Chapter 4: Exploiting Nature And Its Influence On The Environment
The Role Of Human Endeavour In Attaining A Wholesome Environment
One of the elements conducive to a wholesome environment is the vitality of those inhabiting it. Sluggishness and inactivity are diseases that may affect the individual and society alike. In order to achieve spiritual as well as material wellbeing and perfection, the human being must struggle ceaselessly.
The value of human endeavor is not limited to the financial gain it may produce. It involves numerous other personal benefits such as self-confidence, tranquility, and feeling useful to society. But above all, the highest benefit is fulfilling one’s religious duty.
To be idle makes one a burden on one’s family and society, and this state entails psychological depression, which may in turn cause sickness in the body as well. There is, however, a more serious consequence for being idle, and that is incurring God’s wrath:
Verily God loathes His idle servant.
The Value Of Work In Islam
Work is portrayed in the Islamic value system as the raison d’etre of creation. The human being exhibits his worth through work, and it is through work that he acquires his true value. God breathed of His spirit into man
and equipped him with all that which was necessary for his spiritual and corporeal growth:
أَلَمْ تَرَوْا أَنَّ اللَّهَ سَخَّرَ لَكُمْ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَأَسْبَغَ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعَمَهُ ظَاهِرَةً وَبَاطِنَةً
Do you not see that God has disposed for you whatever there is in the heavens and whatever there is in the earth and He has showered upon you His blessings, the outward and the inward? (31:20).
And in this way God honored the human being above all other creatures:
وَلَقَدْ كَرَّمْنَا بَنِي آدَمَ وَحَمَلْنَاهُمْ فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ وَرَزَقْنَاهُمْ مِنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَفَضَّلْنَاهُمْ عَلَىٰ كَثِيرٍ مِمَّنْ خَلَقْنَا تَفْضِيلًا
Certainly We have honored the Children of Adam, and carried them over land and sea, and provided them with all the good things, and given them an advantage over many of those We have created with a complete preference. (17:70).
God fashioned the human being out of clay, that he may, through persistent work, develop the earth
and through righteous deeds actualize his essential value, attaining to the spiritual distinction that God intended for him. It is by developing the earth and cultivating self-knowledge that the human being can secure a wholesome environment and achieve perfection.
A society’s integrity, honor, independence, wellbeing, and security are determined by the work of its people. Should they choose sloth and inactivity, their society would certainly suffer baseness, depression, and insecurity. The importance of work may be inferred from the Qur’an’s attributing it to God. In many verses, the Qur’an attributes work to God, while in certain instances it ascribes generally all activity to God:
كُلَّ يَوْمٍ هُوَ فِي شَأْنٍ
Every day He is engaged in some work. (55:29).
Every manifestation and effusion of divinity is a fresh activity. God’s activities are not repetitive, for He is continually creating, and every creation possesses distinctive traits. As such God’s activity cannot be repetitive. All phenomena seek the fulfillment of their essential needs in Him:
يَسْأَلُهُ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ
Everyone in the heavens and the earth asks Him. (55:29).
God is the sole recourse who has the solution to all needs:
وَآتَاكُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ مَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُۚ
He gave you all that you had asked Him. (14:34).
How Work Relates To Ontology
One’s perception of the world determines how one perceives work. To view the world as confined to the material and thus to assume the means of knowledge as limited to sense perception and experience would narrow one’s view of work to mere material productivity.
In the ontological system propounded by the Qur’an, however, existence is divided into the sensible and the supersensible. In this light, cognition is also divided to subsume both spheres of existence. Consequently, work must also apply to both spheres.
As such, one who sees the world as transcending the material realm views work in a broader sense. This broader sense sanctifies work from a spiritual perspective, thus extending its function.
The Broad Sphere Of Work
Productivity and work as achieved through exploiting nature and its resources constitute the human being’s routine activity. God says,
وَجَعَلْنَا النَّهَارَ مَعَاشًا
[Did We not] make the day for livelihood (78:11).
إِنَّ لَكَ فِي النَّهَارِ سَبْحًا طَوِيلًا
And indeed during the day you have an extended opportunity [to seek out your means of livelihood] (73:7).
There are no boundaries for work; the depths of the oceans as well as the heights of the firmament and all the expanse of land provide opportunities for the human being to work:
هُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الْأَرْضَ ذَلُولًا فَامْشُوا فِي مَنَاكِبِهَا وَكُلُوا مِنْ رِزْقِهِ
It is He who made the earth tractable for you; so walk on its flanks and eat of His provision (67:15).
وَهُوَ الَّذِي سَخَّرَ الْبَحْرَ لِتَأْكُلُوا مِنْهُ لَحْمًا طَرِيًّا وَتَسْتَخْرِجُوا مِنْهُ حِلْيَةً تَلْبَسُونَهَا وَتَرَى الْفُلْكَ مَوَاخِرَ فِيهِ وَلِتَبْتَغُوا مِنْ فَضْلِهِ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ
It is He who disposed the sea [for your benefit] that you may eat from it fresh meat, and obtain from it ornaments, which you wear and you see the ships plowing through it and that you may seek of His grace, and that you may give thanks (16:14).
It need be pointed out that in this context work is not restricted to physical exertion. Work includes such activities as are conducted by the scholar in the way of research and study, by the physician in his endeavor to promote the health of other human beings, by the technician, and by the student who bears numerous difficulties to enhance his knowledge. All these scientific, academic, and technical endeavors are true instances of work in this broad sense.
