Conservation of biodiversity and the Holy Quran and a study

- May 30, 2021

The Holy Quran is the word of Allah as transmitted by the Angel Gabriel (Jibrail), in Arabic language through Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) it is regarded as un-translatable since the Arabic language is in separable from its message. It is actually available in many other languages but these versions are regarded as interpretations rather than translations .

Although the Holy Quran is a religious book more than 1400 years old with a total of 6666 verses dealing with many aspects of regular life, about 1000 of those verses are of a scientific nature. There are more than 900 verses in the Holy Quran that can be related to relatively new scientific discoveries, which miraculously are said not to contradict the facts as we currently understand them. It reviews diverse scientific topics such as astronomy, geology, embryology, genetics, biology, archaeology, etc.

The Holy Quran has been revealed for the guidance of mankind and invites the people of wisdom to read into its pages to enhance human knowledge about the universe and Creator, and to create environments where man could live in peace and harmony with the fellow human being and with the Nature.

Quran is a part of the Knowledge - which is limitless, and there fore it encapsules the stage of human development. it also contains the solutions of issues and problems which mankind faces and specifies a complete ‘ Islamic system i.e. the system which facilitates living in peace - where there is no oppression, insecurity, fear and inequality. Quran commands authority and leadership and thus declares that if anyone has any doubt about the truth of the Book which has been revealed to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), then they should try to make even one passage which could match the Book, and poses the challenge that despite the knowledge and resources that man has, he will not be able to do so. This challenge has not been met to-date.

Conservation of biodiversity in the light of the Holy Quran:

Studying biodiversity is essential for conservation of biological resources, maintenance of genetic resources and presence of genetic variation. Although, awareness of the importance of investigating the biological diversity of the universe is increasingly gaining all the attention recently, especially since the organisation of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in 1992 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (the Rio Summit).

such issue was raised 1400 years ago in the Holy Quran Conservation of the diversity of various organisms need the management of human interactions with genes, species and ecosystems so as to provide the maximum benefit to the present generation, while maintaining their potential to meet the needs and aspirations of future generations; encompasses elements of saving, studying and using biodiversity.

Biodiversity ts the term that used to describe the variety of life found on Earth and all of the natural processes. This includes ecosystem, genetic and cultural diversity, and the connections between these and all species. The different aspects of biodiversity. have a very strong influence on each other. We have only just started to understand the relationships between living things and their environments. It is helpful to think of an ecosystem as a inter-woven carpet; if you pull on a loose thread it might only affect the thread and those closest to it or it might unravel the whole carpet.

Biodiversity also helps us in our day-to-day lives. Unfortunately, the greenhouse gases produced by human activities are building up in the atmosphere and causing climate change. Climate change is a major threat to biodiversity. Climate change affects air and ocean temperatures, the length of seasons, sea levels, the pattern of ocean and wind currents, levels of precipitation, as well as other things. These changes affect the habitats and behaviour of many different species. Many will not be able to adapt fast enough and may become extinct.

Of course the Quran is not a book of science. However, many scientific facts that are expressed in an extremely concise and profound manner in its verses have only been discovered with the technology of the 20th century. These facts could not have been known at the time of the Quran's revelation, and this is still more proof that the Quran is the word of God.

In order to understand the conservation of biodiversity in the Holy Quran, we must first take a look at the level of science at the time when this Holy book was revealed.

In the 7th century, when the Quran was revealed, Arab society had many superstitious and groundless beliefs where scientific issues were concerned. Lacking the technology to examine the universe and nature, these early Arabs believed sn legends inherited from past generations. They belseved that the earth was flat and that there were high mountains at its both ends. it was thought that these mountains were pillars that kept the vault of heaven high above.

According to the Holy Quran, the evolution of life is the result of divine will and divine guidance. The Holy Quran declares that the harmony and complexity of creation could not have come of its own accord. In contrast, natural selection, the foundation of modern theory of evolution, credits accidental mutation for the survival of life and its complexity. But it fails to explain how the life was created and how the accidents can guide the life towards complexity.

The Holy Quran states that life resulted from evolution. However, this evolution was not blind or random. Rather, evolution was controlled by Divine hand. This Divine hand accounts for the beginning, diversity and complexity of life on Earth.

However, modern biology, which is based on Darwin's Theory of Evolution, attributes evolution to the principle of natural selection. According to this principle, human, animals and plants, all evolved by natural accidents. The evolution of the human body was simply the outcome of automatic natural processes spread out over billions of years. In this immensely long process, human evolved from one celled organisms without any Divine help, guidance and purpose. Natural selection is the cornerstone of Darwin's theory. Unlike the Holy Quran, the principle of natural selection did not acknowledge the idea that the universe is designed by an intelligent mind.

