an 5:8.
31. Qur’an 6:152.
32. Ibn Taymiyyah, Majmu al-Fatawa (Riyadh: Dar al-‘Alam al-Kutub, 1991), 28:142.
33. Al-Bukhari, no.6788; Muslim, no.1688. The hadith ends with a rigorous proclamation: “By God! If Fatimah, daughter of Muhammad were to steal, I would cut-off her hand.”
34. Qur’an 2:29.
35. Qur’an 45:13.
36. Dr. Jacques Diouf, Director General of the U.N. Food and
Agricultural Organisation – cited in Anti Capitalism: A Guide to the Movement (London: Bookmarks Publications, 2001), 60.
37. U.N. Human Development Report, 1996.
38. Qur’an 7:31.
39. Britain’s Chief Rabbi, Jonathan Sacks wrote: “Even before the anti-globalization movement was under way; concerns had already been expressed in the West about the impact of a market-led consumer culture on social institutions. As early as 1947 Joseph Schumpeter had warned that ‘Capitalism creates a critical frame of mind which, after having destroyed the moral authority of so many other institutions, in the end turns against its own.’ Throughout the liberal democracies of the West, families and communities have been in decline, leading to new concentrations of poverty and social breakdown.” Sacks, The Dignity of Difference (London & New York: Continuum, 2003), 31.
40. The Fall of the Family (Part I)
41. Qur’an 7:156.
42. Qur’an 6:12.
43. Al-Bukhari, no.7404; Muslim, no.2751.
44. Al-Bukhari, no.5997; Muslim, no.2317.
45. Al-Tirmidhi, no.1989.
46. Qur’an 21:107.
47. Muslim, no.2355.
48. ibid., no.2599.
49. Qur’an 12:92.
50. As per Ibn Hisham, Sirah, 2: 274.