Environmental education in the Holy Quran

Abstract

The Holy Quran, the sacred Muslim religious book, is also a sum of principles and teachings covering all aspects of human life ‒ religious concepts, ethical and spiritual conduct precepts, and rules and regulations on various aspects of everyday life. Moreover, it comprises numerous rules on nature and environmental protection. About 750 verses (of 6236) refer to various aspects of nature, and to the relationship between man and nature. The aim of this paper is to analyse some of the many ecological verses, i.e. the ones that educate people in the spirit of nature conservation, sustainability and responsibility towards its preservation for future generations. The research question leading to the originality of this study was whether the Quranic verses comprise environmental teachings that address the various aspects of nature, the environment, and the interactions between humans and environmental components. The article highlights the eco-educational dimension of the Holy Quran by means of a qualitative investigation. It addresses the ecological considerations on the rational use of natural resources, ethical interactions between man and nature, and the rights of plants, animals and of the physical elements of the environment. For this study, we have used the Romanian translation of the Holy Quran, the third edition, translated by the Islamic and Cultural League of Romania (2004) and published by the Islam Publishing House, as well as the online translation of the Quran. The Holy Quran shows that nature is a whole, a complete and complex system, in which the components support and protect each other. If one component is affected, the order and functioning of the entire system, i.e. nature, are disturbed. In this respect, the Holy Quran has been promoting a holistic approach to the environment approximately 1300 years before the introduction of the academic concept of holism. The teachings of the Holy Quran support moderation of the human behavior in order to avoid excesses. This moderation can be described through three principles found throughout its pages: the principles of unity, balance and responsibility. The environmental teachings are obvious in the verses of the Holy Quran. In order to ensure a healthy environment, these teachings must be respected and put into practice on every level. As a conclusion, we can say that the Prophet Mohammed could be considered a pioneer of environmentalism, preservation, sustainable development and resource management.