October 19

Environment and Islam

Climate Change – Here’s what you can do!

Islam places great importance in preserving and sustaining our environment. With drastic climate changes, global warming and indiscriminate exploitation of resources, we are staring at the worst environmental crisis ever witnessed by mankind.

So what can we as Muslims parents do, to protect, nurture and safeguard our planet which Allah has blessed us with? How do we help our children grow into conscious individuals who appreciate Allah’s immense blessings upon mankind?

In this article, we will take a look at some easy yet powerful techniques that you can make your child employ to save planet Earth from further degeneration insha’Allah. 

Use water consciously:

Remind your children to turn off the water when brushing their teeth. Don’t fill the bathtub up excessively. When they are playing with water outdoors, remind them to use a minimal amount. 

Abdullah ibn Amr ibn Al-`Aas raḍyAllāhu ‘anhu (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) passed one day by Sa`d ibn Abi Waqas raḍyAllāhu ‘anhu (may Allah be pleased with him) while he was performing Wudu’. The Prophet ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allahbe upon him) asked Sa`d: “What is this wastage?” Sa`d replied: “Is there wastage in Wudu also?” The Prophet said, “Yes, even if you are at a flowing river.”[Ibn Majah]

Avoid excess consumption:

Make it a habit to fill your children’s plate with the amount of food they are able to eat. Do not overfill their plate, resulting in excess food that’s eventually thrown away. Similarly, teach them to not overfill their stomach with food that’s more than necessary.

Al-Miqdam ibn Ma’d reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “The son of Adam cannot fill a vessel worse than his stomach, as it is enough for him to take a few bites to straighten his back. If he cannot do it, then he may fill it with a third of his food, a third of his drink, and a third of his breath.” Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 2380

If you do have leftover food, give it to your pet or stray animal (if the food is appropriate for their consumption). 

“A man felt very thirsty while he was on the way, there he came across a well. He went down the well, quenched his thirst and came out. Meanwhile he saw a dog panting and licking mud because of excessive thirst. He said to himself, “This dog is suffering from thirst as I did.” So, he went down the well again, filled his shoe with water, held it with his mouth and watered the dog. Allah appreciated him for that deed and forgave him.” The Companions said, “O Allah’s Messenger! Is there a reward for us in serving the animals?” He replied: “There is a reward for serving any living being.” [Bukhari]

Save electricity:

  1. Always remember to unplug your devices after charging them. Turn off the TV when you’re not watching. Switch off the lights when you leave your room or house. 
  2. Household appliances that are unnecessarily left on standby are known as ‘vampire devices‘; these consume a lot of electricity so make sure they’re all turned off. 
  3. On a sunny day, air dry your clothes instead of using the dryer. This not only saves electricity but the sunlight is capable of killing any unwanted microbes or bacteria that may be lingering on your clothes. 
  4. Close the doors when the air conditioner is turned on, in order to prevent excess usage.An open door to an air-conditioned building can let 2.2 tons of carbon dioxide escape over one summer. That’s about as much as a car on a 5,000- mile road trip.
  5. Even better, try opening your windows and let the fresh air enter your house rather than turning on the air conditioner. 
  6. Use solar panels to power up if you live in a country that’s blessed with abundant sunlight.

Recycle, reduce and reuse:

Did you know that 60% of what we throw away is actually recyclable? So the next time you throw something away in the bin, check whether you can recycle it or not. 

Avoid excess consumerism by buying only what is necessary, and buy fewer things if possible. Don’t throw away what you don’t use anymore. Instead, donate them to those in need or sell them at a lower cost.  

Clean trash together:

Join your local community in cleaning away the trash in your locality. This includes picking up trash from your sidewalks, the playground, your park, the beach or around your school. Did you know that doing so is considered an act of charity and you will be rewarded for it?

Abu Hurayrah raḍyAllāhu ‘anhu (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) said: “Removing harmful things from the road is an act of charity (sadaqah).” [Riyadh As Saliheen]

Walk when you can:

Try walking around to places that are nearby rather than using your car. This protects the earth from unwanted air pollution that’s emitted from vehicles. 

Learn the art of composting:

Turn your kitchen waste or yard waste into compost that can then be used as natural soil fertilizers for your garden. This prevents excess trash from entering the landfills. 

Reduce usage of plastic:

  1. Use biodegradable spoons/forks/straws. Even better, make your own paper straws! There are plenty of videos online to help you do this. Did you know there are edible spoons available too?! Try them out!
  2. Try using reusable water bottles rather than buying one time plastic bottles. Carry some cloth bags or reusable bags when outside instead of using plastic covers to carry stuff when out for shopping.
  3. Use cloth napkins instead of tissues

Plant trees:

Did you know that planting trees can be a means of you getting unending rewards from Allah, even after your death ?

“If a Muslim plants a tree or sows seeds, and then a bird, or a person or an animal eats from it, it is regarded as a charitable gift (sadaqah) for him.”  [Bukhari] 

Every time a person/animal benefits from the shade the tree provides or by relishing a fruit that was produced, you could be earning exponential rewards even after your death!

The time for change is NOW! Get Your Act Together!

 


Tags

clean, Earth, environment, green, hadeeth on earth, Muslim Kids TV, reduce reuse recycle, rewards, save Earth, water hadeeth


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