Modernity and Ecological Crisis
Rights of Nature in Islamic Thought
Abstract
This paper critically examines modernity and prevailing conceptions of development, highlighting their role in the degradation and destruction of nature. It argues that over the past four centuries, nature has been reduced from a sacred and living realm to a lifeless object, valued primarily for its material utility to humankind. Drawing on Wael Hallaq’s (b. 1955) critique of modern Western modernity, the paper explores how a worldview detached from religious, moral, and ethical constraints has enabled the domination and exploitation of nature. According to him, modernity, armed with secular scientific knowledge, empowered modern humans to control and manipulate the natural world. Building upon Hallaq’s argument, this paper further contends that modernity stripped nature of its spiritual and sacred dimensions, reconstituting it as an inert entity devoid of intrinsic value or rights. In contrast, the paper foregrounds Islamic environmental ethics, emphasizing the divinely ordained rights of natural beings, including animals and birds. Islamic teachings assert that the value and rights of non-human creatures are granted by God rather than determined by human utility. Consequently, human engagement with nature must be guided by moral responsibility and justice, ensuring that the rights of all creatures are respected and preserved. This study thus contributes to ongoing scholarly debates on modernity, religion—particularly Islam—and environmental ethics.
Keywords: modernity; ecological crisis; rights of nature; Islamic thought
Metadata Record
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