The benefits of sadaqah (charity) are boundless. In Allah’s (swt) mercy, He has blessed us with countless opportunities to engage in charity. We must reflect upon the role we play in our communities and the intertwining of our various obligations as Muslims and Khalifa (or stewards) of this Earth. Acts of charity are of immense spiritual and social benefit not only to the doer and the receiver but to the community at large. However, charity in Islam is not limited to monetary contributions. When we connect environmental stewardship to sadaqah, we become more conscious of how we treat the Earth that Allah (swt) entrusted to us. 

The monetary value of charity cannot be diminished and should never be neglected; however, as Muslims, our charitable obligation is also to all of Allah’s (swt) creation, as decreed in the Quran. Expanding our view of charitable acts to include environmental stewardship can lead to incredible change, strengthen our connection with Allah (swt), and encourage us to encompass the traits of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). 

وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَكُمْ خَلَـٰٓئِفَ ٱلْأَرْضِ

“He is the One Who has placed you as stewards on the earth.” 

(Quran, 6:165)

Climate Crisis, Justice, and our Responsibility as Khalifa

Our obligation to implement charitable actions in our lives and provide support for those in need is essential for combating injustice, oppression, and poverty and taking decisive action to tackle the global climate crisis, particularly given its disproportionate effects on the most vulnerable populations. Over time, our individual and collective actions have impacted the Earth in formative ways. It is our duty as Khalifa to reflect on our responsibility not only to the environment, but also to communities around the world. This requires taking actionable steps rooted in adl (justice) to fight the climate crisis. 

In Islam, justice requires both individual and collective efforts to combat global environmental injustices. As a community, this includes promoting sustainable practices within mosques, schools, and social networks, advocating for communities who face disproportionate impacts of the climate crisis, supporting organizations leading climate action, investing in environmental education efforts, engaging in policy advocacy efforts locally and nationally, and creating community mutual aid groups to support residents in need. By participating in community action, Muslims can uphold the principle of adl and directly uplift front-line communities. 

Practical Acts of Environmental Sadaqah

Charity, rooted in adl, requires individual efforts as well as community efforts. As shown through the actions of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), acts of kindness toward an animal, planting a tree, or practicing sustainability can be considered charity. Various hadith highlight the Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) gentleness and care for the environment. 

Anas Bin Malik, in Sahih al-Bukhari, narrated:

 “‏ مَا مِنْ مُسْلِمٍ يَغْرِسُ غَرْسًا، أَوْ يَزْرَعُ زَرْعًا، فَيَأْكُلُ مِنْهُ طَيْرٌ أَوْ إِنْسَانٌ أَوْ بَهِيمَةٌ، إِلاَّ كَانَ لَهُ بِهِ صَدَقَةٌ ‏”

Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) said, “There is none amongst the Muslims who plants a tree or sows seeds, and then a bird, or a person or an animal eats from it, but is regarded as a charitable gift for him.” 

(Sahih al-Bukhari, 2320, Book 41, Hadith 1)

This hadith emphasizes the manifestation of charity in a variety of ways and the idea that it can transcend monetary contributions. When we connect charity to environmental protection, it changes how we treat and protect it for future generations. An action as simple as planting a tree is considered not only an act of charity but can also be a means of combating climate change through reducing air pollution and providing greener spaces. Actions we can implement in our daily lives, in addition to planting trees, can include food and water conservation, adopting a sustainable diet, tackling food waste in our community, keeping the environment clean, implementing a sustainable lifestyle to fight overconsumption, and aligning our climate action with Islamic finance initiatives. It is crucial to stay mindful of the conservation of our resources and expand our Zakat and monetary obligations to include environmental initiatives. 

Implementing Sadaqah in Our Lives

Allah (swt) bestowed upon us an obligation to care for the Earth, protect its creation, and nurture it for future generations, as exemplified in the Quran and through the actions of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). As Khalifa of this Earth, we have an individual and collective responsibility to environmental protection, sustainability, preservation, and justice, and this requires undoing the damage we have inflicted on His creation. 

It is our responsibility to be intentional with what and how much we consume and prioritize charity, to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change, and contribute to a more just environment. The climate crisis impacts all of us, and individual and collective charity—a balance of both sustainable living and monetary contributions—to His creation can be a beautiful act of pleasing Allah (swt), encompassing the Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) care for the Earth, and a solution for tackling the climate crisis rooted in compassion, justice, and optimism. 

The post Why Environmental Stewardship is an Act of Sadaqah appeared first on Muslim Climate Watch.

1. Yasmeen Lari

As Pakistan’s first female architect, Yasmeen Lari’s prolific career, remarkable accolades, and unwavering commitment to humanitarian work earn her a rightful place as one of the foremost environmentalists of our time. Born in Dera Ghazi Khan, Pakistan, in 1941, she spent her initial years in Lahore before moving to London with her family, where she graduated from the Oxford Brooks School of Architecture. She returned to Pakistan at the age of 23 with her husband and established her architecture firm, Lari Associates. For 36 years, she worked on prestigious corporate and state-commissioned projects, from Karachi’s finance and trade center to hotels. 