Another difference between the principle of natural selection and the teachings of the Holy Quran is regarding the path of evolution. Natural selection states human and ape are evolved from a common ancestor. Following this logic, biologists consider apes to be the most recent ancestor of human. The Holy Quran, however, doesn't put forward the idea of one common ancestor and thus doesn't regard ape to be part of human evolutionary chain.

In the Holy Quran, Allah says: ‘And the earth We have spread out (like a carpet); set thereon mountains firm and immovable; and produced therein all kinds of things in due balance’ (Holy Quran, 15:19). Climatic changes are vertically influenced due to high mountain ranges. It has posed serious threats to biodiversity in recent years by exerting direct and indirect impacts on various plant species, affecting reproductive system and species distribution Around 20 to 30 per cent of plant and animal species assessed so far are likely to be at increased risk of extinction if global temperatures rise by more than 1.5 to 2.S°C. The changes in rainfall are not uniform; in sub-humid and humid areas there will be increase in monsoon rainfall whereas in the coastal and hyper-arid areas there will be decrease in winter and summer rainfall. It will also likely to increase the risk of extinction for more vulnerable species; some others may increase in distribution and numbers. Recent studies predict that a temperature rise of 2 to 3°C over the next century could result in as many as half of the world's plant species being threatened with extinction.

Plants are major regulators of global climate and are the keystone of the carbon cycle. Loss of plant species will disproportionally affect the rural poor where a large majority of whom rely on wild natural resources for medicinal purpose and daily uses.

In the Quranic view, nature is an estate belonging to Allah and it has been given to man merely as a trust. Nature constitutes a testing-ground for man's morality and whatever right man possesses to have dominion over nature is solely due to his makeup and solidly derives from God's trust in His deputy on earth. It recognizes the fact that there is one absolute Creator and that man is answerable to Him for all his actions. It is mentioned in the Quran:

"To God belongs all that is in the heavens and in the earth, for God encompasses everything."(Holy Quran, 4:126)

Therefore abusing one of his creations, whether it is a living being or a natural resource, is a sin. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) considered all of God's creations to be equal before God and he believed animals, but also land, forests and watercourses should have rights. Environmental crisis is, in fact, a failure of the trusteeship, thus nature becomes an index of how well a particular society has performed its responsibility towards God, However, the human being was the only one in God's Creation (i.e. nature) that was prepared to undertake this task of trusteeship willingly, according to the verse: “We indeed offer the Trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains; but they refused to undertake it, being afraid thereof. but man undertook it, he was indeed unjust and foolish." (Holy Quran, 33°72).

But the Quran repeatedly warns believers against arrogance: they are no better than other creatures. The Quran says:

"No creature 1s there on earth nor a bird flying with its wings but they are nations Iike you.” (Holy Quran, 6:38)

The Quran shows that there is a correlation between the behaviour of people and the conditions of the environment. The right and moral behaviour yield positive results:

"If the people of the towns had but believed and feared God, We should indeed have opened out to them (all kinds of) blessings from heaven and earth...” (Holy Quran, 7:96)

"And o my people! Ask forgiveness of your Lord, and turn to Him (in repentance): He will send you the skies pouring abundant rain, and add strength to your strength: so turn ye not back in sin!" (Holy Quran, 11:52)

The opposite is also true. Disbelief and swerving from the right path that God has designated for humanity will result in negative mpact on the environment:

"But whosoever turns away from My Message, verily for him is a life narrowed down...” (Holy Quran, 20:124)

In addition, there are verses that establish a correlation between natural disasters and disbelief, immoral behaviour, or a combination of both:

"...He flingeth the loud-voiced thunder-bolts, and therewith He striketh whomsoever He will ...” (Holy Quran, 13:13)

This relationship between man and nature is the will of God, but also a test of man's gratitude towards God.

