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_-_Protection_of_Man_and_Environment_from_Harm_001.jpg) Damage of all forms and kinds is forbidden in Islam. One
of the fundamental principles of Islamic law is the Prophetic declaration:
“There shall be no damage and no infliction of
damage.” (Al-Hakim)
Prevention of damage and corruption before it occurs is
better than later treatment. Another important juristic rule in Islamic Law
states, “The averting of harm takes precedence over the acquisition of benefits.”
Accordingly, all activities which aim at achieving good and securing benefits
by way of satisfying human needs, providing services and developing
agriculture, industry, and means of communication should be carried out without
causing significant damage, injury, or corruption. It is therefore imperative
that precautions be taken in the processes of envisaging, planning, and
implementing such activities so that, as far as possible, they may not be
accompanied by, or result in, any form of damage or corruption.
1. Wastes, Exhausts, Cleansing Materials, and Other
Toxic and Harmful Substances
Waste products and exhaust fumes, resulting from
ordinary human or industrial activities and the uses of modern and advanced technology,
should be carefully disposed of or eliminated in order to protect the
environment against corruption and distortion. It is also vital to protect man
from the effects of the harmful impact of these on the environment, and its
beauty and vitality, and to ensure the protection of other environmental
parameters. The accumulation of waste is largely a result of our wastefulness.
Islam’s prohibition of wastefulness, however, requires the re-use of goods and
recycling of materials and waste products in so far as is possible, instead of
their disposal as trash.
The Prophet forbade that a person relieve himself in a
water source or on a path, or in a place of shade, or in the burrow of a living
creature. The values
underlying these prohibitions should be understood as applicable to the pollution
of critical resources and habitats in general. Waste products, exhaust fumes,
and similar pollutants should be treated at their sources with the best
feasible means of treatment, and care should be taken in their disposal to
avoid adverse side effects that lead to similar or greater damage or injury. The
juristic principle in this connection is, “Damage shall not be eliminated by
means of similar or greater damage.”
This is also true of the harmful effects of cleansing agents,
and other toxic or harmful materials, used in homes, factories, farms, and
other public or private premises. It is absolutely necessary to take all
possible measures to avoid and prevent their harmful effects before they occur,
and to eliminate or remove such effects if they do occur in order to protect
man and his natural and social environment. Indeed, if the damage resulting
from these materials proves greater than their benefits, they should be
prohibited. In this case, we should look for effective and harmless, or at
least less harmful, alternatives.
2. Pesticides
These same principles apply equally to all pesticides,
including insecticides and herbicides. The use of such materials should not
lead to any harm or damage to human beings or the environment in the present or
the future. Consequently, control and prohibition of whatever leads to harm or
damage, to people or to ecosystems, is required, even though this control or
prohibition may affect the personal interests of some individuals. This is in
accordance with the principle that “A private injury is accepted to avert a
general injury to the public.” All legitimate and lawful means should be used
to avoid and prevent damage or harm, provided that such means do not lead to,
or cause similar, or greater, damage. The juristic rule in this connection is “The
lesser of two evils should be chosen.” If the use of such pesticides is
unavoidable, then “Dire necessity renders prohibited things permissible.” However,
“Every necessity shall be assessed according to its value,” and “That which is
permitted on account of an excuse ceases to be permissible with the cessation of
that excuse.”
The most selective and least destructive means of pest
control are required by these values and principles of Islam. Preventive
measures, biological controls, non-poisonous repellents, biodegradable
substances, and narrow-spectrum pesticides should be favored whenever possible
over their more destructive alternatives. Furthermore, their application
should be carefully calculated to protect human life, crops, and livestock with
utmost efficiency and effectiveness, and with an eye to make the minimum
overall impact on God’s creation.
3. Radioactive Substances
The principles mentioned above apply to radioactive
substances as well, which are not only extremely toxic, but also remain so over
extremely long periods of time. We should prevent and avoid the harmful
effects of their use on people and ecosystems. It is also imperative that we
satisfactorily dispose of all radioactive wastes. Special precautions are required
to prevent the discharge of such wastes from nuclear facilities, whether due to
carelessness or malfunction, and to avoid all harmful effects from the testing
of nuclear explosives.
4. Noise
Since industries, mass communication and transport tend
to be accompanied by, and associated with, noise, it is necessary to look for all
possible ways and means of avoiding and minimizing this noise. Noise has a harmful
impact on man and the living elements of the environment - hence the necessity
of reducing and preventing this harm as far as possible and by every means,
according to the rules and injunctions of Islamic Law.
5. Intoxicants and Other Drugs
It is also clear that intoxicants and narcotics have a
harmful effect on the physical and mental health of human beings and, as a
consequence, on his life and reason; his offspring, work, properties, honor,
and righteousness. It has been proven, without doubt, that intoxicants and
other drugs cause considerable physical, social, and psychological disorders. Therefore,
all kinds of intoxicants and mind-affecting drugs have been prohibited in
Islam. Their production and marketing as well as of anything that is
associated with them or assists in their production is forbidden. This shows
the concern of Islamic legislation over fourteen centuries for the protection
of human life and the conservation of the social and physical environment
against all forms of corruption, harm, damage and pollution.
6. Natural Catastrophes
All necessary precautions should be taken to minimize
the effects of catastrophes which befall man and the environment, such as
floods, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, storms, natural conflagrations,
desertification, infestations, and epidemics. It must be recognized that
natural disasters are sometimes caused, at least in part, by acts of man, and
that the consequences of their occurrence by way of loss of life and property
are, in many cases, aggravated by inappropriate settlement, building, and land
use practices. Accordingly, their impact can be largely mitigated by planning
with foresight, based on the understanding of natural processes. Unsuitable
land use practices and activities should not be permitted in areas inherently, or
potentially, hazardous to human life and health or in areas vulnerable to the disruption
of natural processes.
Protection of human life, property, and interests is
essential and necessary and “Whatever is indispensable to fulfill an imperative
obligation is, in itself, obligatory.” Islamic law maintains that “Damage should
be eliminated,” and “Damage should be removed to the extent that is possible.” However,
the protective measures that are taken should not lead to other adverse effects
in accordance with the principle, “Damage shall not be eliminated by means of
similar damage.”
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