Islam and nature

The following speech was delivered by Farah Hernandez at the 13th Islamic Festival of Mértola on May 24, 2025.

Assalaamu Alaykum,

As you well know, the title of this talk is ‘Islam and nature’ but since that is broad, I would like to talk about the understanding that Islam gives us about our relationship with nature, and to give it a clear, accessible and easy to understand framework in a current context, I am going to use the framework offered by some already existing fields of reasoning that probably many of you already know since are being discussed more and more today in view of the current world situation.

For those who do not know them, I will explain them briefly.

Ecotheology

The first is ECOTHEOLOGY (an interdisciplinary field that explores the relationship between faith, nature and the environmental crisis. It investigates how religious beliefs and spiritual practices can influence our attitudes toward the environment and how theology can contribute to the resolution of ecological problems.

Some concepts related to eco-theology:

• Relationship between God and nature (analyzes how religion understands the relationship between God and creation)
• Sustainability and Responsibility (examines responsibility as humans and the need to live sustainably)
• Environmental ethics (investigates how religious beliefs can inform ethical decisions related to nature)
• Environmental Justice (explores the relationship between social justice and environmental justice)

SPIRITUAL ECOLOGY

The next framework that I will use for current context for this Islamic view that we are going to study is that of SPIRITUAL ECOLOGY as its name describes, it is an approach that seeks to connect ecology with spirituality.

The concepts with which he deals are:

• Connection between spirituality and ecology. (He sees nature as a sacred realm, a reflection of the divine, and a source of spiritual connection.)
• Care for the environment (promotes human responsibility by seeking a harmonious relationship with nature and not a relationship of domination.
• Awareness of interconnectedness (highlights the interdependence of all beings and the importance of harmony)
• And Integration since it includes multiple approaches, Eastern spiritualities, and indigenous worldviews that include life as a continuous act of prayer and gratitude, knowledge and relationship with nature.

Spiritual ecology seeks to generate a change of consciousness and a new paradigm for the relationship of human beings with nature, promoting a more integrative and sustainable vision, emphasizing the importance of contemplation, compassion and care in the relationship with nature. And it is proposed as a response to the socio-political structures of distancing from and lack of intimacy with creation and its sacred essence, which have been established in recent centuries.

Under this framework, ecology and spirituality complement each other. Only by being aware of our spiritual dimension, we will be able to know that we are part of a Whole, which will lead us to an attitude of admiration and respect, and no longer of domination and exploitation of the planet.

Wikipedia tells us that ‘The current trajectory has taken place predominantly in a Western Judeo-Christian context, colored by the capitalization of the world, and it is within this context that humanity experienced the loss of the sacred nature of creation and our disconnection from it, with devastating consequences.’

John Stanley says that ‘Our natural state is one of affinity with nature. And that there is a connection between our love and care for nature, our spiritual experience, and our moral sense.’

Thomas Berry, one of the most important writers on the subject of spiritual ecology, writes in one of his texts: ‘the universe is the supreme manifestation of the Sacred’, later he writes that ‘the deepest part of our separation from creation is in our forgetfulness of its sacred nature, which is at the same time, our own sacred existence’ and tells us that ‘we have to recover our vision, our abilities to SEE’.

As we can see, both theologies agree that it is critical to recognize and address the spiritual dynamics at the root of social and environmental degradation. And they indicate to us that the basis of the problem is in our forgetfulness and disconnection with the divine and that this spiritual disconnection from which we suffer goes parallel to the disconnection with nature, and with the disconnection with the essence of who we are.

The question is how to reconnect, how to remember what we knew and seem to have forgotten. But how do we return to that knowledge that we intuitively recognize? And where does this ‘return and reconnection’ that is spoken of lead us?

(As the word ‘reconnect’ itself indicates, we start from a notion that in some way, we have all been connected, and that connection is an intrinsic part of our condition as human beings.)

This is where, taking this thread that the current discourse gives us, we are going to try to understand this process under the lens of understanding that Islam offers us.

