Islam and Sustainable Development

 Bismillah,

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

In our second lesson of UNGS 1201, we learn about the missing component in SDG. From all the goals in SDG, we notice that spirituality is not included. However, actually spirituality is very important in order to fulfilling sustainability. This is because, religion is very important to human. Why? Because with religion, we can see our life’s meaning and purpose. As we can see, Korea is one of the best healthcare in the world according to OECD. Hearing that, the first thing came to my thought is, Korea must be the country that have lowest rate of problem regarding health either mental illness or physical illness. However, it is not. Korean is on the top for the suicide rate. Then, I realized that without spirituality, we may not think twice of what we want to do. As a muslim, we know that Islam prohibit suicide and who commit suicide is actually commit a major sin. So, we can see that with religion, we will know, notice and not doing what is prohibit in religion.

Then, we learn about Islam and Sustainable development which is related to the above paragraph. The concept of sustainable development in Islam can be defined by

“the balanced and simultaneous realization of consumer welfare,
economic efficiency, attainment of social justice, and ecological
balance in the framework of an evolutionary knowledge-based,
socially interactive model defining the shuratic process”
(EcoMENA, 2019)

 There are three fundamental of Islam and development which are our relationship with Allah, human being and the environment (surrounding).

What is sustainable development in Islam? We can see from three different elements which is social, economic and environmental. The first is Islam and social sustainability. We need be kind towards another people and the community for the sake of Allah, not for money or power or something else. Second is Islam and Economic sustainability. Islam prohibit poverty as it is close to disbelief (kufr). We must bear in mind that being rich is not wrong because we can help others with our wealth such as wakaf. The third is Islam and environmental sustainability. We need to take care of environment because any harm we do to earth, it will counter back to us. Not only ourselves alone, but also the others.

Next, we also learn about Maqasid Syariah and SDG. Maqasid syariah consists of three categories which are Daruriyat (essential), Hajiyyat (Complementary) and Tahsiniyyat (Embellishment). Daruriyat is essential in order for us to survive in this world and the hereafter.  The essential maqasid which is daruriyat have five components which are protection of:

1. Religion (Al-Din)
2. Life (Al-Nafs)
3. Intellect (Al-'Aql)
4. Property (Al-Mal)
5. Lineage (Al-Nasb)

Hajiyyat is to comfort or ease our life. For example, we can shorten our sloat if we are travelling. Tahsiniyyat is to bring perfection of happiness to us in this world or in the hereafter. 

At the of the class, we also learn about 5P's which is dimension of sustainable development goals. The 5P's are People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace and Partnership.