520 |
|
|
|b If we ponder the comprehensive meaning of environ¬ment, we will find that it has garnered great interest. Its most important component is man and all other components and creatures were made subservient to him. He was given the ownership of the earth and made God's vicegerent on it. Through this latter role, man both administers and benefits from the earth. Since environmental protection is intrinsic to the five objectives of Islamic law—the preservation of religion, progeny, intellect, wealth, and life—anyone who is well versed in Islamic jurisprudence and has read its sources, branches, and maxims, will no doubt find that it is closely tied to the environment and that it is valid for facing the numerous and evolving environmental problems. \ This paper was therefore entitled Environmental Pol¬lution And The Means Of Dealing With It In Islamic Ju¬risprudence. \ The motivation for choosing this topic is the scholarly contention over the issue. Some scholars justify the current state of affairs and deem it not only a fact but a necessary consequence of development and the na¬ture of life. On the other hand, others advocate the protection of nature and seek to halt man's greed for profit, industrialization, and production. Still others take a middle position and seek to achieve human in¬terests in the long run without hindering his current and immediate interests by preserving environmental balance.
|