Serious And Persistent Work
Islam instructs the human being that he should never stop work. He must strive in every aspect of life one of which is the need to fulfill the financial and material needs of life with a firm resolution and persistence, so that through such work the believer may procure his personal felicity and the religious society may accomplish its lofty goals.
The following saying by the Prophet clearly demonstrates the extent to which a Muslim should strive in life:
Should the Day of Judgment be imminent while you have in your hand a sprout, if you are able to plant it before the hour comes due, then do so.
According to this saying, the human being must strive as long as he still has breath to work. In an Islamic society, every individual is expected to work to the extent of his talents and capabilities: the farmer in producing agricultural products, the industrialist in furthering industry, the teacher in instructing his students, the scholar in his studies, etc. Every individual must offer his sincere effort to fulfill his share in the qualitative and quantitative advancement of the society.
The Ahl al-Bayt speaks of sluggishness as one of the most abominable vices, which may undermine life both in this world and in the Hereafter. In this relation, Imam Musa says,
Avoid indolence and discontentment, for verily these two will deprive you of your profit in this world as well as in the next.
So long as we live, we must endeavor to remain beneficial to our society. The tasks that we are capable of doing, we must do to the best of our capabilities, whether it be farming, industry, or cultural and scientific pursuits.
Idleness is detrimental to society and loathsome to God. He shuns the supplication of the id le individual. Although the elderly are not expected to work as hard as the youth, nevertheless they must do the best that their mental and physical conditions allow.
Despite the numerous hadiths in Islam emphasizing the value of work, there are some who turn a blind eye to the positive approach Islam holds toward work for worldly purposes. They mistakenly cite the instances where Islam discourages believers from “worldliness” and being obsessed with the material.
The following hadith, however, clarifies the confusion between “worldliness”-which is truly evil-and work for satisfying one’s material needs-which is undoubtedly praiseworthy.
Muammad ibn al-Munkadir relates that one day he was on the outskirts of Medina when he came across Imam al-Baqir. The Imam had been working on his land, tending the crops, in the fierce heat of the Arabian desert and as such was exceedingly exhausted and could move only with the aid of his servants. Believing that the Imam was toiling more than the transient benefits of this world called for Muhammad ibn al-Munkadir decided to admonish him. Addressing the Imam, he said, “May God reform you! It is not becoming of a noble man such as you-being among the noble of the Tribe of Quraysh to be toiling in this time of day for your worldly profit. If death should seize you in this moment, how will you answer to God?” The Imam retorted, “By God, should death seize me while I am in this condition, I will die engaged in the worship of God.”
It is a misconception to assume that working to fulfill one’s material needs is in contradiction to God’s wish and detrimental to one’s spiritual wellbeing. Islamic wisdom assigns such work as a form of worship of God and thus strongly encourages humankind to strive in this way. This is especially true of those worldly duties that, if neglected, may involve irreparable consequences even for one’s eternal felicity.
The Worldliness Shunned By Islam
Worldliness consists of the activities that involve sin or that distract one from the remembrance of God. In this light, the “evil world” that is so loathsome in the Islamic value system is not the sky and the earth or the sea and the land. These are in fact God’s creatures and His signs, and as such the Qur’an speaks of them favorably:
إِنَّ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ لَآيَاتٍ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ
Indeed in the heavens and the earth there are signs for the faithful. (45:3).
وَفِي خَلْقِكُمْ وَمَا يَبُثُّ مِنْ دَابَّةٍ آيَاتٌ لِقَوْمٍ يُوقِنُونَ
And in your creation [too], and whatever animals that He scatters abroad, there are signs for a people who have certainty (45:4).
وَفِي أَنْفُسِكُمْ أَفَلَا تُبْصِرُونَ
And in your souls too [there are signs of God] (51:21).
إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلَافِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ لَآيَاتٍ لِأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ
Indeed in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of night and day, there are signs for those who possess intellect (3:190).
The Qur’an speaks of the beauty of the heaven and the earth on numerous occasions. Sea and land, mountains, trees, fish, and stars-the Qur’an portrays all these as constituting God’s signs, not the world. Although, “this world,” as contrasted with the Hereafter, applies to these natural phenomena, the Qur’an never speaks lightly of them. In truth, the material world is the delusive egotism that compels the human being to sin. The “evil world” is made of sensual diversions, sinful entertainments, and vainglory:
اعْلَمُوا أَنَّمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌ وَزِينَةٌ وَتَفَاخُرٌ بَيْنَكُمْ وَتَكَاثُرٌ فِي الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَوْلَادِ كَمَثَلِ غَيْثٍ أَعْجَبَ الْكُفَّارَ نَبَاتُهُ ثُمَّ يَهِيجُ فَتَرَاهُ مُصْفَرًّا ثُمَّ يَكُونُ حُطَامً
Know that the life of this world is just play and diversion, and glitter, and mutual vainglory among you and a competition for wealth and children (57:20).
The material world is exemplified in the five elements counted in this verse. It is this world that deceives people of all ages. Every human being has a unique way of being deceived. This deception is the soul’s poison, and a soul so poisoned is in eternal anguish. In order to cure our poisoned souls, the Most Merciful Lord has appointed the purest of souls as our spiritual doctors.
The above-quoted verse enumerates the five successive stages of the material world that the human being lives through: play, diversion, glitter (or luxury), vainglory, and competition for acquiring the fleeting profits of this world.
The first stage of life consists of the juvenile years, when children spend their time playing. In the second stage of life, adolescence, diversion takes the place of play. The adolescent tends to seek entertainment, thus neglecting the real tasks of life. The third stage of life, youth, is characterized by passion, love, and the tendency to worship style.