Image Credit: BBC News

She retired in 2000 to focus on writing and founded the Heritage Foundation. The devastating earthquake of 2005 and the recurring floods that plague the country every few years, resulting from climate change, profoundly impacted her. This experience sparked a deep sense of urgency to aid those in need. 

Lari moved on to work closely with displaced families, helping them rebuild their homes with materials like mud, stone, lime, and wood salvaged from the surrounding debris. Working with volunteers, she trained local people on how to use locally sourced materials to rebuild, following the principles of low cost, zero carbon, and zero waste. She criticizes the ‘international colonial charity model’ and believes that making people co-creators of their homes and lives after a disaster is both healing and economical. 

She has built more than 45,000 zero-carbon shelters in areas affected by natural disasters, developed ‘barefoot social architecture’ for impoverished communities in Sindh province, trained the craftsmen and women of Makli in Sindh, and built over 60,000 uniquely designed chulahs, smokeless earthen ovens for the community. She has numerous accolades to her name, from the Jane Drew Prize to the RIBA Royal Gold Medal, but not at the cost of her conscientiousness. Just this March, she rejected the Israeli Wolf Foundation Prize in Architecture with its $100,000 prize money, citing the genocide in Gaza, stating: “I’ve spent much of my life helping refugees, albeit climate migrants, and Gaza is unfortunately now one of the worst situations in terms of displacement.”

2. Sumaira Abdulali

With India’s rich biodiversity and legacy of environmental stewardship under threat from climate change and capitalism, many Indians are actively fighting to protect it. Hailing from a family of environmentalists and anti-colonial activists, Sumaira Abdulali stands as one of the foremost of these activists. Born in 1961 in Mumbai, Sumaira chose to learn from her life experiences instead of a typical college experience. It was the issue of noise pollution that first ignited her passion. 

Dubbed the ‘Minister of Noise’, Sumaira founded the Awaaz Foundation and raised awareness about the damaging effects of the ever-increasing urban noise pollution. She lobbied for the demarcation of silence zones, control of noise from vehicles, and stricter enforcement of Noise Pollution Rules. 

Image Credit: Sachinvenga via Wikimedia Commons

Her relentless fight against illegal sand mining made her stand out as a fearless justice-driven advocate. Sand, often seen as an abundant resource, is one of the most extracted natural materials after water. Yet, for years, its extraction went unchecked, particularly along the coastal areas of Maharashtra, where powerful sand mafias operated with impunity. 

Sumaira was the first to recognize the environmental and social dangers posed by illegal sand mining and campaigned to end it. It was a brutal physical assault by the sand miners, resulting in her hospitalization, that became her turning point. With a stronger resolve, she founded the Movement against Intimidation, Threat and Revenge against Activists (MITRA) to protect activists against unchecked violence. She continued gathering evidence against the wealthy capitalists and politicians who controlled the sand-mining companies, eventually filing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) with the Bombay High Court, resulting in the first-ever court order against sand mining in the region. 

Her opponents retaliated by attempting to drive her car down a cliff, an assassination attempt she miraculously survived. Her tireless work bore fruition when she successfully brought this issue on the UNEP’s radar through the 2012 Conference of Parties of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity in Hyderabad, and contributed to the production of Sand Wars, a documentary film on the global sand crisis, which won numerous awards and inspired the UNEP to to publish a Global Environmental Alert in March 2014 titled “Sand: Rarer Than One Thinks.” 

Sumaira herself has been awarded the Mother Teresa Award for Social Justice and the Olive Crown Award. She is also an Ashoka Fellow, alongside serving in different capacities with various organizations.

3. Syeda Rizwana Hasan

As the Minister of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change and the advisor to the interim government of Bangladesh, Rizwana Hasan has had an extraordinary career which has earned her recognition as Bangladesh’s environmental champion. Born in 1968 in Habiganj, modern-day Bangladesh, Rizwana graduated from the University of Dhaka, earning her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in law. Dedicated to environmental and societal justice, she rose to prominence by spearheading a legal battle against the shipbreaking industry in Bangladesh. 

Image Credits: Wikimedia Commons

She filed a case against the import of toxin-laden ships, mostly from developed countries, destined to be broken down for parts in Bangladesh — an industry that exploits its workers through low pay and hazardous conditions and poisons the surroundings. This resulted in government regulation of the industry and marked the first time that a polluting company was fined in Bangladesh. 

Apart from the ship-breaking industry, Rizwana has continued to tackle other sectors that exploit their workers and the environment, filing lawsuits against organizations responsible for filling lakes to construct real estate, misusing polythene, cutting hills, deforestation, shrimp farming, and illegal construction. 