"It is Allah Who has subjected (Sakhkhara)} the sea to you, that ship may sail through it by His command, that ye may seek of His Bounty, and that ye may be grateful, And He has subjected to you, as from Him, all that is in the heavens and on earth: behold, in that are Signs indeed fur those who reflect.” (Hloly Quran, 45: 12-13)

"It ls He Who hath created for you all things that are on earth..." (Holy Quran, 2:29)

Nature as protection is a gift from God and nature is thus the testing ground for the gratitude towards God. Human beings are allowed to use natural resources and cultivate the land. "It is We Who have placed you with authority on earth, and provided you therein with means for the fulfilment of your life: small are the thanks that we give." (Holy Quran, 7:10)

"It is He Who has made the earth manageable for you, so traverse ye through its tracts and enjoy of the Sustenance which He furnishes: but unto Him is the Resurrection." (Holy Quran, 67:15)

"Verily We have created man into toil and struggle.” (Holy Quran, 90:4)

The animal kingdom is divided into different communities, each with its right to existence in the Creation:

"There is not an animal that lives on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, but forms part of communities like you. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they all shall be gathered to their Lord in the end." (Holy Quran, 6:38)

Nature is a 'Gift of God'. Nature is indeed a bounty of Allah that makes the humanity and all other living organisms survive in the earth. The Quran gives a clear indication in this respect:

"And He has made subservient to you, (as a gift) from Himself, all that is in the heavens and on earth: in this, behold, there are messages indeed for people who think!"(Holy Quran, 45:13)

Protecting the environment from detriments of all kinds and preserving the nature is the philosophy of Quranic environmentalism. Being the trustee of the nature, this is human's duty to take care of environmental sustainability. Along with proper care of environment, Quran also cautions not to be profligate and wasteful. -

“O Children of Adam! Beautify yourselves for every act of worship, and eat and drink [freely], but do not waste: verily, He does not love the wasteful!” (Holy Quran, 7:31)

The living creatures of all kind are usually called as species. In Islam, species are regarded as the signs of God. In Quran, the term 'daabbah’ is used to refer all living creatures, including beasts and crawling creatures of all kinds. It is mentioned in the Quran:

"And among His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth and the living creatures that

He has scattered through them” (Holy Quran, 42:29)

It cannot be said for sure how many species exist on the earth. Estimates range from 5 milhoa to 100 million. So far biologists have identified and named about 1.8 million species, not including bac~ teria. About 42% (751,000) of these known species are insects, 15% (270,000) are plants, 0.5% (9,000) are birds, and only 0.25% (4,500) are mammals.

On looking at the Quran, the prominent place given to animals, the key members of the ecosys~ tem, is immediately apparent. A number of its Suras bear animals’ names: al-Baqarah (The Cow); alNahl (The Bee), al-Angabut (The Spider), al-Nam! (The Ant). One of the striking expressions the Quran uses about animals is that they are a "community" (ummah). It is especially noteworthy that this concept, which is a significant concept in Islamic tradition and literature, should also be used for animals:

"If you really want to see the signs of Allah, Just look at any animal that walks upon the earth and any bird that flies in the air; they too are the communities like you. We have not left out anything from the Book in determining the courses of their lives.” (Holy Quran, 6:38)

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nvironment. Speciation minus extinction equals biodiversity, the planet's genetic raw material for future evolution in response to changing environmental conditions. Biodiversity researchers often use the wellestablished fact that the number of species present increases with the size of area to estimate the number of extinctions resultin from habitat destruction. This species-area relationship suggests that, on average, a 90% loss of habitat causes the extinction of about 50% of the species living in that habitat.

Conclusion and recommendation:

The envjronment we live in today takes a hei-. nous face by the human activity. Amidst natural change over the last millennium, the effects of human activity have become increasingly felt, and now reach to the outermost atmosphere of planet earth - far more remote to that which we classify as wil derness. The earth's resources are diminishing and

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high mountain ranges. It has posed scrious threats

to biodiversity in recent years by exerting direct and

indirect impacts on various plant species, aflecting

reproductive system and species distribution Around

20 to 30 per cent of plant and animal species as

sessed so far are likely to be at increased risk of extinction if global temperatures rise by more than

1.5 to 2.S°C. The changes in rainfall are not uniform; in sub-humid and humid areas there will be increase in monsoon rainfall whereas in the coastal and hyper-arid areas there will be decrease in winter and summer rainfall. It will also likely to increase the risk of extinction for more vulnerable species; some others may increase in distribution and numbers. Recent studies predict that a temperature rise of 2 to 3°C over the next century could result in as many as half of the world's plant species being threatened with extinction.

Piants are major regulators of global climate and are the keystone of the carbon cycle. Loss of plant species will disproportionally affect the rural poor where a large majority of whom rely on wild natural resources for medicinal purpose and daily uses.

*To God belongs all that is in the heavens and in the earth, for God encompasses everything.” (Holy Quran, 4:126)

the human being was the only one in God's Creation

(i.¢. nature) that was prepared to undertake this task

of trusteeship willingly, according to the verse: “We indeed offer the Trust to the heavens and

the earth and the mountains; but they refused to undertake it, being afraid thereof. but man undertook it, he was indeed unjust and foolish.* (Holy Quran, 33°72).