At some level, we have a responsibility as both citizens and Muslims in caring for the environment and our communities’ well-being. As we head toward a more industrial-based future, the question of sustainability immediately comes to mind. This is especially critical as the majority of urban expansion in the future is expected to occur in developing countries. We must look at how we can integrate and adopt sustainable changes within our cities and towns. It is a fact that urbanization slowly exerts pressure on freshwater supplies and living health, making this a valid and immediate concern in regard to our inevitable future.
Here, we will discuss how sustainable development goal #11 can pertain to our everyday lives as we interact with our immediate community especially if you live in densely populated regions. Making cities sustainable and inclusive aligns with the wordings of Allah:
“Do good, even as God has done you good, and do not pursue corruption in the earth. God does not love corrupters” (Surah Al-Qasas-77)
وَابْتَغِ فِيمَا آتَاكَ اللَّهُ الدَّارَ الْآخِرَةَ وَلَا تَنسَ نَصِيبَكَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَأَحْسِن كَمَا أَحْسَنَ اللَّهُ إِلَيْكَ وَلَا تَبْغِ الْفَسَادَ فِي الْأَرْضِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُفْسِدِينَ
[1]
The concept of Islam and natural resources as an invested trust within mankind becomes even more crucial when you consider the unavoidable rapid urbanization of our neighbourhoods and communities. Part of the sustainable development goal #11 is that the world’s cities, though they make up just a measly 3 percent of Earth’s occupied land, consume 60-80 percent of energy, and are additionally responsible for producing up to 75 percent of carbon emissions [6].
As Muslims, whenever we discuss our duty toward the care of our environment, it always circles back to what we can achieve at an individual level. In regards to the care of sustainable communities, this is no different. Though the issue of resource and environmental mismanagement lies largely within the hands of corporations and governments, we still possess some power over being able to create some form of change through each of our actions.
Community involvement
Community involvement is an easy, direct way to participate in the sustainability and maintenance of your town/city’s nature reserves and spaces. It also provides an opportunity to educate yourself on local environmental concerns.
“Do good, even as God has done you good, and do not pursue corruption in the earth. God does not love corrupters”. (Surah Al-Qasas-77)
وَابْتَغِ فِيمَا آتَاكَ اللَّهُ الدَّارَ الْآخِرَةَ وَلَا تَنسَ نَصِيبَكَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَأَحْسِن كَمَا أَحْسَنَ اللَّهُ إِلَيْكَ وَلَا تَبْغِ الْفَسَادَ فِي الْأَرْضِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُفْسِدِين
[2]
Here are some tips to get involved with your community and to take your actions one step further…
As a community, we can participate in public initiatives regarding environmental care. If you live in a rural area, more often than not there are many sustainable initiatives due to the expanse of nature surrounding the community. For example, in my town, there are many opportunities to get involved in defending our local lake against the harm that waste generating plants can have.
Towns and cities tend to have different environmental interests and health concerns from one another. These differing community interests can be attributed to the disconnect between urban and rural sprawls as they continue to develop at their own pace. However, this gap between cities and towns may be closed with the impending complete urbanization of our future.
I advise you to check in with your local community centre or even any neighbourhood groups that focus on community development and support.
Strategic choices
Previously, I mentioned how cities are responsible for up to 70 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions that are generated [6]. If you live in a city, there are easy ways to curb your own personal impact on this statistic. Don’t be mistaken, these strategies can also be adapted to rural living environments.
The most obvious strategy is that there are many different transportation options that you can use instead of a car. In a city, these alternative transportation methods may be more trouble-free than using a car as traffic congestion and parking spaces often become issues within highly densely populated areas. I will restate some popular alternative transportation choices with their respective benefits:
- Biking
- Great exercise
- Cheaper than cars
- More enjoyable
- Public transportation
- Examples include city buses, subway stations, trams, trolleybuses, intercity rail, and shuttle buses
- Regional taxi
- Reasonable prices
- Convenience
- 24/7 services (can depend on your location, however)
- Carpooling*
- Carpooling with friends or coworkers is a great alternative
- You may have to chip in for gas but you will save money in the long term.
- Get to your destination just as fast
- Relax or utilize your time as a passenger to get some work done
- Skateboarding [4]
- Like biking, it is more enjoyable than driving
- Preferable for shorter routes as skateboarding is limited in how far it can take you in regards to how much energy you have.
- Cheap alternative
- Ridesharing
- Uber and Lyft are some examples of ride-sharing apps that may be available where you live
- Walking (if distance permits it)
- Health benefits
- Avoid parking hassles
- Reduce gas emissions
- Save money!
*Helpful tip! You can check with your workplace if there are any carpooling options for the company that is provided by external sources. For example, in Toronto Canada, a non-profit agency called pointA works in a coalition with the government to offer to provide sustainable commutes to employees in the workplace.
