Preserve the Beauty and Harmony of the Environment.

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

The universe is the place to know the Creator. Through His creation, we know Allah, we see His mastery and we see His beautiful and perfect Attributes. If it were not of this world, we wouldn't know anything about Allah.

Allah says,

وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَ ٱلَّيۡلَ وَٱلنَّهَارَ خِلۡفَةً۬ لِّمَنۡ أَرَادَ أَن يَذَّڪَّرَ أَوۡ أَرَادَ شُڪُورً۬ا (٦٢

“Blessed be He Who has placed in the heaven mansions of the stars, and has placed therein a great lamp and a moon giving light! And He it is Who has appointed night and day in succession, for him who desires to remember, or desires thankfulness.

(Qur’an Al-Furqan 25:62)

In this regard, the world is beautiful and looking at this beauty is intended, as through it man truly marvels at the power and beauty of the Creator. This is why many times in the Qur’an, the beauty of this creation is emphasized.

أَمَّنۡ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَأَنزَلَ لَڪُم مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءً۬ فَأَنۢبَتۡنَا بِهِۦ حَدَآٮِٕقَ ذَاتَ بَهۡجَةٍ۬ مَّا ڪَانَ لَكُمۡ أَن تُنۢبِتُواْ شَجَرَهَآ‌ۗ أَءِلَـٰهٌ۬ مَّعَ ٱللَّهِ‌ۚ بَلۡ هُمۡ قَوۡمٌ۬ يَعۡدِلُونَ (٦٠

“Nay, He Who created the heavens and the earth, and sent down for you water from the cloud; then We cause to grow thereby beautiful gardens; it is not possible for you that you should make the trees thereof to grow. Is there a god with Allah? Nay! they are people who deviate.”

(Qur’an Al-Naml 27:60)

This love of beauty in the universe leads to a relationship of love and respect for the world and a desire to preserve the beauty and harmony of the environment.

The universe, its beauty and treasures, is a tremendous blessing that we must show thanks to the Creator for lest it be taken away. Gratitude is shown by utilizing blessings in the way that the Bestower wills they be utilized. As with all blessings, if we are grateful we are given an increase, if we are ungrateful we are denied an increase and the blessings will be taken away from us.

This is why several Qur’anic verses contain injunctions to gratitude after discussing the creation of the universe.

Allah says,

تَبَارَكَ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَ فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ بُرُوجً۬ا وَجَعَلَ فِيہَا سِرَٲجً۬ا وَقَمَرً۬ا مُّنِيرً۬ا (٦١) وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَ ٱلَّيۡلَ وَٱلنَّهَارَ خِلۡفَةً۬ لِّمَنۡ أَرَادَ أَن يَذَّڪَّرَ أَوۡ أَرَادَ شُڪُورً۬ا (٦٢

“Blessed is He Who made constellations in the skies, and placed therein a Lamp and a Moon giving light; And it is He Who made the Night and the Day to follow each other: for such as have the will to celebrate His praises or to show their gratitude.”

(Qur’an As-Saff 25:61-62)


وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى سَخَّرَ ٱلۡبَحۡرَ لِتَأۡڪُلُواْ مِنۡهُ لَحۡمً۬ا طَرِيًّ۬ا وَتَسۡتَخۡرِجُواْ مِنۡهُ حِلۡيَةً۬ تَلۡبَسُونَهَا وَتَرَى ٱلۡفُلۡكَ مَوَاخِرَ فِيهِ وَلِتَبۡتَغُواْ مِن فَضۡلِهِۦ وَلَعَلَّڪُمۡ تَشۡكُرُونَ (١٤

And He it is Who has subjected the sea (to you), that you eat thereof fresh tender meat (i.e. fish), and that you bring forth out of it ornaments to wear. And you see the ships ploughing through it, that you may seek (thus) of the bounty of Allah (by transporting the goods from place to place) and that you may be grateful.

(Qur’an An-Nahl 16:14)

أَوَلَمۡ يَرَوۡاْ أَنَّا خَلَقۡنَا لَهُم مِّمَّا عَمِلَتۡ أَيۡدِينَآ أَنۡعَـٰمً۬ا فَهُمۡ لَهَا مَـٰلِكُونَ (٧١) وَذَلَّلۡنَـٰهَا لَهُمۡ فَمِنۡہَا رَكُوبُہُمۡ وَمِنۡہَا يَأۡكُلُونَ (٧٢) وَلَهُمۡ فِيہَا مَنَـٰفِعُ وَمَشَارِبُ‌ۖ أَفَلَا يَشۡكُرُونَ (٧٣

“Don’t they see that it is We Who have created for them – among the things
which Our hands have fashioned – cattle, which are under their dominion? – And
that We have subjected them to their (use)? Of them some do carry them and
some they eat: And they have (other) profits from them (besides) and they get
(milk) to drink. Will they not then be grateful?”

