ABSTRACT
This chapter examines how Islam can relate to environmentalism. It analyses Islamic scriptures – the Qur'an, the Hadith, and jurisprudence – and discusses how they could be interpreted through an environmental lens. The chapter also analyses and compares the writings of three prominent Muslim scholars who are well-regarded for their work on environmentalism. It gives an overview of the wider field of grassroots environmentalism amongst Muslims. The chapter argues that a thorough examination of Islamic scriptures and traditions will demonstrate both the intended relationship between humanity and nature in Islamic sources and the extent of environmental concern found in the original scriptural texts. In the many Muslim-majority countries where environmentalism is a largely secular affair, the fact that activists do not explicate the link between Islam and environmentalism does not necessarily mean these groups are not Islamic.
