Francesca De Chatel
“There is none amongst the believers who plants a tree, or sows a seed, and then a bird, or a person, or an animal eats thereof, but it is regarded as having given a charitable gift.” (Al-Bukhari)
The idea of Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) as a pioneer of environ-mentalism will initially strike many as strange: indeed, the term “environment” and related concepts like “ecology”, “environmental awareness” and “sustainability”, are modern-day inventions, terms that were formulated in the face of the growing concerns about the contempo-rary state of the natural world around us.
And yet a closer reading of this hadith, reveals that he was a staunch advocate of environmental protect-ion. One could say he was an “environmentalist avant la lettre”, a pioneer in the domain of conservation, sustainable development and resource management, and one who constantly sought to maintain a harmonious balance between man and nature. From all accounts of his life and deeds, we read that the Prophet had a profound respect for fauna and flora, as well as an almost emotional connection to the four elements, earth, water, fire and air.
He was a strong proponent of the sustainable use and cultivation of land and water, proper treatment of animals, plants and birds and the equal rights of users.
(Source: “Prophet Muhammed: A Pioneer of the Environment” - Francesca De Chatel)
