Caretakers of the Earth!

Bismillah Ir-Rahman, Ir-Raheem. I begin with ALLAH's auspiciousness,whose Name is the Best among all the names. All Revences, All Sanctities and All Worships are due to ALLAH alone. Ashahadu An Laa illaaha illal llahu
Wa Ash Hadu Anna Muhammadan Abdu Hu Wa Rasooluhu
''I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah
who is without partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) is the Rasool.''
"O Allah, Shower Your Peace come upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as you have brought peace to Ibrahim and his family.
Truly, You are Praiseworthy and Glorious. O Allah, Shower your blessing upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as you have blessed Ibrahim and his family. Truly, You are Praiseworthy and Glorious". Iam Satisfied with Allâh as My Rabb and Cherisher,Iam Satisfied With Islam as My Din(religion) and I am satisfied with Muhammad as a Rasulallah (Messenge r)sallallahu alaihi was salam) I seek Protection with ALLAH! With the Glorious and Noble Face of ALLAH! With the Complete and Perfect words of ALLAH! With the Exalted Attributes of ALLAH! From the Punishment of Hell; From chastisement in the Grave; From the Trial of Life and Death; From the Mischief of the dajjal. There is no power nor strength with (anyone) save Allah. ALLAH is Good and Only accept that which is Good. ALLAH is the Truth and only accept that which True. ALLAH is Pure and only accept that which is Pure. Ya ALLAH! ALL the praises are for You,You are the Holder of the Heavens and the Earth, And whatever is in them. Ya ALLAH! All praises are for You; You are are the Substaner of the Heavens and the Earth And whatever is in them. Ya ALLAH! All the praises are for you;You have the Possession of the Heavens and the Earth and whatever is in them. Ya ALLAH! All the praises are for You; You are Light(Nur) of the Heavens and Earth And whatever is in them. Ya ALLAH! All praises are for You; You are the King of the Heavens and th! e Earth And whatever is in them. Ya ALLAH! All praises are for You; You are the Truth and Your Promise is the Truth, And Your word is the Truth and the Meeting with You is true, And Parardise is True And Hell is true and All the Prophets(peace be upon them) are true; And Muhammad Rasulallah(sallallahu alayhi wa salam) is true,And the Day of Resurrection is True. Ya ALLAH! You have promise and Your promise is the truth,Ya ALLAH! You have promise and Your words is the truth, Ya ALLAH! You have promise and You are the Truth!. Ya ALLAH! You have created Rasulallah(sallallahu alayhi wa salam) to be the most truthful of men and what He(sallallahu alayhi wa salam) has said is the absolute truth! Ya ALLAH! You have promise that You would send one who would revive,restore,rejuvevate Your Din(religion).Ya ALLAH it is geting late and time is not with us,Ya ALLAH You have Promise! Ya ALLAH You have Promise! and Your Promise is the Truth!
-----I seek Protection with ALLAH! With the Glorious and Noble Face of ALLAH! With the Complete and Perfect words of ALLAH! With the Exalted Attributes of ALLAH! From the Punishment of Hell; From chastisement in the Grave; From the Trial of Life and Death; From the Mischief of the dajjal. There is no power nor strength with (anyone) save Allah. ALLAH is Good and Only accept that which is Good. ALLAH is the Truth and only accept that which True. ALLAH is Pure and only accept that which is Pure........ Our planet is at risk. If human beings continue to contribute to the destruction of the earth, the risk of greater harm increases for every generation. As global temperatures rise, oceans warm, ice sheets shrink, glaciers retreat and melt, sea levels rise, and extreme events – hurricanes, tsunamis, flooding, droughts, blizzards, and wildfires – we will continue to see the effects of human agency on the natural world around us. First, as Muslims we must undoubtedly recognize that the earth and everything upon it is entrusted to us. We are khulafā’ – caretakers and vicegerents – on earth. With our free-will, we hope to pass the test for which we were created and that includes taking good care of the earth and its environment.

Allah ﷻ says ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلْمَوْتَ وَٱلْحَيَوٰةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْغَفُورُ“[He is the One] Who created death and life in order to test you to see who is best in conduct, and He is the All-Mighty, the Ever-Forgiving (Qur’an 67:2).”

Being best in conduct, for us, comes from belief in objective truth coming from ALLAH, the supreme source. It also comes from morality that derives from that truth, having integrity and the self-awareness to direct our free will in a way that protects and preserves rather than neglects or violates.
We read in the Qur’an,

وَإِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ إِنِّى جَاعِلٌ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً ۖ قَالُوٓا۟ أَتَجْعَلُ فِيهَا مَن يُفْسِدُ فِيهَا وَيَسْفِكُ ٱلدِّمَآءَ وَنَحْنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَ ۖ قَالَ إِنِّىٓ أَعْلَمُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ“And when your Rabb said to the angels, ‘I am going to place a vicegerent on earth,’ they said, ‘Will You place in it someone who will spread corruption there and shed blood, while we glorify Your praises and proclaim Your holiness?’ He said, ‘I know what you do not know’” (2:30).

