Environmental Ethics: Toward an Islamic Perspective

Abstract

2 Abstract: These days, the environmental crises endanger human being and other living organisms. Available evidence indicates that technical solutions have not been resulting in satisfactory outcomes. Therefore, answering the question of how should human behave toward the natural environment is remained most important. Among theoretical considerations, environmental ethics is getting more attention to find a proper solution for extensive environmental degradation. Since environmental ethics is essentially based on intrinsic value and beliefs, religions have been getting more recognized to define proper environmental ethics mainly because they try to illuminate what possessed intrinsic value and also what is the criterion for evaluating a behavior toward nature as moral one? This article, after discussing basic concepts of environmental ethics and also a short overview of environmental ethics approaches, presents an Islamic perspective of environmental ethics. It concludes when environmental ethics is based on an Islamic theocentrism and theology, it is possible to have more comprehensive and holistic approach toward conservation of the natural environment.