Prophet Muhammad (SAW), the Conservationist,
Our Inspiration
Mona Ayad
In the wake of
global warming, pollution, poverty, recession, inflation, and wars over
resources, it is important to examine the causes to these problems as well as the
responsibility we each bear in this tragedy.
In an alarming statistic stated in the October 22, 2006 edition of The Dallas Morning News, “Boom or Bust”
says that while the U.S. population only accounts for 1/18 of the world
population in 2005, the energy consumption per capita in the U.S. accounts for
seven times that number on a global scale. Carbon dioxide emissions in The U.S.
are six times that of other nations. While the U.S. accounts for a fraction of
the world population, it uses a disproportionate amount of natural resources.
This disparity creates tension between nations, which is problematic
politically. It is important to examine the role each of us plays on the global
stage of allocation and scarcity of resources, which contribute to the current
economic crisis. Nevertheless, it is the
sum of individual behaviors which contribute to the current global crisis of
economic unrest. Consequently, it is important to analyze this problem on a
small scale so that we can identify the causes of this crisis. The root causes
are materialism, wastefulness and the lack of knowledge many people have of the
natural law, Allah and their purpose here on this earth. It is at times like
these that we need to reflect upon the inspiration of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and
the lifestyle he led. He showed us how to optimize the little resources he had
and conserve as much as possible for the sake of social justice as well as
personal satisfaction.
At the national
level, it seems as though the national debt, inflation, energy crisis,
deflation of the dollar, interest rates, mortgage crisis, foreclosures, greed,
and wastefulness are all interrelated. It is the misallocation and waste of
resources, however, which have brought us to this crisis as so identified by many
politicians. If wasting resources is the cause of these problems, then
conservation is the solution. Conservation is the key to get back on track.
Unless each individual learns how to conserve and exercise some
self-regulation, no public, fiscal policy or economic stimulus packages will
solve the problem. Just as individuals face debt when they spend money they
don’t have, the government also faces the same plight by running such great
deficits. Many people live on borrowed money, for they have forgotten the basic
motto of living within their means. How
can we spend money that we do not have? Somehow, we fool ourselves into
believing that we will pay it off later. Little do we know that later never
comes and inflation makes the debt grow larger very quickly. Like most wise men, 18th century
scholar and economist Adam Smith understood that running after wealth and
status are pointless ends, yet he discerned that the widely held belief that
they are worth chasing has been a beneficial lie to civilization. It is this
deception which keeps us productive in hope of becoming rich and famous
someday.
Attaining a national balanced
budget will remain a dream for politicians as long as conservation is not part
of their mindsets. Without balance,
there can be no social harmony or peace. Raising taxes to pay off debts or
printing money only contributes to inflation, and the vicious cycle goes
on. It becomes apparent how the root
cause of our economic problem is actually a moral one. Self-control is a necessary
virtue for conservation, as it is for all other virtues. Allah tells us in the Qur’an that being miserly is sinful, and
being wasteful of time and resources is like “being brothers of the devil”
(Surah Bani Israel: 17: 26-27). So, the only accepted way is conservation in
order to maximize efficiency. Allah regards being wasteful as being ungrateful
for His bounties. Usury, gambling,
loans, hoarding, greed and wasteful spending are all sinful acts. Economics
should be reconnected to moral values. When we regain our moral compass, we
will be able to make that link.
Allah is the
Creator and, therefore, the owner of all things. All resources such as land,
crops, forests, oceans, minerals and all other natural resources on this earth
belong to Him. We, as representatives of
Allah are only trustees. So, all of these resources and material wealth are
gifts and bounties from Allah to be spent in ways pleasing to Him. Livelihood
is to be earned through honest labor of productive investment. The acquired means
is not to be hoarded nor wasted for purposes of show nor used for bribery or in
any other way which results in oppression or harm to others. A Dallas Morning News article about how
Collin County residents were drowning in debt highlighted the role envy plays
in driving spending. “Keeping up with the Joneses” is a never-ending struggle.
This status anxiety can be destructive. By the same token, the economic
resources of a nation are for the benefit of the people collectively. These resources are to be developed
efficiently and allocated justly for the benefit of all people, rather than the
powerful few. Sharing rather than exploiting and cooperation rather than
competition are the guiding principles exemplified by the inspiration of
Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in all economic, social and political affairs.
Allah warned us
of the effect of wastefulness in the Qur’an.
Prophet Muhammad (SAW) showed us how to conserve. He led a very simple
lifestyle. As he was making ablution, he did not waste one drop of water. He
patched his own shoes and mended his clothes, in which he had one garment for the winter and
one for the summer. He milked his sheep, tied and fed his camel and helped to
knead his bread. He also ate and slept on the floor and lived simply with little
furniture or material goods. He was efficient with what he had and
certainly lived within his means. Can we learn to live within our means too? Materialism is
neither rejected nor shunned in Islam. Wealth is the reward for hard work. Yet, it
is to be kept in proper perspective. Wealth is a means to an end; it is not an
end in and of itself. Does this Earth belong to us alone? Could we ever be
content with such a wasteful lifestyle? Can we even afford it? While we suffer
from the disease of excess, the rest of the world suffers from poverty. Will we
choose to be part of the solution or part of the problem?
What is truly amazing is that modern economists and others find through empirical research that Prophet Muhammad’s lifestyle and ideology presents solutions to the economic crisis of the 21st century. E.F Schumacher, the late economist who embraced the ancient Greek notion that the meaning of life is in the purification of character, not in the accumulation of things, is one such researcher. All of the statistics, research and conclusions confirm the teachings of the Prophet (SAW). How much more evidence do we need? Economists and philosophers agree that the one who can control his desires and spending habits will find himself to be the richest of all men. Such was Prophet Muhammad (SAW). He exemplified this model they described. Indeed, there are no conflicts between his ideology, lifestyle and the model proposed by the social scientists! Will we join the “going green” movement to protect our environment and allocate resources properly, or should we just continue to spin our wheels? Are we willing to risk losing wealth and status for a chance to achieve a more lasting measure of contentment? We have the power to choose how to make money and spend it. It is a slippery slope! The straight path is paved and illustrated by Prophet Muhammad (SAW). It is the shortest distance between two points. Why go the long way to the point of no return? Our wealth and resources are a trust from Allah for which we will be accountable. Will we pass this test?