“God – whom we know as Allah – has created the universe in all its diversity, richness and vitality: the stars, the sun and moon, the earth and all its communities of living beings. . . ” So begins the Islamic Declaration on Global Climate Change, a call to action for the 1.6 billion Muslims around the world.

NASR: “In the Islamic point of view, nature is alive. It’s conscious. It follows God’s laws. And what we’re doing is breaking those laws in the name of our own earthly welfare, and now we’re destroying the very habitat that God created for us.”

That’s Seyyed Hossein Nasr, professor of Islamic Studies at George Washington University. He spoke at a recent international symposium that brought together faith groups, policy makers, and academics to discuss a unified vision for how the Islamic community can provide leadership on climate change.

The Declaration outlines that vision. Using passages from the Qur’an, it calls for people worldwide to phase out greenhouse gas emissions, invest in a green economy, pursue growth in moderation, and prioritize adaptation.

Nasr says environmental awareness is growing in the Islamic world, and the Declaration on Climate Change represents an important milestone.

Reporting credit: ChavoBart Digital Media.
Mosque silhouette photo: Copyright protected.

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