In the context of Sustainable Development which has come to be understood to contain the solution to the many interrelated crises (environmental, social and economic) the world is currently facing, 2012 is a significant year. In June, 20 years after the first UN Conference, the Rio+20 SD Conference will once again be held in Rio.
The main objectives of the conference is to ensure renewed political commitment for SD, to evaluate the progress to date and to see the gaps in the implementation of the resolutions of the major summits thus far held on SD and to identify emerging challenges.
Why has SD been slow to take off? Despite 2006-2014 being declared as the Decade for Education for Sustainable Development (DESD), not much has been achieved for example. Perhaps for SD to work locally, it is relevant to see it in the context of the local/religious milieu. The heart of the matter is that at the core of the environmental crisis (which is closely related to the economic and social crisis respectively) is the spiritual crisis of mankind.
It is high time now that, despite the successes of materialistic science, we build a unity of knowledge and understanding as the basis of a more holistic (incorporation science, religion and philosophy) worldview and actions as articulated by the celebrated educator and philosopher Stephen Toulmin (1992-2009) in his book Cosmopolis: The Hidden Agenda of Modernity (1990) for example. Articulating the spirit of SD this is also what the Earth Charter is asking us to do for the sake of our future when it says:
“We stand at a critical moment in Earth’s history, a time when humanity must choose its future. As the world becomes increasingly interdependent and fragile, the future at once holds great peril and great promise. To move forward we must recognize that in the midst of a magnificent diversity of cultures and life forms we are one human family and one Earth community with a common destiny. We must join together to bring forth a sustainable global society founded on respect of nature, fellow humans, economic justice and a culture of peace. Towards this end, it is imperative that we, the people of Earth, declare our responsibility to one another, to the greater community of life and to future generations”.
In Islamic teaching, the destiny of humankind and of the earth and its communities is linked to the core principle of the religion: affirmation of tawhid, the unity of God. Tawhid also implies the idea of the unity of nature, man, and the Creator contained in the first shahada or Islamic witness: La ilaha illah-Llah. This implies the interrelatedness of all things in the natural world, and between that world and God. Muslim scientists see that nature as a whole exhibits and contributes toward such a unity since its constituent parts are related to each other in numerous ways and through numerous laws.
The Earth Charter also reminds us of “our responsibility to one another” another important requirement of SD. In regard to the diversity of human beings, the Qur’an tells us: “O mankind! We have created you male and female and have made you into nations and tribes that ye may know one another. The noblest of you in the sight of Allah, is the best in conduct. Allah is Knower, Aware.” Other faith communities also agree that morality consists in conduct that gives practical expression to ethical values, which as a product of religious studies and theology are critically required as the engine of sustainable development today.
The Earth Charter also warns us of the challenge ahead for all of us in this regard:
The choice is ours: form a global partnership to care for Earth and one another or risk the destruction of ourselves and the diversity of life. Fundamental changes are needed in our values, institutions, and ways of living. We must realize that when basic needs have been met, human development is primarily about being more, not having more. We have the knowledge and technology to provide for all and to reduce our impacts on the environment. The emergence of a global civil society is creating new opportunities to build a democratic and humane world. Our environmental, economic, political, social, and spiritual challenges are interconnected, and together we can forge inclusive solutions.
In Malaysia, the concept of civil society, or Masyarakat Madani which is close to the sustainability idea, was actively debated and pursued in the 1990s. The trend continued with the policy of Islam Hadhari, which strives to harmonize religion and development as espoused by the Qur’an: “Seek the bounty of Allah and celebrate the praises of Allah often; that ye may prosper”. Currently the concept of moderation or Wasatiyyah proposed by the Prime Minister in his vision of The Global Movement of the Moderates can also be seen to be in line with this effort. Our Religious Communities could be part of the inclusive solutions being sought and could share in the universal responsibility mentioned in the Earth Charter towards the emergence of a sustainable global civil society without loss of integrity and cultural independence.
We must decide to live with a sense of universal responsibility, identifying ourselves with the whole earth community as well as with our local communities. The spirit of human solidarity and kinship with all life is strengthened when we live with reverence for the mystery of being, gratitude for the gift of life, and humility regarding humanity’s place in nature. We urgently need a shared vision of basic values to provide an ethical foundation for the emerging world community. One of these basic values is gratitude for the Gift of Life as already mentioned.
Islam is often referred to as din or total way of life. Din also connotes “indebtedness”, and “natural inclination” or “tendency”. In the context of environmental ethics or guardianship of nature and sustainable development, the concept of din implies that humans are indebted to the Creator for their existence to begin with, and that they already acknowledged God as their Creator the moment their souls were created. S.N. Al-Attas for example explains that the nature of this debt of creation and existence is so total that “at the instance he is created and given existence, man is in a state of utter dependence because ‘he’ (Adam etimologically means none existent) really possesses nothing himself; which means everything in him, from him and about him is what the Creator owns and has given. This also means that mankind is totally dependent for his sustenance or the sustainer of Life Himself”.
Because he owns nothing, man can only repay his debt with the only thing that is his, namely his consciousness. It is through this consciousness that he “returns” himself to the Creator, who owns him absolutely. This is why in Islam dhikr, or “remembrance,” is so crucial. It is the means for “returning” to the source of peace and for attaining hikma – wisdom” which, includes ethics.
Hikma underlies man’s thoughts, intentions, decisions, and actions, the sum total of which is ‘ibada, service or good works – the reason for man’s creation to begin with.
To be of service or to do good works, man needs nature or the environment which has been made malleable (taskhir) for him. The environment is the theatre for his ‘ibada. For example, to perform the zakat (tithe), man needs to have worked the environment by farming, cultivation, and so on, and for this he must possess scientific and technological knowledge and skills for the “what” and “how” of his use of nature. Nature is not his but is given to him only for his sustenance, comfort and entertainment; as a trust (amana). His relationship to nature is in the capacity of khalifa or vicegerent who will manage it in a sustainable way.
He must not transgress the boundaries of what is good (halal) and harmful (haram), what is just (‘adl) and unjust (zulm). These and other values are all part of maqasid al-shari’a, the “beneficial objectives” of the Shari’a, regulations prescribed by revelation. These values could and should be the basis for the Muslim thinking on Sustainable Development to begin with.
The “halal-ness” or “haram-ness” of a thing or act is actually explicable from the components and processes of nature or society studied through the natural and human sciences. As such, the ethics underlying sustainable development need to be explained through both science and religion, with philosophy or reason providing tools for connecting the two and articulating the arguments and principles arising out of their harmonization. This exercise of explaining revelation by using scientific facts is also called theology of nature, a kind of dialogue between science and religion.
In using resources, in treating the environment in ways that ensure balance, peace, and sustainability, humans submit (lives the din) themselves to God in order to fulfill His commands and ordinances which are understandable through the study of nature and life itself and thence they fulfill their guardianship of nature. Through this “submission” and “enslavement” (abd), which means being ethical and respectful of nature’s ways, humans operationalize their God-given powers judiciously and eventually go on to build cities (madana) and civilizations (tamadun) and attains to great heights of sustainable achievements, the very aim of SD to begin with.