The first step to reconnect with nature is to recognize, as biologists like Kimmers tell us, or Sufi like al-Ghazali suggest, that ‘separation is part of the disease that occurs when we stop seeing nature as something living and sacred’

This is something that is very clear to Muslims.

Allah says in the Qur’an: “The seven heavens and the earth glorify him, even as all that are in them. There is not a single thing that does not glorify him by praising him, yet you do not understand his glorification.’ Surah Isra verse 44, and again in verse 1 of chapter 59. “Everything in the heavens and on the earth glorifies Allah and He is the Unsurpassed Peerless, the Wise” in these verses Allah is explicit in His bestowal upon all creation of a spiritual capacity for worship, and clarifies that, if we are not aware of it, it is only because of our lack of understanding.

In verse 1 of chapter 59 Allah says: “The stars and trees bow down in submission.”

Different versions of these verses appear in at least seven chapters of the Qur’an, but not only that, the Qur’an goes further with its description of nature as something living and sentient, when in Surat 99, verses 4 and 5 it tells us about the earth as a witness. “That day he will tell what he knows, by the inspiration of his Lord”

This degree that Allah bestows on nature with the ability to worship and bear witness to Him, forms an Islamic view of nature or creation, which is very far from the position we have reached today, and is closer to that ancestral or ‘indigenous’ way to which contemporaries call us. to see it as something alive and close, not only physically, but spiritually. A creation that is in constant adoration and is, so to speak, sacred.

The clear difference with these worldviews is that, in Islam, we do not worship creation because it has this ‘status’, but we worship only the creator, along with the rest of his creation.

This may seem to put us in some way, on the same plane as the rest of living beings. We exist and worship just like a tree or a mountain, under Divine will.

But here again, Allah marks our place in creation and bestows upon us the title of Khalifas of creation and thereby bestows upon us a degree above it in the following verses: “It is He who made you khulafa on earth, and He has raised some above others to test you with what He has given you.”

The first part of this verse lifts us up, the second part suggests a responsibility.

The term Khalifa or Khulafa, translates from Arabic as successor or representative.

If we add these verses of the Qur’an to the following verse of Surah 4: “Everything in the heavens and on the earth belongs to Allah. And His knowledge is all-encompassing,” together they give us an understanding of our position as caretakers of something that is not actually ours.

A central part of Islam’s belief is based on the principle of Amanah, a fundamental value that comes from this knowledge that everything, including our own bodies, is left to us in trust to Allah, for good use. Amanah from the same root as Imam (belief) can be translated as trust, the commission assumed, or loan.

And as with any loan, this comes with a liability.

This, in modern terms of spiritual ecology, is described by Robin Wall, when he talks about how when ‘our skills of observation and gratitude grow, we come to understand that to have a gift is also to have a responsibility’.

And when she speaks of this responsibility, she gives as an example the principles of ‘the honorable harvest’, a measure within indigenous beliefs, by which to be guided so that the transactions between all beings of creation are always beneficial for both the hand that receives and the one that gives.

In Islam, Allah bestows upon us the gift of the abundance of creation and reminds us not only that it does not belong to us, but that it is also for the benefit of all creatures, in surahs such as that of mercy, 55,9,10. “The earth has been created for all creatures” and in Surah 80:24-32, “Let man take heed at what he eats! It is true that we cause water to fall in the form of precipitation and then we cleave the earth into furrows and make the grain, vines, vegetables, olive trees, palm trees, lush gardens, fruits, pastures, grow in it for the enjoyment of you AND your flocks’

But in addition to this, when Allah grants us the rank of Khalifas on earth, He also gives us through the Qur’an and the example of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), a clear and detailed guide of the behavior we should adopt with His creation, establishing a divine law of parameters to follow, which ensure this harmony and well-being of all. and warns us not to fall into abuse.

This code of divine laws in Islam is called, the Sharia, or the clear way. Which literally translated as the path that leads to water, which makes us think of a path that flows.

This code is extensive and detailed and influences the way we act with all creation.

