Shaykh ‘Abdur-Rahmaan as-Sudais [May Allaah Preserve him]
3/7/1435 – 2/5/2014
Verily, all Praises are due to Allaah, Our Lord, we seek His Aid and Forgiveness and we Repent to Him, we Praise Him with all forms of Goodness.
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The best thing that the day or night, humility and deeds can bring, is the Taqwaa of Allaah, the Most High. So whoever holds firm to Taqwaa will be successful and saved, and al-Baaree (the One Who Created from nothing, fashioned it with perfection, decreed its decree and it distinguished it from others forms of creation) will give them what they hoped for sought.
"And whatever good you do, (be sure) Allah knows it. And take a provision (with you) for the journey, but the best provision is At-Taqwa (piety, righteousness, etc.). So fear Me, O men of understanding!"
[Al-Baqarah 2:197]
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Oh Muslims!
A distinctive feature in our Sharee’ah is that we give value to human life. We guarantee is safety, despite age and location on the planet, our history is a proof that our Sharee’ah shows the respect and value given to human life in the way our Salaf had preserved it. Preserving human life was always a paramount objective above any other, as a direct result from the understanding gained from our religion in highlighting its effects, benefits and seriousness.
The topic today - Allaah Preserve you - is about preserving the environment and its benefits. It is the ingredient for life and the universe revolves in order to protect it. So reflect, how many of the world’s water has quenched peoples thirst, how many has it benefitted its occupants, how many have been guided as a result of the environment and the extent of joy it has brought to many people’s lives?
Oh Muslims!
Surely, protecting the environment is from the branches of Eemaan, a sign of a person piety and goodness. Rather, it is more serious than that, protecting the environment is sovereignty of the religion, and a cause for our religion to have spread because of the proofs and evidences in relation to it found within our Sharee’ah.
"…and do not act corruptly, making mischief on the earth."" [al-Baqarah 2:60]
And,
"And do not do mischief on the earth, after it has been set in order"
[al-'Araaf 7:56]
Imaam al-Qurtubee [May Allaah have Mercy on him] said:
All forms of corruption and mischief, major or minor, once the land has become peaceful, major or minor, is prohibited. End quote.
[Tafseer al-Qurtubee (7/204)]
It is also authentically narrated that the leader of all mankind [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him] said, “Emaan (faith) is seventy odd branches, the highest of which is to say ‘There is no god but Allaah’ (لا إله إلا الله), and the lowest form of it is to remove something harmful from the street.” [Reported by Muslim in his Saheeh (35)]
Harm here refers to anything that may be harmful in the literal or metaphorical sense.
So how great is Allaah! So how can we remove harm from all aspects of our lives? The only answer is if we have a preserved environment, pure and healthy, with no crookedness, rather its importance is even greater than this for those who seek uprightness and exemplification.
Brothers in faith!
How can we not seek to protect our environment when Allaah has subjugated the slave to what He has Created from the natural beauty and an environment that is fascinating.
"7. And the earth! We have spread it out, and set thereon mountains standing firm, and have produced therein every kind of lovely growth (plants).
8. An insight and a Reminder for every slave turning to Allah (i.e. the one who believes in Allah and performs deeds of His obedience, and always begs His pardon)."
[Qaaf 50: 7-8]
In this noble Aayaat, and many like it, the call is reaffirmed to preserve our environment, for humans, animals, birds, buildings, the air, the skies, trees and plants, agriculture and water, and everything that is between the land and seas. We are commanded to protect its beauty and organization, its power and benefits, keeping it safe and pure.
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Oh believers!
Correcting the corrupt environment, rectifying the multiple benefits that exists within the creation that al-Baaree has given us, brings out a multitude of remunerations. It brings about life enjoyment in eating and the nutrition found within it, pleasure in the lives and hearts of man, attraction to the eye, a shadow and cool resting place, a source of energy and a breath of fresh air.
Rather, it is more than that. Preserving the environment is a form of magnifying the creation of al-Khaaliq (the Creator) al-Wahaab (the Bestower). For this reason, the Chosen One [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him] came with whatever brought betterment for the environment, seeking to rectify and preserve its benefits and beauty. He said, “A man was once walking and found a thorn (or a branch) that could cause potential harm on the street, so he removed it and as a result, Allaah Forgave all of his sins.” [Reported by al-Bukhaaree (624)]
Likewise, he [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him] warned against pollution and whatever will cause the environment to become debased, where he said, “Fear three curses! (1) To urinate on the street, and to cause corruption on the (2) streets and (3) shadows” [Reported by Aboo Dawood (26) and Ibn Maajah (328), classes as Hasan by an-Nawawee in al-Khulaasah al-ahkaam Fee Muhimmaat as-Sunaan wa al-Qawaa’id al-Islaam (1/154)]
This is a command is entirely true and its example is very precise. The Prophetic methodology is merciful, a methodology that none globally can match yet maintain its level of equality throughout the global population.
