The Relationship between Two Specific Views in Islamic Theology and Environmental Destruction

Abstract

The planet is facing an unprecedented and dangerous environmental crisis, environmental problems such as consumerism, increase in human population, soil erosion, drought, drying up of rivers and lakes, destruction of forests and plants, extinction of insects and animals, use of fossil fuels, greenhouse gas production, etc. Muslim countries such as Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Somalia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Egypt, Libya, and Sudan are also heavily involved with these problems. In Islamic theology, there are two influential approaches to the behavior of Muslims, which have caused the destruction of the environment in Islamic countries. The first approach is the Anthropocentric doctrine in Islamic theology. According to this view, Muslims believe that man is the supreme being on earth and God’s successor on it (Khalīfa Allāh), and everything on earth is created for man’s use. The second approach is the Apocalyptic attitude (ākhir al-zamān) in Islamic theology. This view has also had an inappropriate effect on the behavior of Muslims toward the environment, because according to this approach, Muslims are waiting for the occurrence of Apocalyptic events that will lead to the destruction of the earth, and consequently in the end, the environment will be completely destroyed. For protecting the environment in Islamic countries, these two very influential attitudes toward the behavior of Muslims must be changed.