As far as our dealings with the natural world are concerned, it sets parameters in which codes such as the honorable harvest fit perfectly, where we insist on not taking more than we need and offering gratitude and care for what we receive (or as we would say in Islam, what we take in confidence)

In the code of honorable harvest, hunters see themselves as responsible for the care of their prey and their environment, establishing laws of how to hunt, where to hunt and when to hunt, in addition to the respect and care due to carrying out this need.

In Islam we use the terms Halal and Haram to establish these parameters, what is lawful or permitted and what is unlawful or not permitted.

And if we look for example at what makes an animal halal for us, we see that this goes far beyond a specific breed of animal, and that it is actually based on a whole series of conditions that have to be present in order for us to be allowed to slaughter an animal for our consumption. such as making sure that the animal is in good health, that it is of a minimum size and age, that it has not suffered, and that we have honored it with its due prayer before slaughtering it, among other things.

In fact, the Sharia even regulates the number of days a butcher can work, to ensure that he does not lose his sensitivity to the process of taking the life of an animal.

These laws ensure reciprocity and consideration with the animal, if we have not treated the animal with due care, respect and honor and have not slaughtered it following these principles, its meat is not allowed.

Likewise, we have innumerable Hadithes calling to us and this care, respect and consideration for everything. As it is the beautiful hadith where the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, he tells us to ‘do not waste water, even if you are in a river- when we do the obligatory ablutions.

Thus This Path or Sharia, together with the Sunnah of the Prophet, the Hadithes and the Islamic concepts of Rahma (compassion), Shukur (thankfulness), Tawazun (harmony), and Karam (generosity), unequivocally call us to profound fairness and respect towards all living beings, as they start from the knowledge that everything belongs to Allah and that everything in creation is a reflection of His attributes, sacred to us.

These foundations, as behavior and consideration, permeate all aspects of a Muslim’s life. And its fruits are visible in the legacy that the Muslims left, for example, in Al-Andalus, where everything: art, architecture, sciences and even architecture, were based on this knowledge and left an aroma of harmony in everything they did.

But in addition to re-establishing the sanctity of creation, clarifying our position in it, and giving us clear guidelines for behavior in a way that brings us into harmony with it, this cosmological lens of Islam goes even further, and Allah constantly speaks to us of nature as a point of reflection and as a sign and guide.

In Surah 41, verse 53, Allah says, ‘We will make them see Our signs on the horizon and in themselves until the truth becomes evident to them.’

Surah 3 verse 190, “It is true that in the creation of the heavens and the earth and in the succession of day and night there are signs for the people of contemplation.”

One of the greatest Sufi Shayuj, Shaykh Mohammad ibn Al Habib, tells us in his famous Qasida “Reflect on the beauty of the way both the land and the sea are made and contemplate the attributes of Allah outwardly and secretly.

Then you would accept the reality of Tawheed with your whole being, and turn them away from all illusions, uncertainty and otherness.’

Certainly, this great Sufi assures us that simply by observing and reflecting deeply on the beauties of creation, we can come to understand and accept the reality of Tawheed (the unity of existence) with our whole being, not only intellectually, but with our whole being, which points to a deep, heartfelt knowing.

In another Qasida of his, we read “The attributes of Allah’s essence are hidden and revealed in parts of creation. And everyone who understands this subtlety is among the people of knowledge’

In Islam, the practice of observing nature in order to understand the deep meanings of the reality of existence is called Tafakkur, and Allah constantly calls us to it in the Qur’an.

Through this, a door will open to the sciences of Tawheed (the belief in the unity of God), which leads to a spiritual transformation and a state of understanding and worship that leads us by its own weight to understand and take, ways of being in harmony with our fitra (the natural essence of being)

And this is the answer to that question we asked ourselves at the beginning, of how to return and where that ‘reconnection’ takes us, Allah offers us His creation as a guide to understand this Truth of ‘being’ that we seem to have forgotten.

If we weave these truths that open up to us through observation and reflection, (through Tafakkur), and once we discover creation as a reflection of divine unity and greatness, our actions are transformed.