Brothers in al-Islaam!
Reinforcing the importance of preserving the environment, whether it is done with stern warnings for those who oppose or gentle reminders for those who forget, the environment will be preserved. Certainly, many countries have fallen victim to this problem, and the ignorance of people, and the harm caused by the negligent in this, has caused incomparable harm. None except a few are spared from its damage, rather its destruction has soared across the land, after once being a world full of richness, enjoyment and beauty.
Reflect, how many treasured environments have fallen prey to pollution? How many have become littered with squalor, none can withstand its stench except the one who has lost all taste and misguided himself from appreciation.
It is has been narrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Umar [May Allaah be Pleased with him] that the Prophet [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him] said, “There is no person who kills a small bird or even greater than it, except that Allaah, the Glorified and the Exalted, will take the person to questioning about it.” [Reported by Ahmad (6550) and Nasaa’ee (4298), classed as Hasan by al-Haakim in his Mustadarak (7648)]
He also [Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him] said, “Whoever cuts the lotus tree (Sidrah), Allaah will pour it on the persons head in the fire.” [Reported by al-Bayhaqee (141), Aboo Dawood (5239) and said in commenting about it, “Whoever cuts it out of idleness and play without having any need to do so.” Classes as Saheeh by al-Albaanee in Saheehah (614)]
This is warning given to the lotus tree in a tree that is very common, so how about trees that are needed for the environment? How about those who destroy rain-forests or those who pollute the air in their factories, excessive in vehicles, and the mountains of litter, overfilling sewage channels, and everything else that corrupts the environment; when cutting a common tree in order to burn its wood without any purpose except idleness has this severe punishment?
Even worse and more severe than that, and in Allaah we put our trust, putting our trust in the One Who Has Power over His Dominion and the oppressors and transgressors, those who take up their arms and weapons, nuclear, biological and gasses of poison, create explosion and widespread destruction. Obliteration that spares no man, woman, child or elderly, without there being any glimmer of mercy or humanity. They possess the acumen of wild animals that results in the slander against the environment and human life. Nothing coming of it except devastation, and a barrier against that which is good and blessed to spread, bewitched with the only intent of warfare and torture.
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Oh believers!
General protection in guiding our environment to its rectification and protection, and in aiding its importance, can only be brought about if an Islaamic ethos is used to uphold the environment. This will promote responsibility and manners, awareness that Muslims have for the preservation of their country and state, the necessity of it within the community and the an appreciation for its benefits. The Ummah can only be increased in its honour only if they develop themselves and to remove anything that stunts its growth and progress.
Brothers in al-Islaam!
If the Islaamic approach to environment is adopted, explained and implemented throughout the various infrastructures in the world (at political, domestic or even individual level), its rulings and wisdom exposed to the masses, its honour and respect for human life and the environment, its care for the nature and the action it commands towards, the corruptness and poison within the global environment will alter. This is the majesty found in the statement of al-‘Azeez (the Mighty) and al-Qadeer (the Ever-Able):
"7. So whosoever does good equal to the weight of an atom (or a small ant), shall see it.
8. And whosoever does evil equal to the weight of an atom (or a small ant), shall see it."
[az-Zalzalah 99: 7-8]
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Preserving the environment is at many levels. It entails the preservation of the community, the population, the country, families, politics, the economy, human life and the natural disposition (the Fitrah). The environment has characteristics which relate to our worship, our deeds and our humanly attraction towards it.
The incomparable rectification of the environment and its compassion towards it can only stem from at-Tawheed and al-Eemaan, from the Quraan and the Sunnah that which have come to purify the masses from sins and shortcomings. It has come to purify the lands from deviations and Shirk, and from innovations, sins and all detestable deeds. It removes doubts and being excessive, and gives responsibility to uprightness and gaining of rewards.
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Protecting the environment is a deed which brings the about the good manners of a person, extolling them in it and is a vice for the person to become steadfast upon the Sunnah. This is because the Islaamic methodology is constructed on empowering individuals to remove anything blameworthy from their deeds and manners. Its prohibits conflict and defiance, rather it upholds the vision of the profiting the broader community and conforming with them. Therefore, this methodology takes a person away from a shallow materialistic mindset to a broader, worshipping and empathetic one.
"204. And of mankind there is he whose speech may please you (O Muhammad), in this worldly life, and he calls Allah to witness as to that which is in his heart, yet he is the most quarrelsome of the opponents.
205. And when he turns away (from you "O Muhammad"), his effort in the land is to make mischief therein and to destroy the crops and the cattle, and Allah likes not mischief."
[Al-Baqarah 2:204-205]
End of First Khutbah.
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