The Charter of Makkah: how does it advocate for the environment?

The Charter of Makkah or “Makkah Declaration” guides Muslims from every country in the world on the principles that encompass the true meaning of moderate Islam. This charter was founded on the Constitution of Medina and presents principles that can help lead to a more advanced, just, and peaceful life. On the 28th of May 2019, the Charter of Makkah was endorsed by the world’s leading Muslim scholars, and as many as 1,200 prominent Islamic figures from 139 countries, representing 27 Islamic components of various sects and schools of thought, approved this charter.

The Charter of Makkah and environmental principles 

The Charter of Makkah calls us to come together as an Ummah to mitigate climate change by stopping pollution. The Charter of Makkah contains 30 articles, where four of which cover 4 principles related to Islam and the environment and the strong bond that tie the two together. So what do these articles say?

Article 10 of the charter mentions the ability of Muslims to contribute to finding solutions to moral, social, and environmental challenges laid upon humanity. It goes to mark how “Muslims have enriched human civilization and can further enrich it today”. 

Moving deeper into the charter, we find that article 12 urges cooperation to protect the environment and refers directly to environmental education, highlighting that the “planet we enjoy is a gift given to us by God”. This article also gave recommendations to countries on how to “protect the right to live in a clean environment”.

Article 16 of the Charter defines a number of moral, social, environmental, and familial challenges facing humanity as a whole, and calls all individuals to “promote noble moral values and encourage responsible social practices”.

 And finally, article 24, highlights the importance of addressing the causes of public imbalances and social disparities. It continues to mark that there is a need for responsible parties to work in solidarity within the scope of implementing programs to “combat hunger, poverty, disease, ignorance, racial discrimination, and environmental destruction”.

The Charter of Makkah which is an extension of the Constitution of Medina is based on the values of religious tolerance. This shows the importance to co-exist with others and respecting the environment we are living in. It shows our duty as Ummah to stop the environmental damage. To know more about The Charter of Makkah, read it here.