She joined the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA) in 1993, eventually serving as Chief Executive, leading it to win the Global 500 Roll of Honor in 2003 from the United Nations Environment Program. She has been awarded many honors and recognitions, including the Goldman Environmental Prize 2009 and the Ramon Magsaysay Award 2012.

4. Afia Salam

Image Credit: TEDx

Afia Salam is a Pakistani journalist, notable for being the country’s first female cricket journalist and an outspoken proponent of women’s rights and climate activism. She graduated with a master’s degree in Geography from the University of Karachi in 1982 and went on to have a prolific career spanning four decades of experience in print, electronic, and web journalism. She joined the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Pakistan in 2008, which impressed on her the gravity of the environmental challenges that Pakistan faced. 

She has played an instrumental role in the designation of Marine Protected Areas along Pakistan’s coasts, including Astola Island, which is now the country’s first such area. This initiative has been crucial in safeguarding marine biodiversity in a region that is vulnerable to the devastating effects of climate change. 

Beyond this, Afia’s leadership extends to her work with the Indus Earth Trust, where she serves as President of the Board. The organization focuses on ‘green construction,’ water replenishment, wastewater treatment, and sustainable energy solutions. 

She also serves as the current elected President of the Executive Committee of Baanhn Beli, an NGO dedicated to striving for a gender equitable education and women empowerment. She works to deliver water through wells, reservoirs, and dams, along with educational programmes in the destitute district of Tharparkar. Afia is also a member of the working group formed by the National Security Division and Strategic Policy Planning to draft climate change and security recommendations.

5. Fawzia Tarannum

A dedicated force in the fight for water sustainability and climate action in India, Dr. Fawzia Tarannum exemplifies the power of education and research in driving environmental activism. With over 24 years of experience, her work spans research, education, and direct community engagement. 

Having held diverse roles, including Assistant Professor at TERI School of Advanced Studies and General Manager-Sales at Cleantec Infra Private Limited, Dr. Fawzia’s experience extends across academia and industry. As the National Coordinator for Water at The Climate Reality Project, India, she has worked tirelessly to raise awareness and build solutions around India’s water challenges. 

Her efforts have reached thousands of people through delivering over 5,000 training programs on water governance, climate change, and gender equality. A Fulbright Hubert H. Humphrey Fellow, Dr. Fawzia’s global perspective on water issues has shaped her impactful work at the WforW Foundation, where she co-founded a platform for people to come together to address water concerns. 

Image Credit: TERI University

She is also the founder of her own company, Earthwise Environment and Sustainability Solutions. Honored as one of the 17 SDG Women Changemakers by Sayfty Trust and Twitter India, Dr. Fawzia’s work is a testament to the power of perseverance and passion. 

In a world often overshadowed by the grim realities of climate change, the stories of these women offer much hope. As we draw inspiration from their collective commitment that transcends borders, we must recognize that climate justice is a responsibility shared by individuals and communities alike. Many women in climate-vulnerable nations are courageously leading the way in the fight for climate justice.

The post 5 Trailblazing Muslim Women Fighting For Climate Justice In South Asia appeared first on Muslim Climate Watch.

However, the tide is turning against food waste in Britain. Sustainable ways of observing the month of Ramadan, including ethical Iftars and zero-plastic policies at mosques, are gaining favourability. Mainstream Islamic organizations are steadily adopting environmental protection measures and ramping up their efforts during Ramadan. 

For more than five years, London-based initiative Green Deen Tribe has hosted a series of Iftars across London centred around three main themes: reducing non-reusable plastic waste, decreasing meat consumption, and cutting food waste. 

A Green Deen Tribe ‘Ethical Iftar’ typically involves 60-70 attendees bringing reusable to-go boxes to take home leftovers, eating and drinking using their own cutlery and cups, and enjoying hot vegetarian meals. There was only a small amount of food waste during recent Ethical Iftars, as 90% of guests took away leftovers in their own reusable to-go boxes. 

Iftars commence with verses from the Quran to remind attendees of the Islamic principles of shukr (gratitude) and the importance of honouring the barakah (blessings) bestowed on the world by Allah (swt). The recitation of the Quranic verse in Surah Rahman, “Which of the favours of your Lord do you deny?” is one such example of this. 

Green Deen Tribe co-founder Rabiah Mali said: “Consuming in a sustainable way is one of the many ways of honouring the blessings that Allah (swt) has given us, and reducing the harm we’re causing to each other and the wider creation.”

Rabiah asserts the barakah gained during Ramadan from fasting, reading the Quran, engaging in dhikr, and sending salawat (blessings upon the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)) decreases when Muslims waste their food at Iftar time.

The Islamic principle of ‘Khalifah’ (stewardship) additionally forms a basis for the Green Deen Tribe’s inspiring initiative. 

