The Earth: A blessing for Mankind

By: Zainab and ZahraClass 2010

• 40: 64. It is Allah Who has made for you the earth as a resting place, and the sky as a canopy, and has given you shape- and made your shapes beautiful,- and has provided for you Sustenance, of things pure and good;- such is Allah your Lord. So Glory to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds!

Introduction...• This Earth is a gift to mankind from Allah

(s.w.t). It is our responsibility to ensure that we take care of it, even though this World is a transit point for all of humanity. Allah has provided us with several bounties some of which include: the land, water, air, sky, nature, etc. Each one of these elements are connected to the other thus, if one is disturbed, it will create a domino effect and disrupt the others.

• Allah eloquently says in Hadith Al Qudsi, ‘O Man I have created everything for you, but I have created you for myself.’

• Therefore, if our blessed Creator has created this World for us, isn’t it our responsibility to ensure that we take care of it? Isn’t it our responsibility to protect the Earth from corruption and environmental disasters?

The Blessings of Allah (s.w.t) : Surah Rahman

• In Surah Rahman Allah states the blessings that he has bestowed upon us :

• 55:10] And the earth, He has set it for living creatures; { نام لأل� وضعها ض ر� {10واأل�

• 55:11] Therein is fruit and palms having sheathed clusters, { �مام ك األ� ذات خ�ل والن فاكهة {11فيها

• 55:12] And the grain with (its) husk and fragrance. حب� وال�حان } ي والر �عص�ف ال 55:13 {12ذو ]

• Which then of the bounties of your Lord will you deny? تكذبان } كما رب آالء {13فبأي

• 55:19] He has made the two seas to flow freely (so that) they meet together:

• �تقيان } يل �ن ري �بح� ال {19مرج• 55:20] Between them is a barrier which they

cannot pass.• �غيان } يب ال زخ بر� �نهما {20بي

• 2:164 (Asad) Verily, in the creation of the heavens and of the Earth, and the succession of night and day: and in the ships that speed through the sea with what is useful to man: and in the waters which God sends down from the sky, giving life thereby to the Earth after it had, been lifeless, and causing all manner of living creatures to multiply thereon: and in the change of the winds, and the clouds that run their appointed courses between sky and Earth: [in all this] there are messages indeed for people who use their reason.

Man’s Mischief on the Earth...

�دي       أي كسبت� بما �بح�ر وال �بر ال في �فساد ال ظهرجعون ير� هم� لعل عملوا ذي ال بع�ض ليذيقهم اس الن

• 30:41 Mischief has appeared on land and sea because of (the meed) that the hands of men have earned, that ((Allah)) may give them a taste of some of their deeds: in order that they may turn back (from Evil).

• In the aforementioned ayaat, Allah is trying to convey to mankind that this Earth is an A’maanah, and man has misused this special gift.

• This is evident through the environmental disasters that take place for example: Oil spills, re-claiming of land, deforestation, wastage, etc.

Related Hadith

• Imam Baqir a.s says: " Perhaps you think that Allah has only created this single world, and you think that Allah has not created anyone other than yourselves! Nay by Allah, verily Allah has created a million worlds and a million Adams and you are the last of these worlds and of the last Adams"

(Source the scale of Wisdom, p.g 340 hadith no 1909)

Related Hadith

• The 5th Imam explains how man is the last inhibitor of earth

• This world is also the last world– This explains importance of keeping it sustainable

• As well, man will be the only ones responsible for caring for the earth

• God ultimately expects man to take care of our earth and its resources

Eco Catastrophes• Oil Spill in Louisiana-The oil spill started April 20, after an explosion on the

BP-operated Deepwater Horizon drilling platform in the Gulf of Mexico. The rig sank April 22 about 80 km off the southeast coast of Louisiana, and the untapped wellhead is gushing about 5,000 barrels of oil a day into the Gulf of Mexico, according to BP and government estimates. Some environmentalists say the amount could be much larger. About 1.6 million gallons of oil have spilled since the explosion, the Coast Guard said.

• This spill, though workers are trying to clean it up, will be detrimental to the survival of many animals/plants in that area

• This irresponsible act destroys many aspects of the environment and relates to how man does mischief on this earth, by doing things that harm it.

Chernobyl

• The largest nuclear disaster ever caused by humans occurred in 1986 in Chernobyl, Ukraine. Just after 1 a.m. on April 26, one of several reactors exploded, launching a plume of fire and nuclear fallout into the atmosphere, killing 50 people and affecting thousands more with cancers that would kill years later. At Chernobyl -- and with all nuclear disasters -- the real damage comes after the explosion. Radiation spreads far distances and infiltrates air, food sources and groundwater supplies, affecting local populations for decades. The U.S. currently has more than 60 nuclear power plants, many of which have multiple reactors.

Rainforest Destruction

• Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon rain forest has increased dramatically over the past decade as ranchers, farmers and loggers destroyed up to 10,088 square miles--roughly the size of New Hampshire--each year. More than 50 percent of wildlife and 40 percent of the world’s oxygen comes from rainforests.

Ecological Footprint

• Allah talks about man’s actions on earth and how they will be accounted for

• 55:39. On that Day no question will be asked of man or Jinn as to his sin.

• 55:40. Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?

• 55:41. (For) the sinners will be known by their marks: and they will be seized by their forelocks and their feet.

Ecological Footprint• This is similar to a concept recently created, referred to as the

“ecological footprint”• The ecological footprint tells you what kind of effect you have on

the earth and depending on its size how much/little you have harmed the earth and taken its resources

• That which we take from the earth, and that which we put in the earth will all be accounted for

• This pertains to issues such as– Oil use– Electricity– Food wastage – Littering

Related Hadith

• Imam Baqir a.s says: " Perhaps you think that Allah has only created this single world, and you think that Allah has not created anyone other than yourselves! Nay by Allah, verily Allah has created a million worlds and a million Adams and you are the last of these worlds and of the last Adams"

• (Source the scale of Wisdom, p.g 340 hadith no 1909)

Conclusion

• The earth will speak before God to tell him of man’s mischief

• It is our responsibility to take care of this earth• Our effect on the physical world will be taken

into account when determining our place in heaven or hell

• Man is currently not doing a good job or sustaining this planet as seen by some of the catastrophes caused by man