Prospering Environment, Preventing Natural Damage
By: Widi Kusnadi, from the Al-Fatah Islamic Boarding School, Cileungsi, Bogor, West Java
Various disasters hit several countries. The latest news we saw, in the State of Pakistan, major floods submerged a third of the country’s territory. Thousands of people died, millions more lost their homes and had to take refuge in their own country.
These various disasters should be a material for reflection for anyone, especially for Muslims about how humans relate to their Lord, fellow humans and the surrounding environment. It is very possible, the disaster occurred because of human activity.
In the 61st verse of the Qur’an, Surah Huud, Allah Ta’ala says:
وَإِلَىٰ ثَمُودَ أَخَاهُمْ صَٰلِحًا ۚ قَالَ يَٰقَوْمِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَٰهٍ غَيْرُهُۥ ۖ هُوَ أَنشَأَكُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱسْتَعْمَرَكُمْ فِيهَا فَٱسْتَغْفِرُوهُ ثُمَّ تُوبُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِ ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّى قَرِيبٌ مُّجِيبٌ (هود : ٦١)
“And to Thamud (We sent) their brother Saleh. Saleh said: “O my people, worship Allah, you have no god but Him. He has created you from earth and made you prosperous, therefore ask for His forgiveness, then repent to Him, Verily my Lord is very near (His mercy) and accepts (the prayer of His servant).”
Shaykh Muhammad Sulaiman Al Asyqar in his commentary, Zubdatut Tafsir Min Fathil Qadir explains the words: اسْتَعْمَرَكُمْ ا (and makes you prosperous), that is, making you human beings as creatures who are tasked with prospering the earth by building shelter and planting trees.
The word prosperous in Arabic has a broader meaning than the meaning in Indonesian. That broad meaning is intended in the Qur’an. This means that the prosperity of the earth does not only make the inhabitants of the earth (humans) feel economic prosperity and the fulfillment of physical needs, but more broadly, namely regulating humans to live in order and sustainability under the auspices of the Shari’a of God Who Created.
The definition of prosperous that we can understand is the term prospering the mosque. Prospering the mosque is how to make the existence of the mosque provide maximum benefit to the surrounding residents, physically and spiritually, morally, and spiritually.
Prospering the mosque is not just making the mosque beautiful and magnificent physically, but how to enforce the five daily congregational prayers in it, there is a study and study of knowledge for the congregation, social activities for residents, programs for children and adolescents, to also provide benefits to the community.
How can mosques benefit the dead? This is done by praying for them, taking care of them, preserving their heritage and good habits, as well as providing support to those they left behind, both materially and non-materially.
Returning to the context of prospering the earth in the verse above, it means that the existence of this earth should be able to provide benefits to humans on an ongoing basis, not only for us to enjoy but also for our children and grandchildren, generations after us, they also have the right to live and benefit from this earth.
Humans on duty must protect and preserve the earth with all its contents, but the reality is that, at this time we are witnessing and feeling, humans are exploiting and even destroying the earth.
As a result, environmental damage occurs on land and sea, resulting in fatal consequences for human life. Various disasters have occurred as a result of the impact of environmental damage, such as; flash floods, landslides, rising sea levels, tsunamis that reached the mainland with full force that claimed many lives and great property, due to the damaged mangrove forest.
Moreover, ozone depletion causes skin cancer in humans and damage to plants, extinction of species, pollution of air, water, and soil that endanger human health and survival.
Not to mention the threat of a food and energy crisis that is currently being felt by some of the earth’s population. The world’s food institutions have warned that several countries in Africa are already experiencing hunger. In addition, the consequences of endless wars add to the long list of refugees, and the threat of other crises.
Allah warns in His word, sura Ar-Ruum verse 41:
ظَهَرَ الْفَسَادُ فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِي النَّاسِ لِيُذِيقَهُمْ بَعْضَ الَّذِي عَمِلُوا لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ (الروم : ٤١)
“Corruption has appeared on land and in the sea due to the deeds of human hands, so that Allah may feel for them some of the (results of) their actions, so that they return (to the right path)”.
Environmental damage occurs because of the greed of humans who exploit nature without considering its sustainability. Humans arbitrarily turn forests into plantation and industrial areas, clear forests uncontrollably, dig mines, pollute the environment with pollutants, dispose of industrial waste indiscriminately, and other injustices, which clearly have a negative impact on environmental sustainability.
The various damages did not happen suddenly. There is a root cause. According to this verse, the root cause is: bimâ kasabat aydî al-nâs (caused by the actions of human hands). Ibn Kathir and Al-Syaukani agree, the meaning of the word kasabat aydî al-nâs is immoral and sinful.
Thus, the verse above ensures that the root cause of the occurrence of damage on earth is a violation and deviation from the sharia provisions of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala.
Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala created man, his main task is as caliph (Al-Baqarah: 30). The main task of the caliph in addition to worshiping and worshiping Allah is to protect and preserve the earth by maintaining order in life on it and prospering it.
Islam gives early warning, through the noble Qur’an, in seeing damage and disasters, the main causes of which are human moral decay.
If humans are able to make improvements, advise each other in goodness, work together in amar-ma’ruf nahi munkar, and are sincere in carrying out their duties and mandates, based on faith and devotion to Allah Ta’ala alone, then Allah will surely open doors. Blessings from the heavens, the earth and all the corners of the earth.
However, if humans are negligent, continue to commit disobedience without stopping, feel arrogant, arrogant, anti-critic and feel the most self-righteous, then Allah will send down trials, slander, and even punishment. All of this is done, so that humans want to return to divine rules, repent, regret themselves, for sins and mistakes that have been made, and return to make improvements.
May Allah always forgive our sins, protect us from the punishment and punishment, so that we return to the Divine Rabbi with His mercy and forgiveness, Ameen Ya Rabbal Alamiin. (T/RE1)
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