The youth view adornment, physical appeal, and fashionable dress as of prime importance. In the fourth stage of life, when degeneration sets in, one no longer cares for fashion so much and instead engages in vainglory, boasting of one’s position, status, title, and the like.
The final stage of life is that of frailty. At this stage, the desire to seek fame is replaced by a desire to accumulate worldly gains, whether it be in the form of a large family or of wealth. Some people never go beyond the first or second stage of life, being preoccupied even in their old age with play, diversion, and extravagance and thus leading a childish life.
The world that the Master of the Faithful irrevocably divorced in the famous account was, again, not God’s material bounties, but rather the illusions, the vainglory, and the bickering characteristic of people engrossed in the material world. The reality of this world is a dead carcass, and the oppressors are as dogs fighting over this putrid carcass. The Master of the Faithful says,
They quarrel over this base world in the manner of dogs bickering over a putrid carcass.
One who thus apprehends the reality of the world cannot be fond of it but rather disowns it.
In order to be able to perceive the world as such and witness its being a carcass, we must first protect ourselves from turning into corpses. One infatuated with the corporeal world and given to gluttony and sluggishness should not hope to discover the secrets of the world and its reality.
For, in the end, one will die, leaving only a dead corpse behind, a corpse so foul in smell that even one’s closest family members would hurry to bury it to escape its stench. It would be unfortunate for the human being to turn into a dead corpse before realizing that the reality of the world is a dead corpse. We are capable of elevating ourselves so that we would gain eternal life, as Imam ‘Ali put it when describing the Ahl al-Bayt:
Indeed when one of us dies, he dies while still alive, and when one of us perishes, he does not decompose.
By eschewing the corporeal world, we can escape being a corpse and can attain an eternal and luminous life. God describes the corporeal world as follows:
اعْلَمُوا أَنَّمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌ وَزِينَةٌ وَتَفَاخُرٌ بَيْنَكُمْ وَتَكَاثُرٌ فِي الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَوْلَادِ كَمَثَلِ غَيْثٍ أَعْجَبَ الْكُفَّارَ نَبَاتُهُ ثُمَّ يَهِيجُ فَتَرَاهُ مُصْفَرًّا ثُمَّ يَكُونُ حُطَامً
[This world is] like the rain whose vegetation impresses the farmer; then it withers and you see it turn yellow, then it becomes chaff (57:20).
Since in an analogy, the subject is other than that with which the analogy is drawn, we may infer that the world is not identical with the four seasons. The four seasons are in fact God’s signs that exhibit the orderliness in His creation. Autumn in its own place is as beautiful and good as spring is, for without autumn and winter there would be no spring. It is actually our egotism that constitutes the material world with it delusive attraction.
Wellbeing In This World As Well As The Next
Some have falsely assumed that the purpose in religious precepts is exclusively to secure human wellbeing in the Hereafter. They suppose that the devout must pray, fast, and perform such religious rites as the Hajj, preoccupied solely with spiritual concerns and should neglect their worldly wellbeing, for otherwise they would jeopardize their eternal felicity.
The proponents of this view argue that the faithful should relinquish their worldly affairs to others while holding fast to their spiritual matters. According to this view, worldly affairs are beyond the jurisdiction of religious law. To entrench this view, they contend that the faithful must 154occupy themselves solely with spiritual issues and leave the affairs of this world for the secular-minded experts to deal with.
This false conception, however, is a product of the idea of the separation of temporal and spiritual affairs. One of Islam’s main objectives is to refute this idea. Rational reasoning (which is wrongly believed to be the exclusive turf of the secular expert) is among the main sources of religious doctrine. It is one of the sources from which religious precepts may be deduced. Reason and tradition go hand in hand to form the essence of religious scholarship. As such, the devout are the most rational experts.
It is wrong to argue that reforming the world should take place at the hands of secular experts, whereas the devout should worry solely about their spiritual felicity and hope to reap the gains of their religious endeavors in the hereafter.
It is also a misconception to claim that religious obligation entails dogmatism and stagnancy while worldly reform requires vitality and revolution. Such a misjudgment can be the result of an intentional misrepresentation of the religious message or, at best, an innocent misapprehension.
A profound understanding of religious doctrine proves that religious obligation is intended to foster both worldly and spiritual wellbeing. To take up a religious life and to conform to religious law can secure human welfare both in this world and in the next.
But we should bear in mind that it would be incorrect to define worldly welfare as merely limited to shallow and superficial pleasures. The disagreement in this area may be attributable to a difference in determining what constitutes worldly wellbeing.
The Sacred Purpose In Striving To Develop The Natural Environment
Islam condones the human being’s opportunist inclination while at the same time warns that it should be curtailed. In order to clearly explain Islam’s viewpoint on the opportunist inclination in the human being, it is necessary that we should first consider another factor in this relation.
The divine religion of Islam discourages the human being from indulging tis inclination to the detriment of higher tendencies. This is especially true in regard to those who wish to further their human and spiritual potentials.
Islam demands that human beings see beyond their material and selfish interests and endeavor for divine motives. In this Islamic value system, the way to achieve proximity to God is not restricted to such religious activities as prayer, fasting, and performing the Hajj; rather, the mundane and ordinary activities can also serve as means to ascend to the height of divine proximity and to nurture spiritual growth.
There are numerous hadiths that link the mundane with the spiritual, such as those that equate the struggle for acquiring a healthy livelihood with fighting in the way of God or those that define such struggle as identical with striving to secure spiritual salvation.
