RELIGION, CLIMATE CHANGE, AND THE ROLE OF HUMANS
RELIGION, CLIMATE CHANGE, AND THE ROLE OF HUMANS
Prof. Dr. H. Nur Syam, M.Si
Director General of Islamic Education, Ministry of Religious Affairs
(Paper Presented in the International Conference on Climate Change and Local Wisdom: Living in Harmony within our Built Environment, Architecture Department of UIN Alauddin Makassar, February 13, 2013)
Introduction
Human and environment have reciprocal relationships and symbiotic mutualism. The reason why I mention “reciprocal relationships and symbiotic mutualism” is precisely because people live in the environment and the nature as the environment also needs human for its preservation. Therefore, human needs environment for their life and the environment also needs human for its preservation.
Human beings are created by Allah SWT as a caliph or successor. Allah explains in the Q.S. al-Baqarah (30): “wa idz qala rabbuka lil malaikati inni ja’ilun fi al ardhi khalifah”, meaning that: “And when your Lord said to the angels, behold I will create a chaliph in the earth”. Once, Angels diagreed with such an idea. And then they asked God whether such creatures –human beings– would not commit destruction and shed blood on earth, while we, the angels, always do compliment. But God said that He knows more what they don’t know “.
The Role of Humans in the Environment
In the Islamic perspective, humans have two main roles in their life. First is humans as “abdun” (Servants of Allah), and the second is human as a caliph or a representative of Allah on the earth. In the first role –human as “abdun”–, the main role of humans is to serve. Meanwhile, in the second role of humans, humans have mandates, responsibilities, authorities, and freedom to make a decision and to have a critical thinking. While in the first role of humans as “abdun”, humans tend to have greater benefits for themselves, the second role of humans as a caliph, they are likely to have greater advantages for others, including other humans and the universe.
It is commonly believed that humans have the role as “abdun” in their life. In this sense, humans interact with their God (Allah) as “Rabb”, not God as “ilah”. The word “ilah” which is then attributed with “al ma’rifat” so that becomes “Allah” is likely to have a meaning that God who is in His untouched sacred-transcendental palace. With this, God as “Ilah” should be downgraded into God who cares, gives rizqi, regulates the life of nature as well as human beings using His attributes of Grace and Mercy –Rahman and Rahim. This is what Hassan Hanafi mean by God who is there on the earth, not God who is there in His far-sacred-transcendental palace in the sky.
In the humans’ role as “abdun”, humans and the nature (environment) have the same posistion as the Creature –Makhluq– of Allah. With this, it is not humans who have authority to exploit the environment. However, they should live together with the nature or environment and utilize it appropriately by considering its sustainability. All creation of God is His servant or slave. Human and the nature as well as other creatures are the servants who always sanctify His name, who praised Him. Thus, the function of human in relation to their God as “Rabb” is as a servant or “Abdun”.
Man was undoubtedly created by God as a blueprint for the Best of creation. As his words: “Behold, I created man as the best of both creation” or “laqad khalaqna al insan fi ahsani taqwim “. However, if the man cannot become the best servant, their degree can be downgraded to worst creatures. It is as stated in the Holy Qur’an: “tsumma radadnahu asfala safilin”.
Then, the second role of human is as a man who has a relationship with each other and the natural environment. In this respect, the best concept is the concept of prayer. God commanded men to do the service of God and other “slavery” activities toward their God. One of them is through prayer (Shalat). Prayer (Shalat) describes the very good model of human-environment or nature relationship. Prayer (Shalat) begins with the name of the Supreme God, and then ends with a greeting (salam). It’s not enough just by words but also by actions, turned to the left and to the right. This means that a human being should spread Islam which is rahmatan lil alamin. Not only is the service of God the Almighty but also the service for safety and peace. This is what is called in the acedemic as well as practical world as “ritual piety” and “social piety”.
Islam is a very comprehensive doctrine. It focuses not only Human-God relations through ritual piety, but also human-to-human relations as well as human-environment relations. This is what Qur’an says “hablun minallah” and “hablun minan nas”. One should always keep a good relationship not only with God as “Rabb” and God as “Ilah”, but also with other humans. The values of the way God nurtures and gives love should become a model and inpire human in the way they interact with other human beings and the natural environments.
It is clearly understood that it is no longer sufficient by saying “hablun minallah and hablun minannas”, but also “hablun minal alam”, meaning to maintain good relationship with nature or environment. Humans must keep good relation with the nature. In order the nature gives its affection to humans, humans have to care and maintain the nature from destruction. Humans should not be arbitrary to explore the nature based on their own interests. Humans must maintain natural ecosystems for the sustainable life.
