What Does Islam Say About the Environment?
وَلَا تُفْسِدُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ بَعْدَ إِصْلَٰحِهَا
And do not cause corruption upon the earth after its reformation. (Quran 7:56)
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What does Islam say about the environment? Humanity is the earth's trustee, not owner — called to mercy for all creatures, moderation, and against waste and excess.
وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَكُمْ خَلَٰٓئِفَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ
It is He who made you successors upon the earth.
— Quran 6:165
Trustees, Not Owners
The Quran calls humanity khalifah — stewards or trustees of the earth, not its owners. Creation belongs to God; we are caretakers who will be held accountable for how we treated what was entrusted to us. The natural world has rights, and abusing it is a moral failing.
Mercy to All Creatures
The Prophet ﷺ taught that planting a tree from which any person, bird or animal eats is an ongoing charity. He forbade wasting water even at a flowing river, condemned cruelty to animals, and spoke of a woman forgiven for giving water to a thirsty dog. Mercy extends to all life.
Against Excess
The Quran repeatedly warns against israf — wastefulness and excess — the very habits driving today's ecological crisis. Islam's vision of moderation, gratitude and balance is, in effect, an ancient environmental ethic, urging us to take only what we need and leave the earth whole.
Long before it was an emergency, Islam called the earth a trust — and warned that one day we would be asked how we kept it.