These hadiths in effect illustrate the possibility of attaining to divine proximity even as one enjoys the benefits of the corporeal world. Thus we learn that we are obliged to work so as to fulfill our material and financial needs but without failing to heed our spiritual interests. Commending those who succeed in satisfying both these aspects, God says,
رِجَالٌ لَا تُلْهِيهِمْ تِجَارَةٌ وَلَا بَيْعٌ عَنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ
Men whom neither trading nor bargaining distracts from the remembrance of God (24:37).
Financial occupation does not distract them from remembering God, for they have reconciled the dichotomy between worldly and spiritual affairs; they employ both the worldly and the spiritual in the way of reaching their ultimate purpose.
There are two possible misgivings that need be addressed at this point. First, there is the notion that Islam’s insistence on pursuing spiritual wellbeing and viewing the world as only a path leading to divine proximity may induce a feeling of indifference to worldly and financial affairs in the faithful.
Considering what has been said in the above disproves such a notion. The divine teachings of Islam only ask that we should change our motives in engaging in financial activities, that we should replace the base and illusory motives with lofty ones.
Without doubt, material and worldly incentives can never motivate as strongly as the motives that arise from faith. Those who are motivated by faith can struggle for ends which are much more difficult than the ends that material incentives can muster up.
As such, should our financial activities be strengthened with the support of faith, the product would be much more valuable. For, as the faithful view their profits in a broader sense that transcends material gain, they struggle more diligently.
The second misgiving is that since Islam encourages the faithful to free themselves of the confines of material motives and to take into account loftier purposes, the material world is in their eyes of only meager value and as such worldly affairs do not fit into the religious sphere.
This misconception may in turn lead to the conclusion that Islam fails to consider the development of the material world, focusing exclusively on promoting the spiritual aspects. As such, one who wishes to enjoy an advanced world should abandon religion and instead seek a better worldly life through science and the empirical disciplines. One is justified in opting for religion only when one’s purpose is to pursue spiritual growth.
To counter this false conclusion, the explanation offered above regarding the difference in motivation should suffice. But, in short, if the advocates of this idea mean that Islam discourages limiting one’s purview to the material world as being an unsuitable resting place for human beings seeking perfection, they are correct. Islam portrays this world as a path to human perfection, and so to see the world as the ultimate goal is against the human being’s truth-seeking nature.
But this in no way implies that Islam neglects the development of the world. Although, the material world is not the end, nevertheless it is the path leading to the end, and so it cannot be maintained that the way does not deserve to be tended. It is very obvious that to say of something that it is not the be-all and the end all is not tantamount to rejecting its value altogether.
This world and the bounties that exist in it play a crucial role in encouraging faithfulness and promoting the lofty states of human perfection, which will be overtly manifest in the Hereafter. In the reported hadiths in the Shia corpus, worldly bounties are described as the best aids in seeking spiritual perfection. Imam Al-Sadiq says,
This world is a good aid for the Hereafter.
On the other hand, harsh living conditions and poverty are considered as serious obstacles in the way of the religiosity of the general public. In the following excerpt from a well-known supplication related from the Prophet, he points to bread (as a symbol of the material bounties) and confirms that its lack weakens religiosity in society:
O God, bless us in our bread and withhold it not from us, for without it we: would not pray or fast or observe: the commandments of our Lord.
Considering the great emphasis that Islamic tradition lays on worldly bounties and their crucial role in attaining the lofty states of human perfection, there are no legitimate grounds for claiming that Islam neglects this world and its development. Islam in fact encourages people to obtain the worldly means of wellbeing-while cautioning that they are not ends in themselves-because of their special place in securing spiritual felicity.
Now that we have demonstrated that Islam does recognize the need to secure worldly wellbeing, another question looms: Should humankind be free in acquiring material wellbeing by any means possible? Are we justified in taking advantage of the material world in any way we desire?
Reason and Revelation concurrently affirm that from a religious perspective, we are allowed in utilizing the material world only in a certain framework, and as such there are definite restrictions to human beings’ exploitation of worldly bounties.
Keeping within the framework established by Revelation ensures that our exploitation of the material world is consistent with human values, but in addition it also facilitates the development of the material world in a more appropriate manner.
Thus, true believers approach the world and the material bounties in view of the perspective offered by Revelation, for, in their view, achieving a more developed and orderly world requires that we should see the world from this perspective.
In this light, Revelation exhorts believers to seek the latest scientific and technological advancements and apply them to their life. But the religious perspective introduces another dimension to worldly development. Based on this viewpoint, to achieve a developed world, we must employ science and technology in harmony with reason and Revelation.
The Relation Of A Thorough Comprehension Of Religion To Promoting Worldly Wellbeing
It is reported that the Prophet said,
A thorough comprehension of religion requires, among others, that a man should endeavor to improve his life, and to seek such an improvement does not constitute infatuation with the material world.
The “improvement in life” intended in this con text is broader than moral improvement; it involves all the factors conducive to a better and healthier life. Of course, this should not be understood to imply extravagance; extravagance can only corrupt and defile life, for it is an indispensable aspect of the “evil world,” whose attachment is the cause of all sins.
To seek lawful means of living, sanitation, education, and military prowess is in no way an instance of extravagance, for these are elements that we are duty bound, on account of reason and Revelation, to obtain. Thus, an accurate understanding of religion can help us draw the line between infatuation with the world, which is detestable, and improvement of life, which is right and commendable.
The Consistency Of Improving Worldly Life With The Observance Of Religious Duties
The following two hadiths are narrated from the Prophet:
Improve your worldly life and endeavor for your afterlife as though you will die tomorrow.
