FROM THE EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

We all agree that pollution adversely affects our environment and our quality of life, as it affects the very air we breathe. If the most basic need of humans, i.e the air we breathe is not of good quality, other things are not going to be of much help for us to be healthy. From the Islamic point of view, pollution of any kind is against the scheme of God the Creator. Islam tells man that it is his duty to maintain the purity of nature. Failure to do so is, in religious terms, a sin and in legal terms, a crime. The Quran says: Do not corrupt the land after it has been set in order. This is for your own good, if you are true believers. (7: 85) Corruption has appeared on land and sea because of the evil which men’s hands have done: and so He will make them taste the fruit of some of their doings, so that they may turn back from evil. (30: 41) In the above verses, the Quran refers to land pollution and water pollution by name but, in their general application, all kinds of pollution are included, such as air pollution, noise pollution and everything else which spoils the peace and tranquillity of the environment. The message of these two verses is that God Almighty has created things in their best order and man is allowed to enjoy these things for his own benefit. But he is not allowed to destroy the balance of nature. Man was born as a free creature, but the test for him lies in not misusing the freedom. On the other hand he should use the freedom for contributing constructively towards society. Freedom is meant to bring out the creativity which benefits humankind. Man can pollute nature, but he does not have the power to create another world. So, becoming sinful before God and depriving humankind of the only source of life, that is, nature, is a double loss for man. This state of affairs requires man to be very careful and cautious, otherwise he will be compelled to pay a heavy price for his negligence. Islam—The Religion of Nature Islam has its unique ways of drawing the attention of man towards sustainable living. It gives a broad spectrum of principles and instils in Islam tells man that it is his duty to maintain the purity of nature. Failure to do so is, in religious terms, a sin and in legal terms, a crime.