Preservation of the earth is a trust pledged to humankind, who are explicitly forbidden to cause corruption on it. Humanity is responsible for these crises, given their violent and immoral treatment of nature and other living human and non-human creatures. The worlds of humans, animals, plants and inanimate objects are living worlds that worship and glorify the Lord in different languages.

The stance of Islamic intellect on climate change crisis is grounded on clear Qur’anic texts that are quite clear on the religious obligation to respect the environment.

The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Prof. Prof. Ahmad At-Tayyeb stated, “The recent crisis hitting our today’s world is that of climate change and environment (degradation). The worst threats under such crises include rise in temperatures, outbreak of fires in forests, the melting of mountain glaciers (causing sea-level rise), and the extinction of many animal and plant species. All these signs are becoming clearly visible in a disturbing manner that drove officials in the East and the West to raise alarms and hold global conferences to combat the causes of such catastrophe and to work hard on preventing it and criminalizing its perpetrators”.

During his speech at Al-Azhar Conference on Climate Change, the Grand Imam added, “Challenges and Confrontation: What matters most for me, on the present occasion, is to register that what we read about the near consensus of philosophers that humans are the prime cause of such catastrophes through their violent and immoral treatment of nature and other human and non-human beings, their investment of all such crises in their own interest, be they powerful individuals, corporates or countries that are shortsighted. Second, I would like to underscore the stance of Islamic intellect on this crisis, a stance grounded on clear Qur’anic texts that establish the religious obligation of respecting the environment. This obligation is based on the fact that the quadruple cosmic existence of animals, plants and objects, besides humans, is not a dead world as it might seem. Rather, these are living worlds that worship and glorify the Lord in different languages that are not perceived by humans. And even if humans were destined to perceive such languages, they would have not been able to understand them”.

The Grand Imam then asserted, “The story of the beginning of creation as illustrated in the Glorious Qur’an indicates how, when Allah Almighty sent humans down to earth, they were entrusted as vicegerents of Almighty Allah on earth, responsible for that earth and mandated with the protection of it from corruption. It is a trust assigned to humans by the Almighty, being prepared for their benefit. Likewise, humans were explicitly forbidden to cause corruption on earth, as Almighty Allah says, ‘and cause not corruption upon the earth after its reformation. That is better for you, if you should be believers’.” (Qur’an, 7: 85)

The Grand Imam further asserted, “The Qur’an also drew our attention, fifteen centuries ago, to the fact that some people would cause corruption throughout the land and sea and that Almighty Allah would make them taste torment in the same way they cause corruption on earth so that they may be deterred “Corruption has appeared throughout the land and sea by [reason of] what the hands of people have earned so He may let them taste part of [the consequence of] what they have done that perhaps they will return [to righteousness].” (Qur’an , 30: 41) This verse is quite unique in its accurate description and representation of today’s reality.

He then reminded of the Qur’anic warning that causing corruption on earth, when it happens, will bring about consequences that extend beyond the perpetrators themselves into hitting those who remain silent about such crimes, “And fear a trial which will not strike those who have wronged among you exclusively, and know that Allah is severe in penalty.” (Qur’an, 8: 25)

Concluding his speech, the Grand Imam extended sincere thanks to Mr. Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, for his generous approval that the Al-Azhar conference be held under his auspices, which had a considerable impact on the proper preparation and organization of it.

The sessions of the Third International Scientific Conference on Environment and Sustainable Development will be held under the title: “Climate Change: Challenges and Confrontation” over three days (Saturday, Sunday and Monday), December 18-20, 2021, in Al-Manara Hall, Fifth Settlement, New Cairo, drawing on Al-Azhar’s endeavor to hold a number of conferences, seminars and workshops in preparation for, and in support of, the United Nations Conference COP27, hosted in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, in November 2022.