An Islamic perspective on sustainable development in the context of globalization.

Abstract

Thesis (M.A)--University of Durban-Westville, 2004

Reaping the benefits of globalization without eroding the planet's capacity to sustain

human life is the greatest challenge faced by humanity in this new millennium. When

humans emerged in the world some two million years ago, their impact on the

environment was pretty small. Then the discovery of sciences tied the future of humanity

and sciences inextricably; upon sciences - but guided by universal moral principles -

depends the continuation of civilized human existence on earth. The past tells us so.

Without sciences, humankind was helpless before wind and storm, ravaged by plague and

disease, and terrorized by mindless superstitions. Wasted was the incomparable

instrument it possessed: the human mind. Then human beings created sciences, and the

sciences liberated them from superstitions.

Today, homo sapiens is one of the most pervasive species on earth. Human impact on the

landscape is global in scale, on par with volcanism or tectonic shifts. New data combining satellite imagery with historical records reveal that humans have planted,

gazed, paved or built upon roughly 40 percent of the earth's terrestrial surface. vironmentalists point out today that unless humans take care of their own deeds and

misdeeds, an environmental doomsday may not be too far off. Is this fact or science

fiction? The question is crystal clear but responses by scientists, ecologists,

meteorologists geologists thinkers and philosophers answers have been far from decisive,

until quite recently.

It is generally recognized that the foundation of modern sciences and studies on the basis

of observation, experimentation and systematization was laid by Muslim scholars. They

made significant advances of such fundamental nature that the phenomenal development

of the modern era could not have been possible without the contributions made by them."

1 National Geographies 2002 (Sept). A world Transformed Washington: National Geographic Society

Press. DC. Suppliment to National Geographies Sept 2002 (ed) by William L. Allen.

1 Ibid, supplement to National Geographies Sept. 2002.

u Saud, M. 1994. Islam and Evolution of Science. Delhi: Adam Publishers & Distributors, p. 9.

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In this work, I will attempt to explore the link between scientific development and

ideology. I will concern myself specifically with the fundamental question: is the Islamic

faith in harmonious complementarity with the science of the natural world or is there an

irreconcilable conflict between a metaphysical system based on faith and the demands of

reason and empirical enquiry?

The Qur'an, which was revealed to the prophet Muhammad (SAW)"1 some fourteen

hundred years ago, contains essential teaching relating to social conduct. In addition, the

Sunnah, the second source of Islamic law, contains guidelines for social behaviour.

Muslims are confronted with a variety of urgent questions.

Many are not aware that Islam has laid down balanced environmental and sustainable

principles for the guidance of mankind, both from moral and scientific perspectives. In

exploring this topic, I will look at the treatment of nature and the environment in the

primary sources of Islam. As a prelude, I will deal with the Islamic conception of man,

who it views as the custodian of nature and is believed to have descended from heaven

and lived in harmony with the earth. We need to understand why Islam considers man as

God's vice-gerent (al khalifah) on earth as explicitly stated by the Quranic verse:

"I am setting on earth, a vice-gerent"'.

This quality of vicegerency places the responsibility of protecting and sustaining the

environment on human beings who are, consequently, expected to live in harmony with

their natural surrounding. This role of custodianship is regarded as a trust (amanah).

What is an 'authentic' appreciation of the Quranic message today? How legitimate is it

to produce meaning, rather than extracting meaning from the primary sources? These are

some of the issues which hermeneutics does not create (they have always been with us)

but which demand to be addressed. They are part and parcel of the search for a Quranic

'" (SA W) Swalallahu a 'lahi wasalam. means May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.

2 Al Qur'an Chapter 2 verse. 30. Translation taken from Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan 1994. The

Interpretation of the meaning of the Noble Qur*an (English Language). Riyadh: Maktaba Darussalam.

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response to the challenges confronting humankind today. However, the discourse on

hermeneutics is bound to draw upon a number of different disciplines. Furthermore,

while many of the disciplines from which such a discourse for a sustainable development

context may be drawn, the idea of bringing them together in an interdisciplinary fashion

is rather novel.

My objectives in the present work are threefold. First, to generate an Islamic perspective

on sustainable development since very little research has been done in this area according

to my knowledge. Second, to show that it is possible to remain faithful to the Quranic

ethos while working closely with people of diverse faiths and ideologies to establish a

more sustainable human life. Thirdly, to advance the idea of Islamic hermeneutics as a

contribution to sustainable development.

Some of the key critical questions to be answered in this work are:

(a) What is meant by globalization and sustainable development?

(b) Do the Islamic primary sources contain reference to sustainable development and how

did the medieval Islamic society accept, assimilate and internalize it?

(c) Did early Muslim scholars develop a notion of sustainable development?

(d) Were the sciences developed by Muslims specifically of Islamic character, and how

important was the role of non-Muslim sciences?

(e) Can Islam play a role in ensuring that humans sustain themselves without damaging

the environment?

Muslim scholars have done studies on different aspects of sustainable development in

recent times. Akhtarruddin Ahmed did a study of the environment and in his book, Islam

and environmental crisis, he cites verses from the Qur*an regarding the environment and

argues that Muslims aught to be pioneers of modem scientific studies as well as

custodians of the environment. However, sustainable development is a broad subject and

cannot be confined to environmental studies only.