“The best example of stewardship comes from the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) who lived in harmony with creation,” said Rabiah. “From humankind to the plants, trees, clouds, moon, mountains, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was a beautiful steward to the natural world.”

Read More: Holding on to Islam in a Warming World

The Green Deen Tribe co-founder said to understand the Prophet’s (pbuh) reverence and respect for the natural world, one must first understand Allah’s (swt) purpose in creating the Earth.

Rabiah said: “Everything in creation is in dhikr (remembrance of Allah (swt)) so when we are advocating for trees not to be chopped down, and not to put plastic in the waters, it’s essentially protecting the dhikr so we can be surrounded by more and more remembrance of Allah (swt).”

Therefore, reducing single-use plastics during Ramadan is essential to protecting nature’s constant remembrance of Allah (swt) against pollution. 

The initiative’s long-term goal is for ethical Iftars to become normalized as standard Ramadan traditions.

And luckily, the response has been “incredible”. Mosques and community spaces across the UK are increasingly interested in trialling ethical Iftars, and Muslim and non-Muslim areas are brimming with curiosity as to how an ethical Iftar works.

One such organization is the largest and most established Islamic charity in Britain – Islamic Relief. They recently collaborated with the Green Deen Tribe to host a sisters-only Iftar as part of their EcoRamadan #GreenIftar challenge. 

The charity encourages meat-free dishes, reusable or biodegradable plates, taking leftovers home in reusable to-go boxes, and rehanging last year’s Ramadan decorations throughout their advocacy work.

Islamic Relief campaigns and public affairs coordinator Suraiya Rahman said: “Extravagance and waste are not the way of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and contradicts the principles of fasting, and so we embodied these principles in our Iftar.”

To remind Muslims of the importance of mindful eating in Ramadan, Suraiya quoted the verses of the Quran from Surah Al-A’raf which states: “Eat and drink, but do not waste. Surely He does not like the wasteful.” 

Suraiya, who will lead the charity’s Muslim Climate Action Week during the summer, asserted how Ramadan is “an opportunity to think about bad habits we want to leave behind and new habits we want to embrace”. This means remaining moderate in consumption, thoughtfully planning meals, and avoiding extravagance to minimize food waste, she said.

Even water used during wudhu (ablution) should be an opportunity to conserve water, thus “embodying the principles of Khilafah”, Suraiya explained.

This principle which entrusts care of Allah’s (swt) creation upon Muslims protects “the mizan (carefully created balance) granted to us by Allah (swt) – the diverse ecosystems that provide us with an abundance of fresh water, food and crops”, she said.

Therefore, taking care of the environment, especially during Ramadan, is an act of ibadah (worship), and a plentiful source of barakah.

Controlling plastic waste during Ramadan is a clear method of protecting the natural world from pollution, as one British Muslim organization has set out to do.

Bristol-based Projects Against Plastic recently joined with Muslim Greens to launch the ‘Plastic Free Ramadan’ conference at the House of Lords – supported by Green Party co-leader MP Carla Denyer. 

The campaign began in 2019 when a Bristol mosque installed a water fountain and dishwasher which cut single-use plastic waste by 70%. 

Mosques across the South West, South East, North West and Midlands followed suit, massively reducing the use of disposable plastics during Ramadan.

Projects Against Plastics founder Naseem Talukdar is encouraging more mosques and communities to get involved, saying the initiative could inspire British Muslims.

Every year, these ethical initiatives witness more engagement, less wastefulness, and wider awareness. Despite statistics showing alarming wasteful extravagance during Ramadan, the existence of grassroots organizations practically committing themselves to environmental protection is promising.

The post UK Muslims Tackle Ramadan Food Waste with Ethical Iftars appeared first on Muslim Climate Watch.

From warming temperatures to the constant news of extreme disasters and wars, the hardships we collectively face today feel heavier than we can bear because we have forgotten our place in the universe as human beings. These hardships feel burdensome not only because of their severity but also, more critically, due to our lack of preparedness, complacency in maintaining the status quo, and, in some cases, our direct complicity in causing these difficulties. As Muslims, we must never forget that no matter the level of uncertainties surrounding us where we may not be able to control everything, we can be reassured with the absolute certainty of Allah SWT overseeing everything and always in control of all our affairs.  

Losing sight of our purpose and place in the universe has led to a degradation of our beliefs, principles, and values—similar to the repercussions of God’s first creation’s sin: Satan forgetting his place in the assembly of God and refusing to submit to God’s will after being blinded by his pride. This disobedience was followed up by harbouring such malice and ill-will against God that permanent disbelief in God’s mercy took hold of Satan, completely blotting his chances of deliverance in all realms. Have we not learnt our lesson? 