The angels were concerned about a human creature with free-will that would spread corruption in this world, but there is wisdom in the creation of agents with free-will who choose to do good, guided by objective morality, and striving for justice and the fulfillment of rights throughout their lives. Allah (SWT) commands us,

وَلَا تُفْسِدُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ بَعْدَ إِصْلَـٰحِهَا وَٱدْعُوهُ خَوْفًا وَطَمَعًا ۚ إِنَّ رَحْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ مِّنَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ“Do not cause corruption on the earth, after it has been set in order…” (7:56).

Unfortunately, the corruption (fasād) mentioned in this verse is precisely what we see in our lifetimes and have historically observed. The destruction of the environment, evident all around us, in addition to the violating of peoples’ rights, is nothing other than the fasad that Allah warns us to avoid.
Many of the harms we see in the environment are a result of our own actions, and oftentimes Muslims don’t realize the responsibility upon their shoulders in addressing environmentalism from an Islamic paradigm. We are approximately twenty-five percent of the world’s population and we certainly can make a difference in preserving the environment if we truly wanted to. Otherwise, the corruption that spreads in the lands and seas will continue to increase and it will inevitably beget more harm and evil.

ظَهَرَ ٱلْفَسَادُ فِى ٱلْبَرِّ وَٱلْبَحْرِ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِى ٱلنَّاسِ لِيُذِيقَهُم بَعْضَ ٱلَّذِى عَمِلُوا۟ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ“Corruption has spread on land and sea as a result of what people’s hands have done, that He may make them taste a part of what they have done so that they might return [to the Right Path]” (Qur’an 30:41).

According to this verse, corruption has spread because of peoples’ actions, and no doubt corruption requires a reference point and definition, and for believers it is guided by objective morality from the Qur’an and authentic ahadith. If we are to preserve the environment in order to protect the lives of current and future generations, we must decide today to reverse the harm done and to change our practices and lifestyles as necessary.
Allah created this earth for us to live upon it in harmony with nature and other creatures, to live healthy lives for His sake, and to benefit from natural resources in ways that are responsible and sustainable. While not all Muslims live in countries with excessive fossil fuel usage, many Muslims live in nation-states today where society generally promotes wasteful lifestyles, oftentimes in ways that are excessive and harmful to the environment. Furthermore, many oil-rich nations should focus on investments in sustainable energy industries rather than commit solely to oil production.
What Part Can Every Muslim Play?

وَلَا تُسْرِفُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُسْرِفِينَ

First, do not waste resources. “…Do not waste, for Allah does not like the wasteful” (Qur’an 6:141).
While conservation has many facets, the very least every Muslim can commit to is to avoid wasting within their own homes and environments. Wastefulness includes disposing of a significant amount of food that could have benefited others, using packaging and material that harms the environment and remains for years in the oceans, and engaging in an excessive form of hyper-consumerism that is indulgent, extravagant, and neglectful of using income and wealth to help others.
One day, Rasulallah (Sallallahu alaihi was salam) ﷺ passed by a companion, Sa’d, while he was performing ablution (wudu). Rasulallah (Sallallahu alaihi was salam)said, “What is this excess?” Sa’d said, “Is there excess with water in ablution?” Rasulallah (Sallallahu alaihi was salam)said, “Yes, even if you were on the banks of a flowing river” (Sunan ibn Mājah). Waste of food and water is unfortunately common in many households, Muslims included, and yet the first people who should be implementing the command of conservation should be the believers. Allah commands us:

۞ يَـٰبَنِىٓ ءَادَمَ خُذُوا۟ زِينَتَكُمْ عِندَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ وَكُلُوا۟ وَٱشْرَبُوا۟ وَلَا تُسْرِفُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُسْرِفِينَ“O Children of Adam! Dress well whenever you are at worship. Eat and drink, but do not waste. Surely He does not like the wasteful” (7:31).

Second, emphasize the importance of trees.

One of the greatest continuous charities is that of planting a tree. It is known from numerous authentic narrations that planting a tree is a virtuous deed for a number of reasons. Trees provide continuous benefit to those who utilize their resources for many generations thereafter, from the shade provided to a traveler on a hot day to the edible resources for both humans and animals, as well as the oxygen we benefit from locally and globally. In fact, the believer is likened in some authentic narrations (Bukhari) to a palm tree, for reasons such as their spreading of fruits (good deeds) to others, their roots being deep (beliefs and principles), and their continuous benefit year after year. This is the utilization of every part of the tree for some kind of benefit for people, animals, or the environment. Similarly, every part of the believer – their tongue, their eyes, their hands – does good and spreads good.
Third, recognize the nations of animals as communities.

وَمَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَا طَـٰٓئِرٍ يَطِيرُ بِجَنَاحَيْهِ إِلَّآ أُمَمٌ أَمْثَالُكُم ۚ مَّا فَرَّطْنَا فِى ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ مِن شَىْءٍ ۚ ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يُحْشَرُونَ“And there is no animal on the earth nor bird that flies on its wings but that are communities like you. Nothing have We left out of the Book. Then to their Rabb they will be gathered (Qur’an 6:38).

These communities live according to a divine ordering and measure, with a necessary ecological harmony, for purposes and wisdoms we may not always fully understand. What we do understand is that unnecessary deforestation and irresponsible capitalistic lifestyles that encourage hyper-consumerism and waste contradict Islamic ethics about human behavior and protection of the environment.
Fourth, strive to implement change at all levels. Having started on the individual level, we can expand our scope of action in a number of ways, including the following suggestions:

1. Discuss actions you can take with your family within your home. If you live alone, write out some suggestions for yourself and begin implementing your plans, and consider reaching out to a friend or group of friends to help one another with implementation strategies.
2. Keep in mind the impact of voting for candidates who care about the preservation of the environment as one of their declared values and priorities.
3. Reach out to local organizations such as your Islamic Center and ask what measures are in place to prevent waste and environmental harm. If nothing is in place, offer suggestions, guidelines, and resources that may incentivize the organization and its members to become more active regarding the environment.
4. Share with others what you learn about protecting the earth and the environment.

Finally, we should keep the remembrance of Allah ﷻ always in our minds, hearts, and on our tongues. We should seek His guidance, accept responsibility for vicegerency on the earth, and pray that our actions are continuously rewarded by Him. We, as humanity in general and Muslims in particular, have been given a divine solution through the Quran, which has given us a responsibility to be Khalifa, the caretakers of earth and all its inhabitants. Through the following Ayahs of the Quran (2:30-34), a metaphoric discussion between Allah and Allah’s Malaik, our creator has assigned the duties to us of being caretaker of earth and all its inhabitants.When your Rabb said to Malaik, “I am making Khalifa (caretaker) on earth,” they said, “Will You make someone who cause corruption and shed blood, whereas we strive persistently with your praise and sanctify You?” Allah Said, “I know what you do not know.” And taught Adam the names of all of them, then presented them to the Malaik and said, “Inform Me the names of these, if you are truthful.” They said, “We strive with our whole beings based on what you have commanded for us! We have no knowledge except what You have taught us. Indeed! You are the All-knowing, the All-wise” Said, “O Adam, inform them the names of these” And when Adam informed them the names, said, “Did I not tell you that I know the hidden secrets of the Skies and the Earth and that I give you knowledge what you would reveal and what you would conceal?” And when We said to the Malaik, “Do Sajda (follow the laws in humbly submissive manner) to Adam,” they all did Sajda, except for Iblees….”
We can only carry out these duties as caretaker of the planet and its inhabitants with the help of and after getting the knowledge of all the laws of nature, all powers and possessors of natural phenomenon in the universe, referred in Quran as the ‘Malaik’. Then and only then we are in the position to use these Malaik (natural laws, powers, elements, matters, etc.) for the benefit of humanity and in order to carry out our duties, because based on this knowledge we are able to have these Malaik subservient to us and have them obey our laws- the concept of Malaik doing Sajda to humanity. Thus, when the Quran uses the phrase for us, the humanity, as ‘Bani Adam’ it’s communicating to us our roles and responsibilities as caretakers of the planet earth and all its inhabitants, with the help and use of our knowledge of the laws of nature and natural phenomenon and our ability to make use of these natural treasures, the phenomenon and the forces of nature for the benefit of us, humanity and for every inhabitant of the planet. For instance, refer the following Ayahs 17:70
We have Karamna (privileged & honored) the Bani Adam, and as carriers of land and sea, and bestowed Rizq (all ways and means of nourishment, personality & character development) of the Tayyibaat (what’s pleasant and acceptable to us), and greatly favored them over many of those We created.
Thus, with us being the caretakers, and with the help of our knowledge of the Malaik and our intelligence, we, as humanity, are able to utilize and use all that is good for us, pleasant and acceptable to us, from all the sources of nourishment provided in the nature by our creator. This distinction of us, being made Khalifa- the caretakers of earth and all its inhabitants has given us a distinct preference over all the other creations of Allah. But we must never lose sight of the basis of this distinction, which is our duty as caretakers, first and foremost.