Book contents
- The Cambridge Handbook of Islam and Environmental Law
- The Cambridge Handbook of Islam and Environmental Law
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Figures
- Contributors
- Foreword
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- 1 Islamic Policy of Environmental Conservation
- 2 Acknowledging Environmental Externalities in Islamic Legal Critiques of Corporate Personhood
- 3 Islamic Ethics, Decarbonization, and Climate Change in the Middle East
- 4 Environmental Stewardship in Islamic Law
- 5 Dignity Law and the Environment in Pakistan
- 6 Oil and Institutional Stasis in the Persian Gulf
- 7 Militarism, Climate Emissions, and Islamic Environmental Ethics
- 8 A Concise Overview of the Classical Islamic Coastal and Marine Environmental Law
- 9 Property Rights for Landless Agricultural Workers and the Flexibility of Hanafi Land Law Jurisprudence
- 10 A History of the Ḥimā Conservation System
- 11 The Right to Water in Islamic Thought and Its Manifestation in the Islamic-Iranian Cities
- 12 Intellectual Property and the Protection of the Environment in Nigeria
- 13 A Critical Appraisal of State-Supported, ‘Public’ Islamic Environmental Law through the Case Studies of Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia
- 14 Redefining an Islamic ‘Good Life’
- 15 Islamic Legal Perspectives on Genetically Modified Food (GMF)
- 16 Sheikh Asim Farooq v. Federation of Pakistan
- 17 The Making and Message of Al-Mizan: A Covenant for the Earth
- 18 Towards Environmental Sustainability
- 19 Arabic Treatises on Environmental Pollution up to the End of the Thirteenth Century
- 20 Islamic Environmental Law Revisited as an Academic Discipline
- 21 Animal Ethics in Islam
- 22 Islamic Finance and Environmental Law
- 23 Towards an Islamic Energy Ethic and Praxis
- 24 The Protection of Basic Natural Resources and Man under Islamic Law
- 25 Faith-Based Approaches to Ecological Harmony and Environmental Protection
- 26 Charting the Future of Islamic Environmental Law in an Age of Planetary Crisis
- Index
4 - Environmental Stewardship in Islamic Law
Principles, Institutions, and Ecological Governance in the Muslim World
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 30 April 2026
Book contents
- The Cambridge Handbook of Islam and Environmental Law
- The Cambridge Handbook of Islam and Environmental Law
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Figures
- Contributors
- Foreword
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- 1 Islamic Policy of Environmental Conservation
- 2 Acknowledging Environmental Externalities in Islamic Legal Critiques of Corporate Personhood
- 3 Islamic Ethics, Decarbonization, and Climate Change in the Middle East
- 4 Environmental Stewardship in Islamic Law
- 5 Dignity Law and the Environment in Pakistan
- 6 Oil and Institutional Stasis in the Persian Gulf
- 7 Militarism, Climate Emissions, and Islamic Environmental Ethics
- 8 A Concise Overview of the Classical Islamic Coastal and Marine Environmental Law
- 9 Property Rights for Landless Agricultural Workers and the Flexibility of Hanafi Land Law Jurisprudence
- 10 A History of the Ḥimā Conservation System
- 11 The Right to Water in Islamic Thought and Its Manifestation in the Islamic-Iranian Cities
- 12 Intellectual Property and the Protection of the Environment in Nigeria
- 13 A Critical Appraisal of State-Supported, ‘Public’ Islamic Environmental Law through the Case Studies of Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia
- 14 Redefining an Islamic ‘Good Life’
- 15 Islamic Legal Perspectives on Genetically Modified Food (GMF)
- 16 Sheikh Asim Farooq v. Federation of Pakistan
- 17 The Making and Message of Al-Mizan: A Covenant for the Earth
- 18 Towards Environmental Sustainability
- 19 Arabic Treatises on Environmental Pollution up to the End of the Thirteenth Century
- 20 Islamic Environmental Law Revisited as an Academic Discipline
- 21 Animal Ethics in Islam
- 22 Islamic Finance and Environmental Law
- 23 Towards an Islamic Energy Ethic and Praxis
- 24 The Protection of Basic Natural Resources and Man under Islamic Law
- 25 Faith-Based Approaches to Ecological Harmony and Environmental Protection
- 26 Charting the Future of Islamic Environmental Law in an Age of Planetary Crisis
- Index
Summary
Islamic environmental law presents a comprehensive approach to ecological preservation, grounded in religious principles and ethical responsibilities. This research explores the Islamic legal framework for environmental protection, positioning humans as stewards (khalifa) of nature rather than absolute owners. The study illuminates how Islamic jurisprudence integrates environmental conservation into a holistic system of social and spiritual responsibility. The research examines key institutional mechanisms within Islamic law for environmental management, including land reclamation (Ihia’ Al-Arad Al-Mawat), natural reserves (Al-Hima), protective zones (Al-Harim), and charitable endowments (Al-Waqf). Central to this approach is the principle of prioritizing collective welfare over individual interests, with a strong emphasis on preventing environmental harm and promoting sustainable development. The paper critically analyzes the potential for implementing Islamic environmental principles in contemporary legal frameworks, particularly in Muslim-majority countries. It advocates for a renewed environmental governance model that synthesizes religious ethics, scientific understanding, and proactive institutional strategies to address ecological challenges.
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- The Cambridge Handbook of Islam and Environmental Law , pp. 37 - 47Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2026
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