Humans plunder, murder, ravage, deface, and exploit Mother Earth. When asked about consequences, there is always a scientifically engineered answer reassuring us that all will be well. However, the truth is that we have long neglected to seek Divine pleasure as the pinnacle of our endeavours—modern man has severed his relationship with Al-Malik as His Abd (servant). Now, in our vanity stemming from a misplaced sense of self-sufficiency, we look to the stars as a possible refuge after causing colossal corruption on Earth, rendering it increasingly uninhabitable.

Allah said in the very first revelation to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH):

“Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous, Who taught by the pen—taught humanity what they knew not. Most certainly, one exceeds all bounds once they think they are self-sufficient.” 

(Quran 96:3–96:7 – Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran)

Allah appointed us as Khalifa on Earth while declaring Earth as a place of prostration, or sujud.  

“We are always-already in a state of return to God, and our movement upon the earth that is masjid thus becomes a constant motion of (re-)turning toward the niche, the focal point of that masjid. This turning is a humbling, in humility—the turning as sujud and of sujud, on the earth-as-masjid—and too as a turning in expectation: because every spatial point upon this earth is the site of sujud, and every niche is open, and every prostration is a melting of the self toward the Center, and every empty space is a site of Omnipresence.” 

(Basit Kareem Iqbal, Islam & Science, Vol. 7, Summer 2009, No. 1)

Read more: A Climate Professional’s Insight on Islam & Climate

Internalizing the status of Earth as a masjid—a place of prostration to God Almighty or sujud—is essential for centring our place in the cosmos. By submitting humbly to the Omnipresence, Vastness, and Continuity of Allah (SWT), we acknowledge that the Earth is made and declared a place of prostration; everything in it is making sujud to one Creator. By actively seeking God through an unending sujud, all creation on Earth becomes relatives in Islam—a principle beautifully preserved by many Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island. Our role as Khalifa cannot be envisioned and honoured without first internalizing our relationship with the rest of God’s creation. Without this realization, we will never learn how to walk gently on this Earth. 

“Corruption has spread on land and sea as a result of what people’s hands have done, so that Allah may cause them to taste ˹the consequences of˺ some of their deeds and perhaps they might return ˹to the Right Path˺.”

(Quran 30:41 – Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran)

The path to reconciling with Mother Earth starts by finding our place in the universal congregation comprised of the vast creation of God, actively worshipping Him at all times. While doing so, seeing everything in existence through God’s divine quality of Rahma, mercy—an inherent characteristic of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) further perfected through regular practice, granting him the deepest perceptions of how natural objects around him felt, for instance hearing the cries of a tree, empathizing with its hurt and tending to its emotional needs by hugging it.

Earth is a masjid, a sacred place of prostration, and everything placed upon it is sacred. 

Unless we, as the human race, learn to stay in our place—respecting, honouring and cherishing all of God’s creation, and bowing in unison and humility alongside all our relatives to one Creator—we will never begin to undo what our hands have wrought. Now more than ever, we need to start our return to the Right Path, and it starts with repentance to Allah.

Read more: Exploring the Spiritual Connection Between Food and Ramadan

The post Holding on to Islam in a Warming World appeared first on Muslim Climate Watch.

Image provided by Adeline Rawlings

“The Women’s Leadership Program has been a catalyst for my growth as a student at GW,” shared Samaa Afoke, a freshman studying Public Health at GW currently enrolled in the WLP– a year-long program where first-year students live together on GW’s Mount Vernon Campus and benefit from close contact with faculty and women in leadership roles. The program includes a weekly interactive symposium offering the young students the opportunity to explore the development of advancing women in leadership roles across various sectors. 

The Leadership for a Sustainable Future Panel included engaging discussions on the professional journey in sustainability of the four women leaders joining the panel, from their freshman college year to their current career point. 

When asked about the critical skills needed to become leaders for a sustainable future, despite belonging to diverse backgrounds ranging from environmental economics and law to faith-based climate action, the reflections shared by the panellists underscored the same message: building coalitions across sectors and groups, offering particular care to communities most vulnerable to the climate crisis by listening and amplifying their voices, building relationships and allies for a just and sustainable future, and becoming expert communicators—be it writing effective emails or attentively engaging in 5 am Zoom calls. 

Image provided by Adeline Rawlings 

“The panels have exposed me to so many incredible female leaders like Nazish and honed my leadership and professional skills. Hearing from panellists across diverse fields like the federal government and university leadership has inspired me to explore a wider range of career opportunities,” emphasized Afoke. 

Adeline Rawlings, another freshman student in the International Politics cohort of the program, underscored the weekly symposia’s positive impact on discussing intersectional women’s leadership topics, while also offering an excellent opportunity to network with speakers joining them. “I have gained insightful knowledge tonight about the impact of global politics and policy as well as current strides towards environmental justice,” shared Rawlings.

Women have a vital role in leading sustainability efforts. Whether starting a non-profit for climate justice or offering pro bono legal workshops to grassroots community leaders on the frontlines of climate crises, women across the U.S. and globally are taking charge of initiatives and movements to weave an equitable, inclusive, and just future for all. 

