The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
15 Nov 07
Scholars concluded during a dialog on Islam and the environment Wednesday that Islamic values supported Indonesia's efforts to face its environmental challenges.
The dialog was held at Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University (UIN) in cooperation with the British Embassy in Jakarta.
The director of the Islamic Foundation for Ecology and Environmental Sciences (IFEES) in England, Fazlun M. Khalid, said that in contrast to common misperceptions, Islam was more than a ritualistic religion.
Khalid said Islam also provided universal values that underlined the importance of maintaining a balanced interaction with nature.
He said Islamic teachings helped position human beings as the khalifah or administrative deputies of God on earth.
"Ulemas in Indonesia are way ahead ... in translating the sharia into fatwa (religious edicts)," he said.
Khalid also said Indonesian ulemas issued many Islamic edicts that affirmed various environmental problems, including the burning of forests, illegal logging and mining, as well as the latest on the conservation of forests.
He said Indonesia needed a "support mechanism" that would ensure the involvement of politicians and stakeholders in spreading religious beliefs related to the environment.
In support of Khalid's analysis, the director of UIN's Graduate School Azyumardi Azra said the application of sharia called for a "paradigm shift" in the development strategy adopted by the government.
He said the application of sharia also aligned economic growth with nature-friendly development.
Azyumardi identified the ulemas' "great role in enhancing public awareness of environmental problems".
He said they identified the lack of education on such matters as one of the core reasons for environmental damage.
"In general, devout Muslims in Indonesia perceive Islam as a ritualistic religion," Azyumardi said.
"They are incapable of translating their personal piety into practical actions to save the environment, which is actually part of the social piety taught in Islam."
An environmental observer from the Ministry of Environment, Henri Bastaman, said Muslim scholars had written extensively about the eco-ethical principles of Islam.
The Islamic environmental ethic is built on three key principles: tauhid (the oneness and unity of God), humans' role as khalifah, and the relationship of humans with the rest of creation.
Government and non-government initiatives on Islam and the environment in Indonesia emerged in 2002 but have not been comprehensively carried out in the country.
Henri said, if thoroughly practiced, Islamic values would require people to change their mindset, positioning themselves more as the "caretakers" of the environment, rather than the "dominators" -- a present state of mind he said had been a major hindrance in solving environmental problems.
All scholars agreed Wednesday that Indonesia needed to redefine "sustainable development and prosperity" -- which the country strived to achieve.
15 Nov 07
Scholars concluded during a dialog on Islam and the environment Wednesday that Islamic values supported Indonesia's efforts to face its environmental challenges.
The dialog was held at Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University (UIN) in cooperation with the British Embassy in Jakarta.
The director of the Islamic Foundation for Ecology and Environmental Sciences (IFEES) in England, Fazlun M. Khalid, said that in contrast to common misperceptions, Islam was more than a ritualistic religion.
Khalid said Islam also provided universal values that underlined the importance of maintaining a balanced interaction with nature.
He said Islamic teachings helped position human beings as the khalifah or administrative deputies of God on earth.
"Ulemas in Indonesia are way ahead ... in translating the sharia into fatwa (religious edicts)," he said.
Khalid also said Indonesian ulemas issued many Islamic edicts that affirmed various environmental problems, including the burning of forests, illegal logging and mining, as well as the latest on the conservation of forests.
He said Indonesia needed a "support mechanism" that would ensure the involvement of politicians and stakeholders in spreading religious beliefs related to the environment.
In support of Khalid's analysis, the director of UIN's Graduate School Azyumardi Azra said the application of sharia called for a "paradigm shift" in the development strategy adopted by the government.
He said the application of sharia also aligned economic growth with nature-friendly development.
Azyumardi identified the ulemas' "great role in enhancing public awareness of environmental problems".
He said they identified the lack of education on such matters as one of the core reasons for environmental damage.
"In general, devout Muslims in Indonesia perceive Islam as a ritualistic religion," Azyumardi said.
"They are incapable of translating their personal piety into practical actions to save the environment, which is actually part of the social piety taught in Islam."
An environmental observer from the Ministry of Environment, Henri Bastaman, said Muslim scholars had written extensively about the eco-ethical principles of Islam.
The Islamic environmental ethic is built on three key principles: tauhid (the oneness and unity of God), humans' role as khalifah, and the relationship of humans with the rest of creation.
Government and non-government initiatives on Islam and the environment in Indonesia emerged in 2002 but have not been comprehensively carried out in the country.
Henri said, if thoroughly practiced, Islamic values would require people to change their mindset, positioning themselves more as the "caretakers" of the environment, rather than the "dominators" -- a present state of mind he said had been a major hindrance in solving environmental problems.
All scholars agreed Wednesday that Indonesia needed to redefine "sustainable development and prosperity" -- which the country strived to achieve.
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