The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Prof. Ahmad At-Tayyeb, stated that environment conservation witnesses a crisis, or rather a ‘catastrophe’; and if the reign is left in the hands of the reckless who tamper with Allah’s graces on earth and sky, then none would escape the destructive consequences of such tampering in the East or the West. On top of those suffering destructive consequences shall be the ones who rebel against the limits set by Allah and who mock His Divine Revelation and Guidance. The Grand Imam asserted that human-environment relationship is not sheerly material, but is rather a relationship based on responsibility, principles, and morals.

In this speech during the UN celebration of the World Environment Day, today (Friday), the Grand Imam commented on a serious phenomenon that has recently emerged, that is the claims by some countries to “ownership” of certain natural recourses, aiming to gain singlehanded control of it in a way that harms life in other countries. He averred that for those who believe in it and respect its laws, religion clearly dictates that ownership of natural resources that are indispensable for people’s lives are commonly owned, and that they should never be left for a single individual, people, or country to unilaterally control it, to the exclusion of other countries sharing it. He then added that such is one of the pressing issues regarding corruption on earth, and that the world should stand together in collaboration before such corruptive tendencies transfer to other similar environments.

The Grand Imam further asserted that water in its broadest sense, from the drop to the rivers and seas, comes at the top of such indispensable resources, as religious laws dictate that its ownership should be common and collective, forbiding singlehanded or exclusive control of it by any certain individual, people, or country. Such singlehanded restrictive control means denying others a right granted to them by Almighty Allah; they control things that they do not own in the first place. According to the Grand Imam, such accentuated religious forbiddance of exclusive control of natural resources is due to the fact that Allah has made water the source of all forms of life and thus it is Allah alone Who owns it, as He |Almighty sends it down from the skies and means it as a common property for all humans. No human has ever created a single drop of water so that they could claim ownership of it that entitles them to exclusive control of it. So, whoever exclusively controls it is unjust and transgressive; and respective local, regional, and international entities should protect the people’s rights by holding the transgressor back and preventing it from its excess and corruption on earth. HE confirmed that religion warns the believers against corruption on earth, as Almighty Allah says, “Do not spread corruption in the land after it has been set in order.” (Qur’an, 7: 56) HE also noted that no human is totally free in spreading corruption on earth, neither in land, sea, or air. Nature, in all its manifestations, factors, and resources, is owned by Almighty Allah, and it is unlawful then for humans to treat it in any way other than as a trust to be watched over by them, being accountable before their Lord and their conscience. The Grand Imam further noted that alongside Islam’s assertion of the theory of cosmic love, it denounces the theory of vanquishing or subverting nature, which is embraced by our contemporary materialist civilization, leading to subversion of human goodness and pure instinct. It also leads to the extinction of diverse species in land, sea and air and the inducement of environmental problems including water scarcity, global warming, desertification, erosion of fertile land, and food baskets shrinkage.

Then, the Grand Imam concluded with a rule to be observed even during battling with the enemies, namely that the Muslims are forbidden to kill women or children in the enemy army. The Muslims are also forbidden to kill monks in monasteries or farmers in fields. Likewise, they are forbidden to demolish buildings in the enemy country or kill animals – except for indispensable need and in proportion to satisfying such a need only--or uproot or burn plants, especially palm trees. He then added that you may be astonished to learn that it is forbidden in Islam to disperse, drown or burn bees.

For him, there are several Islamic teachings and Prophetic instructions regarding religious and moral responsibility for the environment, including land, sea and air.

The full text of the Grand Imam’s speech thus runs as follows:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Ever Merciful

Praise be to Allah. May Allah’s Peace, Mercy and Blessings be with you!

 This word of mine is not meant to propagate the precedency of Islamic Sharia over contemporary international laws and charters in the field of environment conservation. This is none of my intentions. Rather, I mean to let you listen to the sound of “religion” on this crisis or, so to speak, on this ‘catastrophe.’ If the reign is left in the hands of the reckless who tamper with Allah’s graces on earth and sky, then none would escape the destructive consequences of such tampering, in the East or the West. And those reckless are rebelling against the limits set by Allah and mocking His Divine Revelation and Guidance.

Dear respected attendees!

