It is believed that all human beings descended from one original couple, Adam and Eve, who were created by God. This belief about how humans were created exists similarly, in both Christianity and Islam. The Qur’an says how a single soul was created by Allah and from that, its mate, and from the two spread widely many men and women. Genesis, in the Bible, says how ‘God created man in his own image, in the image of God’, male and female. This suggests that God may have made man to possibly resemble Himself. However in Islam, it is believed by Muslims that the creator of their universe did not necessarily create anything in it to resemble his own form, including human beings.
The teachings within Islam and Christianity about the creation of the world relate to the treatment of the environment also. The creation story of Christianity teaches Christians various aspects about how to treat the environment. In Genesis 1:26 & 28, of the Bible, it is mentioned how God said humans should rule over ‘the Earth’ and ‘all the creatures that move along the ground’, the ‘birds of the air’ and the ‘fish of the sea’. Following what God said, Christians see themselves as stewards of the world. Christians believe that God has created them and that they must carefully look after the world for him. Christians believe that they should control, cultivate and guard the earth as good stewards, as they have been given a special responsibility.
The creation story also teaches Christians ‘worship’. This means that as the world is God’s work, it should therefore be celebrated and enjoyed as well as protected. ‘Harvest Festivals’ are held by Christians, which show thanks for the Earth’s resources and celebrate the environment. The creation story also teaches Christians interdependence. The concept of interdependence teaches Christians that all parts of God’s creation are linked and interdependent. Therefore damage to a part of it, is damaging to us also. Recent teachings in Roman Catholicism say that there is responsibility to consider the welfare of future generations in our consumption of the Earth’s resources, and the preservation of life.
In the denominations of Roman Catholic, Anglican and Methodist there are other teachings, which are followed. The teaching that everything in creation is equal, everything is ultimately God’s and that it is a Christian’s responsibility to protect the Earth for God, are followed by Christian groups. The Assisi declarations of 1986 said that ‘Christians repudiate all ill-considered exploitation of nature which threatens to destroy it and, in turn, to make man the victim of degradation.’ The Christian statement was basically making the point that damaging nature, will result in the shame of people.
There are specific references to the care of the environment in the Bible, such as in Deuteronomy 20:19 that asks trees are not cut down, and its fruits not wasted. In the old testament, in Leviticus 25:8-11, it also mentions how the Jews were told to rest the land every fifty years, so it would produce more in the future.
In Islam Muslims also hold this belief of stewardship, as Christians do. This belief relates to teachings from the creation story also. It is believed that creation belongs to Allah and therefore Allah’s creation should be respected. Similarly to Christians, Muslims consider it their responsibility to care for the Earth and have the role of ‘Khalifah’. This means that they are stewards over creation for Allah, as they are looking after something that is not theirs. The Hadith says that Allah has appointed Muslims as stewards over the beautiful Earth he has created. The Qur’an instructs that Muslims look after the environment and take care not damage Allah’s work. The world was created by Allah, as were human beings, and it is their duty to Allah to look after it.
Christianity has a belief in ‘dual citizenship’. This teaches Christians that humans ultimately belong in heaven with God but also on Earth; a ‘citizenship’ in both. They therefore need to speak out for nature and protect it, as nature cannot speak out for itself.
The Hadith also mentions how those who carefully sow a field or plant a tree, which may benefit animals and humans, will be rewarded and that it is counted as charity. Muslims follow two other main concepts related to creation and care of the environment. Apart from ‘khalifah’ (stewardship), there is also ‘tawhid’ and ‘akhirah’. Tawhid is the oneness of Allah, and Muslims are responsible for maintaining the oneness of his creation. Akhirah means accountability. Muslims believe that when Judgement Day comes they will be called upon to account for how well they have carried out their role of khalifah. These three central beliefs in Islam, concerning the environment, can be drawn from the teachings of creation.
The Muslim statement from the Assisi declarations, in 1986, concentrated on the importance of preserving the ‘oneness’ of Allah’s creation. It was said that this would not be able to happen by ‘letting one end predominate over another; it is maintained by balance and harmony’. As the main point of the statement it concluded that ‘oneness, trusteeship and accountability, that is tawhid, khalifah and akhirah, are the ‘three central concepts of Islam’, and ‘also the pillars of the environmental ethics of Islam’.
There are also three other ‘instructions’ that Muslims should generally follow which ask that careful use must be made of scarce resources, that hunting is only allowed for food and a tree should be planted to replace one that is cut down. Surah 30:30 of the Qur’an could also be linked to the use of genetic engineering, which says that there should be no altering of the creation of Allah’. This would imply that the use of genetic engineering is immoral in Islam.
Muslims and Christians share the basic belief that they have been given dominion over nature, by God, and should therefore use this power and control to protect his creation. Muslims also share concerns, with other religions, for the environment today in ensuring that the world is looked after for future generations and its resources used wisely.