Endeavor [for your worldly life] as a man hoping to live for eternity, but take caution (as to your spiritual wellbeing) as a man who fears lest he should die on the morrow.
These two hadiths convey the following points.
1. Improving one’s worldly life does not conflict with observing one’s religious duties.
2. Improvement in one’s life should be conducted with a view to a prolonged life. That is, it is impermissible to plan our worldly affairs negligently and with a short-term approach. To commit such folly would entail long-term misery, perpetual poverty, and unremitting deprivation and oppression. In order to escape long-term misery, long-term planning and well-balanced development are indispensable.
3. We should be careful to avoid confusing the commendable improvement of life with harboring far-fetched dreams, which is blameworthy. In order to dispel such misunderstanding, it is necessary that we should acquire a comprehensive grasp of religion, which is no easy task. In this relation, the Prophet offers a general and profound guideline:
The Straight Path is narrower than a thread of hair and sharper sword.
This saying implies that the Straight Path, which we ask God to be guided to in every prayer, has a theoretic and epistemic aspect as well as a practical and ontic aspect. In its theoretic aspect, it is very difficult to apprehend as it is “narrower than a thread of hair.”
And in its practical aspect, it is very difficult to conform to, for it is like treading on the sharp blade of a sword. The important point in studying Islam is that in the religious sources, rights are juxtaposed with obligations. Thus, to benefit from fertile land, clean air, abundant water, sanitation, etc., are, in addition to being rights, duties; human society is under an obligation to secure these benefits for itself.
For, God created these bounties for the human being and made them subservient to him. As such, we have no excuse should we fail to make appropriate use of sea, land, outer space, the solar system, the Milky Way, and, generally, the entire expanse of the celestial order.
God obliged humankind to exploit the bounties of the world, commanding the individuals in a society to give precedence to public interests over private interests and rebuking the corrupt and warning them of a bitter chastisement. The Qur’anic verses that confirm the world’s subjugation to the human being are so numerous that those well versed in the Qur’an could not legitimately dispute it.
As has been alluded to above, verse 61 of Surah Hud (He brought you forth from the earth and asked you to develop it. So plead with Him for forgiveness, then turn to Him penitently. My Lord is indeed near most [and] responsive), speaks of the blessed principle of developing the earth. God created the earth, the mines, the mountains, the seas, the deserts, the forests, etc., in a virgin state and inspired the human being to develop these resources and to exploit them justly. God says,
لِلرِّجَالِ نَصِيبٌ مِمَّا اكْتَسَبُوا وَلِلنِّسَاءِ نَصِيبٌ مِمَّا اكْتَسَبْنَ
To men belongs a share of what they have earned, and to women a share of what they have earned (4:32).
This means that the human being is obliged to develop the world, from the depths of the earth to the zenith of the firmament and that the fruit of his labor belongs to hi m alone, not to intruding oppressors. And in this regard, there is no distinction between man and woman.
The concept of the economic independence of human society is again reaffirmed in this verse:
وَلَقَدْ مَكَّنَّاكُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَجَعَلْنَا لَكُمْ فِيهَا مَعَايِشَ
Certainly We have established you on the earth, and made in it [various] means of livelihood for you (7:10).
This verse once again indicates that making appropriate use of the natural resources is a human right as well as a human obligation. Thus, people must strive to achieve economic independence, and if they fail, they will have to answer on the Day of Judgment.
In this way, Islam expounds a balanced approach to economic independence, asserting it as simultaneously a right and an obligation. As such Islam intertwines the material world and the Hereafter as the, respectively, exoteric and esoteric aspects of man’s [terrestrial] identity. It is in virtue of this combination that Islam elevates the human being to the dignified station of divine viceroyalty. Thus, it is wrong to assume that Islam neglects human rights or the human being’s interests.
Work As The Principle Of Dignity
Any human being merits dignity to the extent of his faith. The believer is dignified on account of his faith, and he must endeavor to preserve and elevate this dignity. Work is a means to achieving dignity through financial independence. It is in this light that religious authorities identify work with dignity. Thus, Imam Al-Sadiq said to one of his companions who was late for work,
Rise to your dignity in the early morning.
‘Abd al-A’la, one of Imam Al-Sadiq’s companions, relates that on one hot day he encountered Imam adiq walking through the streets of Medina. He asked the Imam, “With your status before God and your relation to the Prophet, why do you trouble yourself in such a hot day?” Imam Al-Sadiq replied,
I have embarked on earning my living so that would be [financially] independent before the likes of you.
Islam combats baseness as an adverse consequence of sluggishness. There are numerous hadiths narrated from the Infallibles that condemn inactivity; below are a few examples:
Avoid sluggishness;
The blight of victory is sluggishness;
Avoid sluggishness and discontent, for they are the keys to every evil·
He who is possessed of water and land and yet is impoverished, God disowns him.
On one occasion a man asked Imam Al-Sadiq, “My hands are not fit for work, and I am not acquainted with commerce; I’m poor and unfortunate; what must I do?” The Imam answered, “Work. Carry loads on your head and thus retain your independence from other people.
Though the man is truly needy, Imam Al-Sadiq encourages him to work so that he may earn his living without recourse to other people, for being in need of others undermines one’s dignity. On another occasion, Imam Al-Sadiq says,
Asking others to meet one’s needs deprives one of dignity and takes away one’s self-esteem.
The Principles Of Work
Satisfying the need for entertainment and other emotional needs in a society requires the artistic talent of the artists. Likewise, economic independence and improvement of a society rests on the society’s view of work. Islam sets forth certain principles for work in order to guarantee economic order and advancement in society. By complying with these principles, the people in a society can ensure the fulfillment of their physical and spiritual needs. A number of these principles are as follows.
