Ummah for Earth
Ummah means community. The meaning of Ummah – Ummah is the translation of the term community. While it is an Arabic word mentioned in the Quran, it is a term used across many Muslim countries and communities all over the world in different languages including English, French, Bahasa, Urdu, and Persian. Last year due to covid-19, the Ummah showed its power and urgency.
Today, the Ummah (Muslim community) is facing unprecedented challenges manifested in the climate crisis, social inequality, health risks, and economic challenges. We are all at risk in different ways, but our hope lies in coming together to work and take care of each other.
The Ummah has its own environmental framework
Muslims already have an environmentalist framework to follow. It is set in Islam. Islam provides a values-based roadmap for tackling the problems we face today as a species. We believe that these are the most powerful motivators for human behaviour and that they are what give meaning and purpose to young people’s lives.
Islam emphasizes the profound responsibility humans have as stewards of the earth. Everything in nature is full of His Qualities, is in constant praise of God, and aware of God. (Tawhid – unity or oneness with God). Humans are the trustees (khulafa) of this creation. Though earth is subservient to humans, we are just its stewards, not the owners. We must make sure that all resources are used in a sustainable way. It is our responsibility as khalifa to change at the individual level (lifestyle) but also at our community level (working with clubs, mosques,) and worldwide (activism, pressure our decision makers to consider climate change a priority, global problems require a global solution, COP etc…) We must not upset the balance of nature (mizan). God’s creatures deserve protection (hima).
Hajj 2021: the journey inward, the change outward
This year has held many challenges for humanity. For millions of Muslims, the pandemic has also meant that we must change the way we pray and come together as a community. due to Covid-19, only those of us residing in KSA are able to carry out Hajj this year.
But every challenge provides us with an important moment to learn and change. And this year, we can all look inward to Reflect and Recover Together.
This year, we invite you to join us in a Hajj reflection journey. Together, we can work to make our Ummah more resilient and stand up together against inequality, injustice, and vulnerability.
Together we are one Ummah and it is our responsibility to protect the most vulnerable and most impacted by the twin crises of rising inequality and environmental destruction.
We as one Ummah can Reflect and Recover Together and you can actively help this to begin. We would like to ask you to share Hajj reflection journey stories that will help illuminate, inspire, connect, even make new futures. It can be your story, your friend, family, or a neighbor.
Inspiration / sources / resources / links