“As the primary caretakers of humanity, [women] have an immense influence on a generation’s view of climate and climate issues. Women bring their knowledge and expertise in leadership to climate justice as they influence policy, mobilize grassroots initiatives, and drive transformative change that ensures environmental policies are inclusive and just,” shared Afoke. 

The post Women Leaders in D.C. Are Taking Charge for a Sustainable Future appeared first on Muslim Climate Watch.

Our team has put together a guide in which we share tips on how your Ramadan can truly embody the lessons of less is more by embracing an ethical zero-waste Iftar spread every evening—whether you’re eating alone or with your community.

Steps for Hosting an Ethical Zero-Waste Iftar at Your Masjid

1. Plan Ahead:

• Determine the number of attendees to prepare appropriate portions and minimize food waste.
• Design a menu focusing on local, seasonal, and plant-based ingredients, which have a lower environmental footprint.

2. Sustainable Invitations:

• Utilize electronic invitations to reduce paper usage.
• Inform guests about the zero-waste theme and encourage them to participate by bringing reusable items if possible.

3. Eco-Friendly Tableware:

• Opt for reusable washable plates, utensils, and cups. If reusable options aren’t feasible, choose compostable products certified by reputable organizations.
• Use fabric napkins instead of disposable ones to reduce waste.

4. Mindful Food Preparation:

• Prepare and serve adequate food portions to satisfy guests without leading to excess.
• Have a strategy for distributing leftovers, such as providing guests with containers to take food home or donating to local shelters.

5. Waste Management Stations:

• Set up clearly labelled bins for compost, recycling, and landfill waste, ensuring they are co-located to make sorting convenient.
• Use visual aids above each bin to guide guests on proper disposal practices.

6. Educate and Engage:

• At the event’s start, explain the zero-waste goals and how guests can contribute.
• Encourage guests to share their sustainable practices and ideas.

7. Decorations:

• Decorate with reusable items or natural elements like potted plants, which can be kept or gifted afterward.
• Steer clear of disposable decorations that contribute to waste.

8. Beverage or Water Choices:

• Serve drinks or water in large dispensers to minimize individual packaging.
• Provide guests with reusable cups or encourage them to bring their own.

9. Post-Event Reflection:

• Review the amount and types of waste generated to identify areas for improvement.
• Ask guests for input on the zero-waste initiatives to enhance future iftar events.

By thoughtfully implementing these steps, your Iftar can embody the spirit of Ramadan while promoting environmental responsibility.

Read more: Eco-Conscious Ramadan Infographic: 28 Tips for Sustainable Living

The post How to Host an Ethical Zero-Waste Iftar at Your Masjid appeared first on Muslim Climate Watch.

Take, for example, how we eat: Industrial farming methods, which became the norm (particularly in the United States) by the latter half of the 20^th century, contribute to over 35% of global greenhouse gases. These farming practices, which encourage efficiency and volume over resilience, have degraded soils and reduced biodiversity, making already fragile farm ecosystems even more susceptible to the effects of climate change. 

Nasr’s solution to such modern problems was to reestablish a “spiritual sense of nature,” seeking to see the divine in the natural world. In viewing nature from a symbolic perspective we can more clearly understand our place in the cosmos: “Because of the intimate connection between man and nature,” he wrote, “the inner state of man is reflected in the external order (96).” For example, Surah Fussilat uses the imagery of barren land as a reminder to man that just as Allah (swt) brings new life to fields that go fallow in the winter or during times of drought, we too will be brought back from the dead for judgement:

وَمِنْ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦٓ أَنَّكَ تَرَى ٱلْأَرْضَ خَـٰشِعَةًۭ فَإِذَآ أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْهَا ٱلْمَآءَ ٱهْتَزَّتْ وَرَبَتْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَحْيَاهَا لَمُحْىِ ٱلْمَوْتَىٰٓ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ قَدِيرٌ ٣٩
And among His signs is that you see the earth devoid of life, but as soon as We send down rain upon it, it begins to stir ˹to life˺ and swell. Indeed, the One Who revives it can easily revive the dead. He is certainly Most Capable of everything.
(Fussilat, 39)

Ramadan, a time when we are focused on reflection and revelation, is an excellent opportunity to consider the spiritual nature of food. Throughout the Quran, we are instructed to contemplate the symbology of what we eat. This applies not only to our understanding of what is Halal, but also—and more to Nasr’s point—the symbols of the divine inherent in the foods we eat and their production:

Let people then consider their food: how We pour down rain in abundance and meticulously split the earth open ˹for sprouts˺, causing grain to grow in it, as well as grapes and greens, and olives and palm trees, and dense orchards, and fruit and fodder— all as ˹a means of˺ sustenance for you and your animals.
(Abasa, 24-32)

For those who work the land and tend to crops and livestock, living by the ebb and flow of the seasons, contemplating the spiritual aspects of food production is likely an easier task. But how can consumers establish a deeper understanding of the food we eat, if we are not the ones on the farm or in the garden ourselves? 