If you feel that you must have access to your own personal vehicle, and if you are able to afford it, I recommend trading in your car for a more sustainable vehicle such as hybrid cars or electric cars. Here are a few examples of energy-efficient models to give you an idea [3]
- Toyota
- Corolla Hybrid
- Prius
- Tesla
- Model S
- Model 3
- Hyundai Ioniq
*Diesel-run cars Before moving on, I want to briefly discuss diesel-run cars. They have a reputation as sustainable vehicles and are usually bought under the impression that the pollution they are responsible for is minimal compared to petrol-run cars. To clarify, diesel is worse for your local environment [7]. The particulate matter that it expels is more dangerous for your health than the emissions than petrol cars produce [7]. However, diesel engines are found to be more efficient, so the amount of greenhouse gases that you put into the atmosphere is less than petrol [7].
Investing in public transit can reduce gas emissions, increase the health of our citizens, and save lives as a result of the reduced health care spending because of air pollution. Making the switch from such a dependency on automobiles to alternative transportation options instead can open up room for more green spaces. This ties into one of the targets under development goal #11, as providing safe and accessible public spaces within industrial-dominated environments can aid in bringing back the strong connection we once had with Earth and nature [6].
Here, I will reiterate the importance of land reclamation as stated in this Hadith:
“If a Muslim plants a tree or sows seeds, and then a bird, or a person or an animal eats from it, it is regarded as a charitable gift (sadaqah) for him.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari) [5]
Outdoor spaces provide a multitude of benefits to humans. From our physical health to our mental wellbeing, we can derive a number of perks from environmental spaces, such as:
- Community engagement
- Therapeutic spaces
- Aesthetic enhancement in a region dominated by high-rise buildings and man-made structures.
- Potential opportunity for local food production
- Possibility for an interactive learning experience
Though we as individuals may not have the power to easily create parks and spaces, we can still maintain our connection to nature in different ways. This will bring me to my next point…
Home & Lifestyle Choices
Integrating plant life within our homes is a great way of maintaining the natural aspect of our planet. Not only does it provide a multitude of benefits in terms of aesthetics and therapeutics, but we can also utilize indoor plants for other purposes. For example, indoor plants can freshen up the air and eliminate harmful toxins by releasing oxygen and absorbing carbon dioxide [8]. If you live in an area where air pollution is severe enough that your health may be greatly affected over time, then indoor plants are great for you as you are integrating nature into both your home and life.
Studies have shown that indoor plants improve concentration and productivity by up to 15 per cent [8]. Because greenery and nature can provide a positive environment and reduce stress levels, they can help us feel more relaxed in the long term. In modern society, there are many ways in which our environments become stress inducers either due to the continuous negative news reports we see or our social media feeds, or the way in which importance is placed on productivity and work culture. This is why it is important to introduce some environmental strategy into your home that provides stress relief and greenery. If you cannot find greenery outside, then you should find some way to bring it inside. You can also use these indoor plants for medicinal or edible purposes.
This brings us back to the importance of plant preservation and sustainability: “Whoever plants a tree and looks after it with care, until it matures and becomes productive, will be rewarded in the Hereafter” (Sahih Al-Bukhari)
Conclusion
If you live in a highly-populated area such as a city, there are ways in which you can educate yourself on local environmental concerns as well as learning the implementation of sustainable strategies, as urbanization starts to rapidly dominate all corners of the world. It is critically important to comprehend this subject not just as humans but as Muslims if we want to be able to continue living in cities dominated by skyscrapers and industrial buildings.
I will leave you with one last Islamic reminder as a gentle prompt on how important it is to maintain the environment and cleanliness of your community:
“Beware of the three acts that cause you to be cursed: First, relieving yourself in shaded places (that people utilise), in a walkway or in a watering place…” (Hasan by Al-Albani) [1]
Resources
[1] Abumoghil, I. (2019, August 23). Islamic principles on sustainable development. Retrieved May 09, 2021, from //www.ecomena.org/islam-sustainable-development/
[2] Ayah al-Qasas (the STORY, stories, the Narrative) 28:77. (n.d.). Retrieved May 09, 2021, from //www.islamawakened.com/quran/28/77/
[3] Best environmentally-friendly cars. (2020, February 16). Retrieved May 09, 2021, from //www.whichcar.com.au/car-advice/best-environmentally-friendly-cars
[4] Chisham, E. (2020, June 08). Seven car alternatives and their benefits. Retrieved May 09, 2021, from //www.wheelsforwishes.org/news/car-alternatives/
[5] Faith and nature. (n.d.). Retrieved May 09, 2021, from //blogs.ntu.edu.sg/hp331-2015-08/animals-and-plants/#:~:text=The%20value%20of%20plants%20in,(sadaqah)%20for%20him.%E2%80%9D
[6] Goal 11 | Department of economic and social affairs. (n.d.). Retrieved May 09, 2021, from //sdgs.un.org/goals/goal11
[7] Diesel cars not as green as perceived. (n.d.). Retrieved May 09, 2021, from //www.airclim.org/acidnews/diesel-cars-not-green-perceived#:~:text=A%20recent%20study%20has%20reviewed,cent%20more%20carbon%20per%20litre.
[8] Lee, S. (2017, July 13). Why indoor plants make you feel better. Retrieved May 09, 2021, from //www.nbcnews.com/better/health/indoor-plants-can-instantly-boost-your-health-happiness-ncna781806