Climate Change and Environment Preservation
There are seven strategic issues that I will raise in this forum. First is the issue of the significance of improving the religious communities’s understanding on environmental issues. Second is cultural issues in which religious communities are likely to be increasingly permissive toward environment. Third is the need to increase awareness of the religious community to pay attention to environmental issues. Fourth is the importance of improving the quality of the “hablun minal alam”, besides “hablun minallah” and “hablun minannas”. Fifth is the need for strengthening the faith-based education in the modern era. The sixth is the issue to make religion as ideology used to manage environmental and natural resources. The seventh is the issue of the implementation of religious ethics in the utilization of natural resources and the environment.
Such seven issues about the relation between religion, society and the environment is perceived as something that is very needed in the midst of climate change and environmental sustainability. Why is this important? Among the very basic answer is the need for anticipatory action on climate change and environmental sustainability to be perceived by the world community, especially the people of Indonesia.
As we know that the issue of climate change is a global phenomenon, meaning that there are no people in the world who will not be separated from the problem of climate change. It is conceivable that when climate change happens, it will lead to changes in global temperatures or heating, and then systemically also will affect the melting of the polar north and south and then also will affect sea level rise and will lead also to the coastal areas and also communities in the coastal areas.
In Indonesia, climate change is expected to be able to submerge the 7000 tiny island in Indonesia, and it certainly will affect the number of islands in Indonesia, which were originally approximately 17,000 islands. The worst is that if the outer islands sink, it will also cause the narrowing the geographic area of the State of Indonesia.
That is why the Japanese government has always marked the outer islands adequately, so that if the outer islands sink, such an island can still be used as the outermost regions country. It must be remembered that through the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and the international law of the sea, the island located in the outermost regions of a country will determine the breadth of the territory.
Indonesian society would have to understand that climate change is something that had to happen. Hence, it is necessary to understand such an empirical reality, and then we need to respond that appropriately. For example, how religious people can anticipate climate change by not destroying the nature. With still suspected lack of understanding of religious communities about environmental issues, it is certain that they certainly have not thought about what to do to respond to climate change.
The obligation of Maintaining Environment
Suppose that a survey conducted in the community about permissiveness measures related to the environment, I believe that the result will say that our society will have a very high levels of its permissiveness toward environment destruction. It is certainly evident from the growing number of forest destruction in almost througout Indonesia. If we used to walking in the area formerly known as the forests, such an area will become barren because of the illegal logging committed by the society.
In the midst of this kind of reality, then the involvement of all components of the nation’s foremost leaders in the community are very important. Therefore, the presence of thought as expressed by Prof. Maman Abdurahman on “Eco-Terrorism” is very important (Reuters, 5/15/2011). In his opinion, the act of destroying the environment is an act of terror on people’s lives in particular. Damaging the environment will not only cause damage to the environment, but a far greater disadvantages (madharat) is associated with the intentional murder of all species of life.
we can imagine if only because the forest is broken, then there is no water, there will be a tremendous disaster. As we know that water is the lifeblood of nature, so when there is no source of life, it will certainly also will damage the nature itself.
Therefore, what is needed now is the action to plant (Gerakan Menanam) or tree planting movement (Gerakan menanam tumbuh-tumbuhan). If we plant a fruit tree which then such fruits can be eaten by humans, birds and other animals, then surely we have performed “sadaqah” to others. If the bird is then thankful to God because they can eat fruits, it can be ascertained that the planting of the fruit will be rewarded. Similarly, when people are grateful about it, then it will surely also be a charity of jariyah. With this, it is clear that Tree Planting Movement not only has the profane meaning, but also has the sacred meaning.
Movement to plant trees can certainly be encouraged by the preachers, religious leaders, community leaders and others. Because Indonesian society are still likely to follow paternal filiation, it will require the movement coming from their leaders and elites. Thus, the behaviour of the figures or leaders should reflect the environmental awareness.
The figures or leaders are an agent of environment. It could be expressed as a green agent. Movement to plant trees should be as important themes in the various actions and activities. The preacher, the preacher, the politicians, the bureaucrats and so on should make the green agent as a central theme in the activities.
That is why eco-terrorism or green agent will only be successful if all stakeholders give supports. It is necessary to have collective awareness in terms of preserving environment. That is why protecting the environment is an obligation and destroying environment will be seriously not allowed to do (haram).
If the argument of religion have been agreed and then it is used as a guide, there is no longer any reason to take action of damaging the environment, because environmental damage is an act of guilt that will be accounted for in the face of Allah or God.
Wallahu A’lam Bi al Sahawab.
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