Religions and environment

Some religions have some remarks about the environment, how to treat with it and the reason why we should keep it safe which shows the importance of this issue. In Hindi religion Mahatma Gandhi was believed to be the most helpful man in Indian’s environment. He had so many activities in inspiring people to protect the environment so that he was called a “farther of Indian environmentalism”.

Christianity has a view mentioned in Bible about behaving well with the environment.

Subsequently the followers of Christianity believe, as all creatures on the earth are god’s creation and it is obviously God loves all what he has made, they have to be so kind to the environment and keep it protected, clean and without polluting.

Recently Pope Francis, the 266th and current Pope and sovereign of the Vatican City State, emphasizing on climate change declared damage to the environment as a huge sin which did not use to be on the list. Feeding the hungry, visiting patients and sheltering homelessness used to be the only benefaction activities in Catholic culture and now respecting and protecting the nature is expressed by him to be the fourth one.

Jewish oral tradition known as oral torah emphasizes the importance of environment and encourages the people to treat the nature well. As well as Christianity the reason why they focus on respecting on the law of nature is that it is made by God and obviously it has to be respected by his followers.

In Jewish culture natural environment plays the main role. They believe the human should keep the earth and the environment the same for future.

In Muslim’s book we found so many verses about environment, the importance of preserving it and its effects on human’s life. We can see so many verses in it encouraging people to study about the nature. Besides, so many verses named by one of the natural elements are seen in it which shows Islam’s extreme emphasis on nature. In sayings of the prophet of Islam we can see their underscore of behaving well with the environment and more specifically drew the people’s attention to planting more and more. Muslim’s book precisely names the ones who destroy the nature, the aggressors whom are not liked by God and will be punished for what they have done! Islam believes earth and all the creations on it, for sure created by God, are for all the generations so people, Muslim or not, have to try hard to preserve it for the next generation.

In the Qur'an, we have some verses pointing to a protecting roof:

We made the sky a preserved and protected roof yet still they turn away from Our Signs. (Qur'an, 21:32)

No doubt this verse is talking about ozone layer as a marvelous protector of our planet. The presence of the ozone layer in itself is a sign of God’s mercy on His creation and His greatness. Its absence would have been detrimental to all living creatures on Earth. And as a vital part of our planet and environment, ozone layer must behave and keep friendly as well as other creatures and sings of God.

Allah provided complete balance initially. The deleterious results of our transgression on this balance should teach us to appreciate and protect the blessings that have been bestowed on us. Otherwise, we damage our planet and our life.

Allah the Almighty reminds us in the Qur’an: {And the heaven He raised and imposed the balance, that you not transgress (exceed limits) within the balance. And establish weight in justice and do not make deficient the balance} (Surat Ar-Rahman 55:7-9).

So, all verses above are showing us that initial balance created by God is a giant mercy and flavor for us and we should protect it not just for our sake, but also for the whole environment and its creatures.