The best approach may be to not only think about what we eat, but when and where we are eating. Seasonal eating is the idea that one should strive to eat mainly what is local and in season. While “seasonal eating” is a recently popularized buzz term, the practice is as old as humanity itself. Prior to widespread and consistent food preservation methods like canning, freezing, and refrigeration that enabled food to be saved and shipped, most produce was eaten as close as possible to the time and place it was harvested. In this way, food directly connected eaters with changes in the natural world throughout the year, as seen in traditional Native and European American harvest songs or the centuries-old seasonal food rhymes (called Baromashi) of Bengal.

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Across much of our modern world, consumers and farmers alike have had to forgo local, seasonal food in exchange for speed, convenience, and corporate greed. While some places have built seasonality into their food culture, for many, eating seasonally requires a concerted effort. This could include looking for local produce displays at supermarkets, shopping at farmers markets, and subscribing to a community supported agriculture (CSA) program directly from a farm. Organizations like the Slow Food Movement offer resources to empower consumers to adapt their food choices, which can also be useful for planning environmentally and socially responsible iftars. 

Proponents of seasonal eating suggest that tracking down local food is worth the effort: In addition to connecting eaters with growers that understand the natural cycles of food production, trying to eat seasonally is beneficial to physical health and can combat climate change by reducing the emissions involved in food shipping (though how much it helps is debated).

In addition to thinking about the food we eat from a spiritual perspective, we must also remain aware of our duty to others: Systematic oppression often makes accessing healthy food at all – let alone purchasing in-season produce direct from a farm or farmers market – an especially difficult task for some. During Ramadan, we should be particularly mindful of supporting the most vulnerable among us. By working to make sure that good food is accessible to all, we are also fulfilling our Islamic obligation to seek justice. 

Nasr concludes Nature and Man with this parting wisdom: “He who is at peace with God is also at peace with His creation, both with nature and with man (136).” As we seek guidance and renewal this Ramadan, we should take a moment to contemplate the spiritual dimensions of our food consumption, how it connects us to the rhythms of nature, and how we can help others enjoy the same. 

The post Exploring the Spiritual Connection Between Food and Ramadan appeared first on Muslim Climate Watch.

Nabiha’s work resonates especially within South Asian and Middle Eastern communities, where cultural celebrations often carry a heavy environmental toll. With a BA in Sustainability Studies from Hofstra University, her expertise is well-rounded—not only shaped by academic training but also by a lifelong commitment to promoting eco-conscious practices in spaces that often lack them.

Her parents, both business owners, provided her with early insight into the entrepreneurial mindset. Her interest in environmentalism also began early when her 8th grade science teacher would show her class nature documentaries. These interests surprisingly worked together when she was thinking of a business venture she could throw herself into. Her endeavors, though varied, all tie back into design and the arts— she did her thesis on the fashion industry, and had a stint as a social media marketing manager at a sustainable fashion company. Besides the outright positive effort from a select few companies, she noticed just how wasteful the fashion industry was as a whole. This same observation applied to the events planning industry.

“It started clicking in my head,” Nabiha says. “I’m South Asian and I noticed people from the east— like South Asians, Middle Easterners and East Asians— their parties are really wasteful… and materialistic. I was like, how do I go about this?” In going about the culmination of her small business, she knew this would be a stumbling block. Educating minorities within the Muslim community on the subject would be one her priorities, as well as addressing her own standards for her business:

Nabiha, who is Bangladeshi and based in New York, would go about this in a varied way. While a lot of event planners will travel for a fee, she rebuffs taking a flight for an event or clients. “I know it might hurt me financially, but… I don’t want to have a high carbon footprint. I also want to give business to other small businesses within that region. So I’ll just direct them to (those).” By referring people far away from her home base of Long Island, she ethically helps other sustainably-minded people.

Supporting other local businesses is the crux of her business standards. “I try not to work with vendors that get flowers shipped all the way from, for example, South America, because they’re grown with pesticides.” Shipping the flowers themselves increases the operational carbon footprint, and the events industry is already responsible for over 10% of global CO2 emissions. Day flowers grown in Colombia and flown to the U.S., for example, produced some 360,000 metric tons of CO2 in a recent estimate. “I try to educate people,” Nabiha says. “(If) you’re getting married, or you have a birthday party, graduation, wedding, whatever it is… focus on more local and seasonal items. That’s gonna cost you so much less, and you’re not gonna get exactly what you want, but it’s gonna be really close, and it’s very possible.”