 Briefly speaking, we can first assert that in the philosophy of divine religions, humans’ relation to the cosmos is one of mutual love; and humans are earthly creatures, in terms of creation, growth and eventual return to it at the end of their life journey. Besides, Allah’s Discourse to the believers on this issue is clear in the Glorious Qur’an: “From the earth We have created you, and into it We will return you, and from it We will bring you back again.” (Qur’an, 20: 55)

     So, there is the false claim that humans-environment relationship is merely material-wise, involving nothing more than food, drink and bodily desires. In fact, it is a relationship based on responsibility, principles, and morals, taking into account the aesthetic aspects instilled by Allah in nature and that appreciation of beauty is intrinsic in the humans. Even callous persons cannot satisfy their material desires without turning to the beauty, splendor, and magnificence with which nature is characterized. In all heavenly messages, thus, Almighty Allah reminds the humans of such beauty and urges them to contemplate its manifestations as a way towards knowing and believing in Him. Pondering on the Qur’anic verses that underscore Almighty Allah’s utterly perfect creation of everything induces a sense of responsibility towards this beautifully-ordered cosmos, a feeling comparable to a child’s warm feelings towards a tender mother, given that the earth itself is a second mother to the humans.

Hence, religion warns the believers against spreading corruption on earth: “Do not spread corruption in the land after it has been set in order.” (Qur’an, 7: 56) It also notes that no human is at all free in spreading corruption on earth, neither in land, sea, or air. In all its manifestations, factors, and resources, nature is owned by Almighty Allah; and it is unlawful for humans to treat it in any way other than as a trust to be watched over by them, being accountable before their Lord and their conscience.

While Islam asserts the theory of cosmic love, it denounces the theory of vanquishing or subverting nature, which is embraced by our contemporary materialist civilization, leading to disturbance of human goodness and pure instinct, besides the extinction of diverse species in land, sea and air and the creation of environmental problems, including water scarcity, global warming, desertification, erosion of fertile land, and food baskets shrinkage.

Respected attendees!

A pressing need regarding corruption on earth is that the world should stand together in collaboration before such corruptive tendencies transfer to other environments, given the recent claims by some countries to “ownership” of certain natural recourses and singlehanded control of it in a way that harms life in other countries. For those who believe in it and respect its laws, religion clearly dictates that ownership of natural resources indispensable for people’s lives are commonly owned; and they should never be left for a single individual, people, or country to unilaterally control it to the exclusion of other countries sharing it!

Here, water, in its broadest sense starting from the drop to the rivers and seas, comes at the top of such indispensable resources, as religious laws dictate that its ownership should be common and collective, forbidding singlehanded or exclusive control of it by any certain individual, people, or country. Such singlehanded, restrictive control means denying others a right granted to them by Almighty Allah; they control things that they do not own in the first place.

Such accentuated religious forbiddance of exclusive control of natural resources is due to the fact that Allah has made water the source of all forms of life and thus it is Allah alone who owns it, as He Almighty sends it down from the skies and makes it a common property for all humans. No human has ever created a single drop of water so that they could claim ownership of it that entitles them to exclusive control of it. So, whoever exclusively controls it is unjust and transgressive, and respective local, regional, and international entities should protect the people’s rights by holding the transgressors back and preventing them from their excess and corruption on earth.

Honorable attendees!

 There is a lot to be said about the Sharia of Islam and of its preceding heavenly laws, which exceeds the remit of this speech. Yet, I shall conclude my word with a reference to a single rule that should be observed in cases of fighting enemies. In such cases, the Muslims are forbidden to kill women or children in the enemy army. The Muslims are also forbidden to kill monks in their monasteries or farmers in their fields. Likewise, it is forbidden to demolish buildings in the enemy country, or kill animals – except for indispensable need and in proportion to satisfying such a need only--or uproot or burn plants, especially palm trees. You may be astonished to learn that it is forbidden in Islam to disperse, drown or burn bees.

Still, there is a lot to say about the dictates of the Glorious Qur’an and the commandments of the Prophet of Islam (pbuh), the Prophet of fraternity and mercy, on the religious and moral responsibility towards conserving the environment: earth, land, and air; but it goes beyond the scope of this speech.

Thanks for your kind attention.

May Allah’s Peace, Mercy and Blessings be with you!

Ahmad At-Tayyeb

Grand Imam of Al-Azhar 

Shawwal 22, 1442 AH

June 3, 2021