Environmental Protection in the Light of Islamic Da‘Wah: Purposes and Values

Environmental pollution has become a threat to all living species both on the land and on the sea. No longer there are people or countries far away from this pollution, everyone is affected by pollution. Unfortunately, many people, especially Muslims, are not aware of the danger of this environmental catastrophe that hit our planet, which threatens everyone. Ruining the environment reflects an imbalance in the relationship between the environment and mankind, causing many scholars to believe that human behavior is the fundamental problem causing impairment of the environment by visible widespread pollution. As many Muslim societies are not aware of Islamic da‘wah cultural values. These values stress Muslims’ role and importance in purifying and preserving environment from pollution. However, they are not aware of the nature and function of man in his capacity as a vicegerent of Allah in the land in accordance to the solemn pledge which Allah made them testify of themselves. This shows the importance of this paper, which seeks to define the environment in accordance with the concept of Islamic da‘wah and analyze the purpose of mankind therein. The study highlights the purposes of the Islamic da‘wah and values on environmental cleanliness and the elimination of pollution. The paper adopts descriptive and analytical approaches in dealing with protecting environment through the empirical treatment of references and sources of the original Islamic da‘wah, which promotes all sharia purposes and values in protecting the environment from all destruction. The study concludes with a number of important recommendations and findings, such as the necessity to employ da‘wah approach in environmental protection in accordance with the purposes and values of Islamic law; formation of a scientific da‘wah committee specializing in da‘wah, law and environmental sciences through developing legislation necessary for the environment protection; formation of an Islamic association globally to take advantage of the rules established by Islamic Da‘wah; set up an Islamic da‘wah media campaigns to raise awareness of pollution and damage to the environment by applying principles like: preventing mischiefs is better than bringing benefits, Islamic da‘wah, hisbah doctrine and virtue promotion and vice prevention to environment restoration.