SUSTAINABLE development (SD) gained traction in the 1960s due to heightened apprehensions over crucial issues of human survival. The key question asked was: Are we moving towards a sustainable future considering the poverty trap, human dignity deficit, HIV/lethal diseases and ecological degradation?
In the 1970s, sustainability was used to describe an economy in equilibrium with basic ecological support systems. The three key components of SD included environmental, economic and social dimensions. The United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development released the report Our Common Future (1987), which defined SD as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. This subsumed, in turn, intra-generational equity (between rich and poor now) and inter-generational equity (between present and future generations) for a sustainable future.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) added a new dimension to SD by emphasising the quality of life as an overall concept, in addition to the carrying capacity of its supporting ecosystems.
The Islamic Declaration on Sustainable Development 2012 emphasised ethical norms and humankind’s responsibility in the utilisation, allocation and preservation of natural resources. The moral economy of Islam advocates, in turn, social justice, poverty eradication and protection of the planet’s inhabitants and ecosystems. From its fusion of the economic and moral principles, Islamic economics advanced new strategies of growth that integrate Islamic norms into a market economy that advocates a sustainable model of development.
Development becomes sustainable from the Islamic viewpoint when it is observant of equilibrium (mizan), moderation (wasatiyyah), and considerations of social equity, while clear, in the meantime, of prodigality and waste (israf, tabdhir). Mizan is mainly concerned with the celestial universe and the place of planet Earth in the grand scheme of creation, while wasatiyyah teaches moderation in human conduct and the use of the earth’s resources.
Violation of mizan and wasatiyyah amounts to what the Quran describes as fasad (corruption and decay). The question as to whether there is a concept of development in Islam finds a ready response in the Quranic vision of building the earth (Hud, 11: 61). This is an integral part, in turn, of the vicegerency (khilafah) of humankind on Earth, which subsumes two other themes, the goals and purposes, or maqasid, of syariah, and considerations of public interest, or maslahah.
Ibn Khaldun’s (d.1406CE) idea of “umran”, or the building of a humane civilisation on earth, is marked by transition from a nomadic lifestyle to the building of cities, attention to arts and sciences, industries and professions, and not least to effective leadership roles that direct and control the various stages of progress in civilisation building.
The higher purposes (maqasid) of syariah are focused on the protection and development of life, faith, mind, property and family, which are evidently crucial to SD and provide the necessary context for it. Muslim individuals and governments are duty-bound to protect these values and seize all opportunities for their promotion and development. Malaysia’s Syariah Index, launched in February 2015 by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, is a maqasid-based index aimed at measuring government performance in eight key areas: judiciary, economy, education, infrastructure and environment, health, culture, society and politics.
Social justice (al-‘adalah al-ijtima’iyyah) in Islamic law and scripture signifies equitable distribution of wealth and opportunities in society, regardless of race, colour and creed, and the government has a responsibility to ensure it. The rules of syariah on obligatory and supererogatory charity (zakat and sadaqat), inheritance, and the public treasury (bayt al-mal) envisage a system of redistribution that tend to institutionalise distributive justice in the Islamic system of government.
The Islamic belief in Divine Oneness (tawhid), nurtures the spirit of integration and togetherness of man and nature, and of human fraternity in which individual action is guided by the wider concerns of unity for the common good.
As an article of the Muslim faith, tawhid also evokes inner harmony of the self and the soul-focused integration of mind and heart at the centre of one’s being.
Islam’s identification of itself as a nature-compliant religion (din al-fitrah) is indicative of an outlook of harmony with the God-ordained nature, people and environment. Din al-fitrah implies that the earth is created in a state of natural equilibrium endowed with resources and capabilities to sustain its life forms. The Quran nurtures the notion of aesthetic intelligence, bio-mimicry, and learning from nature. Science and technology from the Islamic viewpoint must also preserve the essence of our humanity, if they were to be conducive to sustainability.
A number of resource management and welfare institutions were created throughout Islamic history that contributed to sustainability objectives in the economy and society. Among them are ihya’, hima’, iqta’, and waqf.
Land reclamation (ihya al-mawat) is the subject of a hadith that, “one who reclaims barren land shall become its owner”. Later, the second caliph Umar al-Khattab (d.644 CE) ruled that the land must be developed within three years, failing which it will be repossessed by the state. Land in which development would be injurious to public welfare is not acquired through ihya’. The government is authorised to prevent such land being developed by individuals and organisations when it causes environmental damage.
Wildlife and natural resources are protected by zoning around areas called “hima”. In such places, extensive grazing may be restricted or disallowed. Madinah became the first biosphere reserve in Islamic history when the Prophet declared it sacrosanct between its two mountain paths; its foliage was protected, and so was poaching and hunting.
The government is also authorised to make land grants (iqta’) of un-owned land to individuals and institutions for purposes of reclamation and development. This method may further be extended to structural improvement of existing facilities and buildings that could combine aspects of iqta’ with leasing (iqta’ al- istighlal).
Syariah also encourages individual Muslims and institutions to participate in conservation of land and natural resources into charitable endowments (waqf). Historically waqf, which is endowment in perpetuity, financed the building and upkeep of mosques, education and healthcare services from private contributions by pious individuals. More recently, the waqf sector has been the focus of attention by the Islamic financing sector to turn the mostly illiquid and poorly managed waqf assets into viable profitable investment vehicles.