1. Professionalism and faithfulness. Without doubt, the two elements of professionalism and faithfulness are very influential in the qualitative and quantitative improvement of work. A faithful professional undertakes his duties in his sphere of work scrupulously and systematically. This pleases God:
Verily God likes the faithful professional.
On the other hand, He despises the individual who pretends to be qualified for a task while lacking the necessary knowledge and scruples. The Prophet says,
He who invites people to himself knowing that there are others more knowledgeable than himself-on the Day of Judgment, God will deprive him of His mercy.
A society that fails to entrust work to the professional will inevitably face deterioration. Concerning this truth, the Prophet says,
Should a society entrust its affairs to a man when there are others more qualified than him, their affairs would decline until they take up what they had failed to do (i.e., to entrust their affairs to those most qualified).
Faithfulness in work is important as it guarantees that the individual considers the interests of the society as prior to his own, thus refraining from engaging in superficial jobs that tend to enhance one’s personal gain at the expense of the society’s economic stability.
2. Soundness and aesthetic beauty. Islam emphasizes two important factors in every aspect of human life, holding the authorities of a society responsible for them; these are soundness and aesthetic beauty. Work should be executed based on scientific principles, otherwise it would lack sound ness and thus be unacceptable. But, even when sound, should it lack artistic beauty, it would fail to appeal to and gratify people.
Concerning the first factor, soundness, the Prophet says,
Verily God desires that when you perform an action, you should make it sound.
And in relation to the second factor, he states,
God likes one who, when performing an action, makes it exquisite.
In creating the world, God observed these two factors, and He wishes that His viceroy should also observe them in his architectural, technical, and artistic endeavors. As a result of observing these two factors, environmental concerns will also be addressed. For, soundness and beauty cleanse the environment and purify the air, and a society thus cleansed and purified enjoys stability, even as a defiled society is vulnerable to destruction.
Performing an action without taking into account its necessary requirements and consequences will ultimately result in failure. As such, if the purpose in an undertaking is fulfilling a social need and strengthening the economic foundations of society rather than merely increasing one’s personal gain, our conscience requires that we should perform it soundly and with utmost care. After building a structure with diligent care, the Prophet said,
This structure will one day fall to ruin. Nevertheless, God likes that His servant should perform an action soundly.
Islam vehemently denounces undutifulness, disloyalty, deception, and collusion. The following verse makes Islam’s position on these issues clear, though in a general fashion:
وَلَا تَبْخَسُوا النَّاسَ أَشْيَاءَهُمْ
And do not cheat people of their goods (26:183).
The message of this verse is inclusive of all the factors pertaining to work, whether material or spiritual work.
3. In His Book, God exhorts the Prophet and the believers to remain steadfast:
فَاسْتَقِمْ كَمَا أُمِرْتَ وَمَنْ تَابَ مَعَكَ وَلَا تَطْغَوْ
So be steadfast, just as you have been commanded [you] and whoever has turned [to God] with you (11:112).
Perseverance and steadfastness help one to continue work in the face of hardship and difficulty and to persist in striving for one’s lofty goals. The verses of the Qur’an express that steadfastness leads to tranquility
and material wellbeing
In our endeavors we should never feel as facing an impasse; there is always a solution. To persevere in searching for a solution will invariably lead to a solution. The Master of the Faithful says,
He who seeks a thing will achieve it [either entirely] or partially
4. Sincerity. Although work involves [the practical benefit of strengthening the economic foundation of the Islamic society and procuring its independence, thereby cutting off the hands of intruding oppressors, nevertheless Islam instructs us to engage in work with the sincere intention of obeying God. Sincerity reinforces the ritual nature of work and renders it sacred, and as such it is as the perfection that beautifies work. Imam ‘Ali says,
When you embark on work, purify [your intentions)
5. Suitability. Our vocations exert a direct influence on our character and conduct. To choose a vocation exclusively on financial grounds and without concern for our distinct personalities primarily harms ourselves. It would be impossible to retain a noble spirit and hope to solve the problems of our fellow human beings if we undertake an unlawful vocation. An appropriate and honorable job helps society in solving its problems while also promoting the spiritual and moral elevation of the subject. In this regard, Imam Al-Sadiq says,
God likes noble and loathes ignoble vocations.’
Islam defines some vocations necessary, some forbidden, some desirable, and some undesirable. One of the duties of parents as expressed by Islam is helping children in finding the appropriate vocation.
6. Innovation. Excellent work is that which brings tradition and technology together, that which establishes a harmonious relation between art and nature. God, the Immaculate, has provided in the matrix of divine tradition the material necessary for any type of innovation.
He has endowed human nature with the potential of innovation in every field of technology and science. In utilizing this potential, the human being must endeavor to transmute the base material of work into an invaluable product, to refrain from repetition, and to pursue innovation.
The principle that should govern work is to adorn the raw material of nature with the appealing apparel of technology so as to fulfill every human need with an appropriate solution. It is such work that constitutes true alchemy. Imam Al-Sadiq refers to agriculture as the “great alchemy.
For, through the science of agriculture, the inorganic material in nature is vivified with vegetative life. Thus, the essence of work is infusing the apparently lifeless corpse of nature with the spirit of art. And in this way, human technology is an artistic manifestation that exemplifies liveliness.
7. Purposefulness. Work is elevated to the status of advanced art only when it is purged of negligence, undutifulness and indifference and nurtured with innovation and purposefulness. As the continuation of our work depends on its being innovative and orderly and as we aspire to be known and liberated from obscurity, we need heed the following points.