In a whole heart, generosity awakens generosity. In a relationship of love and admiration, acts of mutual care come naturally and are in fact one of the languages of expression of this love. When we honor something, when we love it, it comes naturally from us to want to protect and care for it.

We Muslims know that we cannot assume ourselves as separate from nature, since that would mean assuming ourselves separate from Allah.

And somehow, Allah with His mercy, has willed that we should never detach ourselves from nature and that we should not be able to break those bonds of unity with it, forcing us to remain united to it by becoming interdependent. (in fact, we depend on nature more than nature depends on us)

Our food comes from the earth, and the health of our food depends on the health of the soil in which they grow. In order to breathe, we need oxygen and the health of our oxygen depends on the health of the trees.

But not only have We been linked to creation for Our sustenance, that today is easy to forget and most children today no longer know where the food they eat comes from, but, as Muslims, Allah has linked our obligatory rites of worship to nature.

Our prayers are marked by the movement of the sun, our sacred months begin with the sighting of the moon, it put the stars to guide us on the paths and our body, ends on the earth, without boxes or separations.

But we shouldn’t wait until we lack oxygen to turn around to look at the trees, nor should we resort to ecological calls ‘to save the earth’ to stop and reflect on the interconnection that exists between us and nature.

And the truth is that the greatest gift is not for nature through our care and respect, the greatest gift is the one that Allah gives us, which has made it possible that through the observation of His beautiful creation, we can come to know Him in His attributes and manifestations, elevating our spiritual capacity. And the gift of putting such clear and simple and accessible guidance, which allows us to access such profound knowledge, and in a way that even if we are not people capable of great intellectual reflection, we can come to this knowledge through the heart. By direct transmission of his divine manifestation in creation.

This is his promise, and this is his infinite Rahma and we have to claim it, we cannot allow the intoxication of these moments in which we live, to take us away from this beautiful truth that is part of the foundations of Islam.

And what if we simply followed this advice of observation and reflection with creation? if we could, with this lens that Allah offers us, see nature as something alive and wonderful, something that is in constant worship, replete with gifts and guidance for us?

If we could, for a few moments, reflect sincerely on the absolute perfection of creation and allow ourselves the gift of feeling part of it.

If we could open ourselves to honoring what we observe simply with our acknowledgment and thankfulness

For perhaps that moment of attention is the moment that inevitably precedes an exclamation of adoration, for there is no sincere heart that does not recognize the truth when it is given space for it.

And in that moment of sincere worship, we join the rest of creation and fulfill what the Qur’an assures us again and again, that everything in the universe, including us, was created as part of the unity of existence that pulsates in worship, love, and submission to divine guidance.

And it is for this reason, for all this, that our personal relationship with nature becomes something essential, because it has a key that can unlock tremendous secrets within us.

And Allah has made it easy, sweet, beautiful, pleasant. It’s not hard to watch a sunset. It does not require tremendous efforts to admit the beauty of a flower.

The greatest effort that is required at this time is not to allow ourselves to be blinded by distractions and lies. And as Muslims, not to fall into the erroneous and capitalist belief that ‘spending time observing nature is a waste of time’ and something we should do only as leisure. We never lose anything by doing something that Allah commands us to do. There are only profits in it. Even scientifically, for non-Muslims, it is proven in a thousand ways, such as spending time in communion with nature, leaves us with only benefit. Physical, mental and spiritual.

My invitation today is to follow your instincts, to listen to your eyes that want to observe and to your body that wants to be. That you allow yourselves to follow that inner calling. May you fall in love with this wonderful world in which we live, may you receive it as a divine gift, may you allow your children, from a young age, to forge a close relationship with nature, and may you do this with longing and with confidence that it will lead you to a place of Returning to being what you have been created to be.

The human being is the only created being who doubts the reason for his existence, but we have been given tools and ways to remember. And this one we are talking about today is one of them, as Allah promises us in the Qur’an.

Use it, it’s easy. She is beautiful.

Al Fatiha.