(Qur’an Ya-seen 36:71-73)

Turning to Allah in gratitude and seeking forgiveness for our shortcomings give an
increase in environmental blessings. In the Qur’an, seeking forgiveness brings blessings.

ثُمَّ إِنِّىٓ أَعۡلَنتُ لَهُمۡ وَأَسۡرَرۡتُ لَهُمۡ إِسۡرَارً۬ا (٩) فَقُلۡتُ ٱسۡتَغۡفِرُواْ رَبَّكُمۡ إِنَّهُ ۥ كَانَ غَفَّارً۬ا (١٠) يُرۡسِلِ ٱلسَّمَآءَ عَلَيۡكُم مِّدۡرَارً۬ا (١١

“I [Prophet Nuh, alayhissalam] said (to them), “Ask forgiveness from your Lord; for He is Oft-Forgiving; He will send rain to you in abundance; Give you increase in wealth and sons; and bestow on you gardens and bestow on you rivers (of flowing water).”

(Qur’an Nuh 71:10-11)

The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Once a man was in a
barren land and he heard a voice in a cloud, “Give water to the garden of so and
so!” so he followed that cloud and found that it emptied its water in an area of
dark rocks and a particular channel had taken all of the water so he followed the
water and found a man directing the water with his shovel, so he said to him, “O
slave of Allah, what is your name?” He answered, “So and so,” the same name
that he had heard in the cloud; and then said, “O slave of Allah, why do you ask
me about my name?” He answered, “I heard a voice in a cloud whose water this
is, saying, “Give water to the garden of so and so!” stating your name, so what do
you do with it?” He answered, “If you say this, then I [tell you] that I see what
comes out [of the land] and give a third in charity, and take a third to eat for me
and my dependents, and return back to it a third.”” (Muslim)

The Qur’an gives accounts of people who were blessed with the beauty of the
environment but they rebelled, disobeyed and became arrogant so their blessings were
destroyed.

Allah says,

لَقَدۡ كَانَ لِسَبَإٍ۬ فِى مَسۡكَنِهِمۡ ءَايَةٌ۬ ۖ جَنَّتَانِ عَن يَمِينٍ۬ وَشِمَالٍ۬ۖ كُلُواْ مِن رِّزۡقِ رَبِّكُمۡ وَٱشۡكُرُواْ لَهُۚ ۥ بَلۡدَةٌ۬ طَيِّبَةٌ۬ وَرَبٌّ غَفُورٌ۬ (١٥) فَأَعۡرَضُواْ فَأَرۡسَلۡنَا عَلَيۡہِمۡ سَيۡلَ ٱلۡعَرِمِ وَبَدَّلۡنَـٰهُم بِجَنَّتَيۡہِمۡ جَنَّتَيۡنِ ذَوَاتَىۡ أُڪُلٍ خَمۡطٍ۬ وَأَثۡلٍ۬ وَشَىۡءٍ۬ مِّن سِدۡرٍ۬ قَلِيلٍ۬ (١٦) ذَٲلِكَ جَزَيۡنَـٰهُم بِمَا كَفَرُواْۖ وَهَلۡ نُجَـٰزِىٓ إِلَّا ٱلۡكَفُورَ (١٧

Indeed there was for Saba' (Sheba) a sign in their dwelling place, - two gardens on the right hand and on the left (and it was said to them) "Eat of the provision of your Lord, and be grateful to Him, A fair land and an Oft-Forgiving Lord! (15)
But they turned away (from the obedience of Allah), so We sent against them Sail Al 'Arim (flood released from the dam), and We converted their two gardens into gardens producing bitter bad fruit, and tamarisks, and some few lote trees. (16) Like this We requited them because they were ungrateful disbelievers. And never do We requite in such a way except those who are ungrateful, (disbelievers). (17)

(Qur’an Saba 34:15-17)

Likewise is the incident of the people of the lush garden:

إِنَّا بَلَوۡنَـٰهُمۡ كَمَا بَلَوۡنَآ أَصۡحَـٰبَ ٱلۡجَنَّةِ إِذۡ أَقۡسَمُواْ لَيَصۡرِمُنَّہَا مُصۡبِحِينَ (١٧) وَلَا يَسۡتَثۡنُونَ (١٨) فَطَافَ عَلَيۡہَا طَآٮِٕفٌ۬ مِّن رَّبِّكَ وَهُمۡ نَآٮِٕمُونَ (١٩) فَأَصۡبَحَتۡ كَٱلصَّرِيمِ (٢٠) فَتَنَادَوۡاْ مُصۡبِحِينَ (٢١) أَنِ ٱغۡدُواْ عَلَىٰ حَرۡثِكُمۡ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَـٰرِمِينَ (٢٢) فَٱنطَلَقُواْ وَهُمۡ يَتَخَـٰفَتُونَ (٢٣) أَن لَّا يَدۡخُلَنَّہَا ٱلۡيَوۡمَ عَلَيۡكُم مِّسۡكِينٌ۬ (٢٤) وَغَدَوۡاْ عَلَىٰ حَرۡدٍ۬ قَـٰدِرِينَ (٢٥) فَلَمَّا رَأَوۡهَا قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا لَضَآلُّونَ (٢٦) بَلۡ نَحۡنُ مَحۡرُومُونَ (٢٧

Verily, We have tried them as We tried the people of the garden, when they swore to pluck the fruits of the (garden) in the morning. (17)
Without saying: Insha' Allah (If Allah wills). (18)
Then there passed by on the (garden) visitation (fire) from your Lord at night and burnt it while they were asleep. (19)
So the (garden) became black by the morning, like a pitch dark night (in complete ruins). (20)
Then they called out one to another as soon as the morning broke, (21)
Saying: "Go to your tilth in the morning, if you would pluck the fruits." (22)
So they departed, conversing in secret low tones (saying), (23)
No Miskin (poor man) shall enter upon you into it today. (24)
And they went in the morning with strong intention, thinking that they have power (to prevent the poor taking anything of the fruits therefrom). (25)
But when they saw the (garden), they said: "Verily, we have gone astray," (26) (Then they said): "Nay! Indeed we are deprived of (the fruits)!" (27)

(Qur'an Al-Qalam 68:17-27)

and the story of the man with two gardens

وَٱضۡرِبۡ لَهُم مَّثَلاً۬ رَّجُلَيۡنِ جَعَلۡنَا لِأَحَدِهِمَا جَنَّتَيۡنِ مِنۡ أَعۡنَـٰبٍ۬ وَحَفَفۡنَـٰهُمَا بِنَخۡلٍ۬ وَجَعَلۡنَا بَيۡنَہُمَا زَرۡعً۬ا (٣٢) كِلۡتَا ٱلۡجَنَّتَيۡنِ ءَاتَتۡ أُكُلَهَا وَلَمۡ تَظۡلِم مِّنۡهُ شَيۡـًٔ۬ا‌ۚ وَفَجَّرۡنَا خِلَـٰلَهُمَا نَہَرً۬ا (٣٣) وَكَانَ لَهُ ۥ ثَمَرٌ۬ فَقَالَ لِصَـٰحِبِهِۦ وَهُوَ يُحَاوِرُهُ ۥۤ أَنَا۟ أَكۡثَرُ مِنكَ مَالاً۬ وَأَعَزُّ نَفَرً۬ا (٣٤) وَدَخَلَ جَنَّتَهُ ۥ وَهُوَ ظَالِمٌ۬ لِّنَفۡسِهِۦ قَالَ مَآ أَظُنُّ أَن تَبِيدَ هَـٰذِهِۦۤ أَبَدً۬ا (٣٥) وَمَآ أَظُنُّ ٱلسَّاعَةَ قَآٮِٕمَةً۬ وَلَٮِٕن رُّدِدتُّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّى لَأَجِدَنَّ خَيۡرً۬ا مِّنۡهَا مُنقَلَبً۬ا (٣٦) قَالَ لَهُ ۥ صَاحِبُهُ ۥ وَهُوَ يُحَاوِرُهُ ۥۤ أَكَفَرۡتَ بِٱلَّذِى خَلَقَكَ مِن تُرَابٍ۬ ثُمَّ مِن نُّطۡفَةٍ۬ ثُمَّ سَوَّٮٰكَ رَجُلاً۬ (٣٧) لَّـٰكِنَّا۟ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ رَبِّى وَلَآ أُشۡرِكُ بِرَبِّىٓ أَحَدً۬ا (٣٨) وَلَوۡلَآ إِذۡ دَخَلۡتَ جَنَّتَكَ قُلۡتَ مَا شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِٱللَّهِ‌ۚ إِن تَرَنِ أَنَا۟ أَقَلَّ مِنكَ مَالاً۬ وَوَلَدً۬ا (٣٩) فَعَسَىٰ رَبِّىٓ أَن يُؤۡتِيَنِ خَيۡرً۬ا مِّن جَنَّتِكَ وَيُرۡسِلَ عَلَيۡہَا حُسۡبَانً۬ا مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ فَتُصۡبِحَ صَعِيدً۬ا زَلَقًا (٤٠) أَوۡ يُصۡبِحَ مَآؤُهَا غَوۡرً۬ا فَلَن تَسۡتَطِيعَ لَهُ ۥ طَلَبً۬ا (٤١) وَأُحِيطَ بِثَمَرِهِۦ فَأَصۡبَحَ يُقَلِّبُ كَفَّيۡهِ عَلَىٰ مَآ أَنفَقَ فِيہَا وَهِىَ خَاوِيَةٌ عَلَىٰ عُرُوشِہَا وَيَقُولُ يَـٰلَيۡتَنِى لَمۡ أُشۡرِكۡ بِرَبِّىٓ أَحَدً۬ا (٤٢) وَلَمۡ تَكُن لَّهُ ۥ فِئَةٌ۬ يَنصُرُونَهُ ۥ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَمَا كَانَ مُنتَصِرًا (٤٣) هُنَالِكَ ٱلۡوَلَـٰيَةُ لِلَّهِ ٱلۡحَقِّ‌ۚ هُوَ خَيۡرٌ۬ ثَوَابً۬ا وَخَيۡرٌ عُقۡبً۬ا (٤٤