One, we should perform work, not for its own sake, but for the sake of a higher purpose. Two, that the higher purpose should be reasonable and acceptable to the community of believers. Three, the multifarious jobs done in a society should complement one another as the parts and organs of the body complement each other.
Four, the culture of work should be such as to promote the religious and civil appeal of a form of work by defining its relationship with other forms of work performed in society. It is only in this way that various forms of work can complement each other and thus minister to the genuine needs of human society.
Determination In Production, Economy, Consumption
One of the influential elements in securing psychological stability in a society is the firm determination of the individual. A people’s dignity and pride rests on their determination. The Master of the Faithful says,
Dignity is begotten by firm determination.
Excellent work displays firm determination.
A man’s worth is determined by his determined action.
The individuals in a society must direct their determination toward production rather than consumption.
Economy in consumption, alongside determination in production, is another factor conducive to social dignity and pride. The Prophet says,
He who is content with the substance that God has provided him is among the wealthiest of people.
Also, Imam ‘Ali states,
With economy comes dignity.
Of course, we must be careful to avoid laziness in production with the pretext of economy, just as it is important to realize that we cannot compensate overconsumption by overexertion in production. To conflate these two principles may result in laziness, on the one hand, and consumption mania, on the other, and the latter two in turn entail baseness and degeneration.
But if we pursue production diligently, while striving to enhance productivity in industry and agriculture and other sources of revenue, with the intention to fulfill the needs of human society and, at the same time, lead a simple and content life and be willing to sacrifice for the benefit of others, we will succeed in bringing to fruition the angelic aspect of humanity and secure our psychological stability.
This, in fact, forms one of the central purposes of Prophethood as ordained by God. The following Qur’anic verses attest to this truth:
وَتُحِبُّونَ الْمَالَ حُبًّا جَمًّا
And you love wealth with much fondness (89:20).
وَأُحْضِرَتِ الْأَنْفُسُ الشُّحَّ
The souls are prone to greed (4:128).
الَّذِي جَمَعَ مَالًا وَعَدَّدَهُ
[Woe to him] who amasses wealth and counts it over (104:2).
The above-quoted verses reprove those who indulge their vegetative and animal aspects to the detriment of their human aspect. The verses quoted below, on the other hand, induce us to nourish our human aspect:
عَلَىٰ أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ بِهِمْ خَصَاصَةٌ
[They] prefer [others] to themselves, though poverty be their own lot (59:9).
وَلَا تَمُدَّنَّ عَيْنَيْكَ إِلَىٰ مَا مَتَّعْنَا بِهِ أَزْوَاجًا مِنْهُمْ زَهْرَةَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا
Do not extend your glance toward what We have provided certain groups of them as a glitter of the life of this world (20:131).
Islam’s Insistence On Cleanliness Of Body And Home
The main lines of the Islamic value system are composed of very important factors that can be summed into two major categories: justice and freedom concerning legal and moral issues and cleanliness in relation to sanitary and health issues. Just as God’s wrath is subsumed by His mercy (“His mercy extends over His wrath”
, Islam’s instructions concerning the various aspects of life revolve around justice and freedom, on the one hand, and cleanliness, on the other. The noble Prophet of Islam says,
Verily God, exalted is He, is clean and likes cleanliness, is neat and likes neatness, is noble and likes nobility, is generous and likes generosity, so tidy your thresholds.
This saying implies that from the Prophet’s viewpoint, environmental concerns have a spiritual aspect. Observing cleanliness in our home and work place is a duty that stems from the human being’s status as God’s viceroy who must practice the values honored by his King, and so humankind must cherish cleanliness and fragrance as values cherished by God.
Cleanliness and fragrance help in purifying the soul, for the soul accompanies the body and interacts mutually with it. It is through bodily cleanliness and fragrance that the angelic character of the soul may be cultivated, thus enabling it to ascend to the lofty heights of human perfection.
On examination, we may infer that the above prophetic saying is general, timeless, and absolute. That is, it applies to everyone, to all times, and to every respect. All human beings, men and women alike, throughout all stages of life must keep their house and workplace clean and refrain from defiling them, and in the event that they be defiled, we must endeavor to clean them.
This principle is among the mutual rights and obligations that people must honor among themselves and that the government and the people must respect in relation to one another.
Cleanliness and fragrance, in addition to pleasing people, can be influential in promoting brotherhood and fidelity, for a clean and fragrant environment is cherished by God, who is beautiful and loves beauty. The following verses may correctly describe such an environment:
The Easter Wind has come to the greeting of the old Wineseller,
As the season of jubilation, feast, flirtation, and drink is come.
The air assumes a Messianic breath, the wind carries musk,
The tree grows green, and the bird is aroused to sing.
Dispel the thought of disunion so as to become united,
For as Ahriman leaves, the herald enters.
Islam’s Emphasis On Maintaining A Clean Environment And A Pure Air
The Prophet of Islam says,
Verily Islam is [the religion of] cleanliness, so cleanse yourselves, for indeed only the cleanly enter Paradise;
Observe cleanliness in every respect you are capable, for indeed God based Islam on cleanliness; and only the cleanly enter Paradise.
Islamic doctrine is founded on the principle of unity purged of polytheism and disbelief; it’s ethical system rests on kindness as contrasted with injustice, vengeance, envy, and all vice; and its system of practical law eschews deviation, living in disorientation, and dying in madness. Thus, the believers of such a religion are expected to be purged of all vice and filth.
The Prophet avers cleanliness as a concomitant of piety and a general, timeless, and absolute obligation. It is in this light that he strikes an identical note with the Qur’anic verse: So be wary of God, as far as you can (64:16), in saying,
Observe cleanliness as far as you can
This means that we should strive for cleanliness in every way possible. If we do so, we would deserve being described by the following verses:
Come in and illumine our chamber;
Infuse with fragrance the air of our spiritual company.
Say to the Treasurer of Paradise that the soil of this company
Pray take to Paradise and distill fragrance from it.
Fragrance pleases God and His beloved, the Prophet; thus he said,
[God) endeared to me of your world fragrance
And in encouraging the use of fragrance, the Prophet says,
Were the residents of Paradise to be allowed to take up commerce, they would trade wheat and fragrance.
This saying underscores the importance with which Islam considers economic wellbeing in its mention of wheat as the traditional source of food-and social cleanliness, which is one of the elements conducive to a wholesome environment.
Thus a community that aspires to heavenly joy should avoid an economy in which there is deep class difference between the rich and the poor; it should strive for a wholesome environment by purging sea, land, and air of pollution; it should work for an environment that enjoys wellbeing in the absence of destructive weapons.
But on the contrary, evil governments rise to reduce justice-seeking nations to poverty by imposing economic sanctions and exploiting biological weapons so as to attain false prosperity, but in so doing they tend to neglect that the treacherous world will not allow their oppressive rule to live for long.
There is no gain in egoism, so avoid it,
Lest it should reduce your existence to dust.
The Spiritual Reward Of Conserving Nature
The Prophet says,
There are three things that enlighten the eye: greenery, flowing water, and a well-favored countenance.
Since the brilliance of the eyes is nurtured by the sight of green vegetation, one can infer that the plan ting of trees and forests is a commendable deed in Islam. Thus, we are not justified in failing to plant vegetation, to preserve the natural resources, or to tend to parks and gardens.
The Prophet says,
He who plants a tree, indeed no human being eats from it nor any other of God’s creatures but that it is recorded for him as an act of generosity.
This hadith demonstrates God’s Mercy as including, not just human beings, but all creatures. Thus, benefitting any creature is rewarded as a generous act.
Islam’s Command To Create Parks And Forests
It is important to note that the benefit of planting trees and vegetation is not restricted to where one derives personal gain; rather, where one is certain of the lack of personal gain, the reward of planting trees still applies. Thus, below two hadiths are presented concerning planting trees, one of which involves hope and the other lack of hope. First, the Prophet says,
Indeed hope is a grace from God unto my nation. Were hope lacking, no mother would suckle her infant and no gardener would plant a tree.
Second, on another occasion the Prophet says,
Should the time [of the final judgment] come due while one of you holds a shoot in his hand, he must, if possible, plant the shoot before the advent of the hour [of judgment].
Planting Trees As One Of The Most Sacred Deeds
Islam’s emphasis on planting vegetation, especially those productive of fruit for human beings, is clearly evident in the sayings of Islamic authorities, which rank this deed among the most sacred. Thus it is reported that the Prophet said,
Seven things continue to benefit one while dead and buried in grave: teaching knowledge, digging a canal, excavating a well, planting a date palm, constructing a mosque, bequeathing a Qur’an, or leaving behind offspring that ask one’s forgiveness from God.
In this hadith, planting trees is enumerated alongside such sacred activities as teaching, constructing a mosque, and passing on a Qur’an. This reveals the great value of this deed and the worth Islam deems for it.
In this light, the corpus of Islamic literature contains numerous hadiths that encourage planting trees or prohibit felling trees unless necessary. The Prophet says,
He who waters a talh (acacia or banana) or a lotus tree is as if he had quenched the thirst of a believer.
The Master of the Faithful says,
Felling a rank and green tree is prohibited unless necessary.
In the same vein, there are hadiths related from Imam Rida’ and Imam Al-Sadiq to the effect that protecting trees is more crucial in arid regions and that it is permitted to fell trees if new trees are planted in their place.
The Necessity Of Preserving Air, Water, And Land Unpolluted
It is reported that Imam Al-Sadiq said,
Life is not pleasant but for three things: clean air, abundant fresh water, and fertile land.
God has furnished all the necessary elements for human life and recognized as a human right the ability to use them and obliged humankind to preserve them against disease, dearth, and the like. As such, it would be a violation of a religious obligation should the individual or society fail to discern these elements or preserve them.
That is, it is necessary, for instance, that the nature of air be examined, that the ways to utilize it be scrutinized, that the factors that pollute it be distinguished, and that the necessary facilities for purifying it be constructed and put to use. The same obligations pertain to water and soil.
Animal Rights In Islam
Any benefit that nature may provide to the human being or any other animal is deemed valuable in the Islamic value system. Religious authorities have always been kind to harmless creatures. Once when passing by the seashore, Jesus cast a morsel of food into the water. One of his disciples asked, “O Spirit of God, what was this for?” And he replied, “For the creatures of the sea, so that they may eat it, and the reward of this deed is indeed great.
Imam al-Baqir says,
To quench a creature, even an animal, deserves such reward as God on the Day of Judgment, when there is no shade to protect one from the heat, will give one refuge in His shade.
It is from these verbal and practical instructions offered by the sacred authorities of Islam that we may infer how obedience and morality relate to environmental concerns. In these instructions, a religious element seeking God’s reward, comfort in the Hereafter, etc. is manifestly infused in such seemingly mundane matters.
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Author: Ayatullah Jawadi Amuli