Despite numerous attempts by others to influence her stance, she remains resolute in upholding her self-imposed principles. Her business is driven by a deep commitment to ethical Islamic values and moral integrity, which serve as the core foundation of her motivations and decisions.“I was doing a lot of research (on Islam) when it comes to sustainability,” she says. “I learned so many things about our religion. That was so shocking to me, in a good way.”

“I was relearning Islam…” she says, referencing her journey to making her business into an LLC. “…and reliving life in a new way, Islamically. I was also trying to find ways to be a better person, trying to help educate others to be more mindful when it comes to lifestyle and sustainability.” Avoiding extravagance as a whole is a crucial aspect of being Muslim, but is oftentimes only remembered outside of special events.

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “The best marriage is one that is easiest.”
Reported by ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Amir, Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Ḥibbān 4163

An ‘easy’ marriage doesn’t just mean that the bride and groom get along— it applies to all facets of the process, including a dowry. This, and other evidence from our faith, culminate to a singular ethos in terms of how all Muslims should approach the idea of modesty and asceticism within weddings and events.

Nabiha is not hypocritical when it comes to planning her own personal events. Her own wedding’s guest count was just under 30 people total, spurred by COVID-19 restrictions. The pandemic as a whole reduced the average wedding carbon footprint by 93% due to smaller weddings and travel restrictions. “It was the most beautiful experience that I’ve had such a small wedding, especially as a South Asian,” she says. “And I realized how possible it is to have such an intimate wedding.” Years later, after the pandemic, she was able to host a larger event, but still stayed true to her ethical beliefs by doing more research on sustainability, material sourcing and local vendor selection. This would prove that it was—and is—possible to have a larger event with a low carbon footprint.

Getting the message across to people close to her was done by example. Hosting large-scale gatherings, purchasing numerous outfits over consecutive days, and investing heavily in decor were practices that ultimately felt burdensome and unsustainable to her. “But it was really important for me… to maybe inspire the aunts and uncles that you don’t have to drop all that money, and maybe listen to your kids. Listen to what they want. Because it’s really important for them too.”

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Although she works to sway the preconceived notion towards an over-consumption mindset in the older generation, her clientele of younger people also gives pause towards some sustainable habits. “What I start off with is I tell people how much money they can save,” she presses. “It’s actually really good for not only you, but the environment.”

Despite the lucrative cost-saving potential, some people are willing to throw away this factor for their dream wedding— at the cost of the environment. The average wedding event produces 400 tons of waste per event. Nabiha laments on old clients who would insist on out-of-season flowers, plastic bottles and other tiny details that go against her own business practices. In some countries, a single wedding can produce more than 40 pounds of plastic waste. Some of the biggest contributors to trash after weddings are food, single-use decorations and stationery that is often discarded after the party is over. “So with things like that, I just pitch it in baby steps. Then I start to educate them when they ask for it or they seem really interested,” she notes. “That’s the only way to go about it, because sustainability is still so new.”

Nabiha reaches a lot of clients via her instagram, @thenomadsocial. “Being a nomad is pretty much finding home anywhere you go, right? I feel like it ties in well because the Earth is your home anywhere you are. We’re supposed to be taking care of it as our home— the whole (planet,)” she says.

Through trial and error, Nabiha Rahaman-Çam has managed to fit into this particular web of her own passions as a minority and a Muslim in the over-saturated events-planning industry. While she continues to educate people on the world of sustainability, she’s also able to act ethically within her passions for photography, design, fashion and the events space, while hoping more Muslims pick up more positions in these fields. 

Nabiha Rahaman-Çam can be found at her handles below:

Business Instagram: @thenomadsocial
Personal art & sustainability Instagram: @nabsthenomad

This article included edits to clarify Rahaman-Çam’s principles as it pertains to flower usage, as well as an anecdote on the wedding events mentioned.

The post How One Muslim Event Planner Transforms Celebrations with Sustainability appeared first on Muslim Climate Watch.

In the spirit of honouring the bounties of Allah throughout the natural world, our team has compiled a list of plant names mentioned in the Quran, with one of their verse references, as some plant names are mentioned more than once in the Quran. We welcome parents, educators, and anyone curious to learn, reflect upon and share these names with their community!

Read More: How to Grow Your Own Garden?

Plants in the Quran

The post Plants Mentioned in the Quran appeared first on Muslim Climate Watch.

Fostering a culture of growing our own food also promotes a deeper connection to the land, Allah’s creation, and a greater appreciation for the resources he gave us. By actively participating in the process of planting, nurturing, and harvesting crops, individuals develop a profound understanding of the labour and resources required to produce food.

Ultimately, the journey towards food sovereignty begins with a single seed planted in the soil, symbolizing our commitment to cultivating a future where food is not just a commodity but a fundamental human right. You can use our infographic to take your first steps towards food sovereignty.

The post How to Grow Your Own Garden? appeared first on Muslim Climate Watch.