And put forward to them the example of two men; unto one of them We had given two gardens of grapes, and We had surrounded both with date-palms; and had put between them green crops (cultivated fields). (32)
Each of those two gardens brought forth its produce, and failed not in the least therein, and We caused a river to gush forth in the midst of them. (33)
And he had property (or fruit) and he said to his companion, in the course of mutual talk: I am more than you in wealth and stronger in respect of men." (34)
And he went into his garden while in a state (of pride and disbelief) unjust to himself. He said: "I think not that this will ever perish. (35)
"And I think not the Hour will ever come, and if indeed I am brought back to my Lord, (on the Day of Resurrection), I surely shall find better than this when I return to Him." (36)
His companion said to him, during the talk with him: "Do you disbelieve in Him Who created you out of dust (i.e. your father Adam), then out of Nutfah (mixed semen drops of male and female discharge), then fashioned you into a man? (37)
"But as for my part (I believe) that He is Allâh, my Lord and none shall I associate as partner with my Lord. (38)
It was better for you to say, when you entered your garden: 'That which Allah wills (will come to pass)! There is no power but with Allah'. If you see me less than you in wealth, and children. (39)
"It may be that my Lord will give me something better than your garden, and will send on it Husban (torment, bolt) from the sky, then it will be a slippery earth (40)
"Or the water thereof (of the gardens) becomes deep-sunken (underground) so that you will never be able to seek it." (41)
So his fruits were encircled (with ruin). And he remained clapping his hands (with sorrow) over what he had spent upon it, while it was all destroyed on its trellises, he could only say: "Would that I had ascribed no partners to my Lord!"(42)
And he had no group of men to help him against Allah, nor could he defend (or save) himself. (43)
There (on the Day of Resurrection), Al-Walayah (protection, power, authority and kingdom) will be for Allah (Alone), the - True God. He (Allah) is the Best for reward and the Best for the final end. (La ilaha ill-allah none has the right to be worshiped but Allah). (44)

(Qur'an Al-Kahf 18:32-44)

Many sacred texts tie our treatment of the environment directly to reward or punishment from the Creator.

The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Once a man was walking
and his thirst became intense so he descended into a well and drank from it, and
then came out and lo there was a dog, sticking out its tongue, eating the dirt from
its thirst so he said, “This has reached a state similar to what I had reached,” so he filled up his shoe, then grabbed it in his mouth and climbed out of the well and
gave the dog drink, and Allah gratefully accepted his work and forgave him.”
They said, “O Messenger of Allah, do we have a reward in [being good to]
animals?” He answered, “In every moist liver.” (Bukhari & Muslim)

The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “A woman was punished
for a cat that she kept in captivity until it died of hunger, so she entered the fire on account of it.” (Bukhari & Muslim)

Likewise, there is a great reward in planting trees and shrubs. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “There is no Muslim who plants a tree or sows seed, and then birds, people and animals eat from except that he has the reward of a charity for that.” (Bukhari & Muslim)

There is also a great urging to keeping roads clean. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Faith is seventy-odd or sixty-odd branches: the most virtuous is saying, “There is no god but Allah,” and the least is removing harm from the street.” (Muslim)

Islamic history is rich with the efforts of the Muslims in preserving the environment, and developing agriculture, irrigation and caring for animals. They left a heritage and it is our responsibility to uphold.

May Allah make us means to preserve our environment. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. JazakAllahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam