Green Academia: Integrating Islamic Teachings in Education for a Sustainable Future

Abstract

Environmental discourses in the twenty-first century actively engage with religious discourses, consciously attempting to bring religious texts as the centre of attention to suggest viable solutions for countering the current ecological crisis. Islam, too, offers an insight to assert that nature is a creation of Allah and, therefore, a constant reminder of His Will and Glory. Drawing references from the Qur’ān and the Ḥadīth, this paper aims first to establish that Islamic value systems are pro-eco-conservative in principle—I draw from Islamic philosophy, namely, the Unity of Being (Tawhīd), Trusteeship (Khalifa) and Accountability (Akhirah), mentioned in Al-Qur’ān to form the theoretical framework for my study. Secondly, a qualitative analysis of the primary data collected using the Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach. Primary data was collected from unstructured group interviews and observation of the researcher with a sample size of fifty students from Madrasah Education (Kolkata, India) and fifty students of English medium schools in Kolkata, respectively, to assess the participants' attitudes and practices, and how it aligns with the eco-conservative practices by posing open-ended questions. The study aims to ascertain if education systems with a religious background could contribute to developing eco-conservative practices and awareness. The study suggested that considering  religious teachings in environmental education can naturally foster eco-ethical practices. This study comprises a particular region, and since it included a small sample size, generalization of the result is not possible.