Earth Day: Why It Matters – Everyday
Today is Earth Day, “an annual event on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection” (Wikipedia). Why should it matter for us as Muslims? Why should it matter especially for us as Muslims? Read on to find out!
Today is Earth Day! Learn about the history and significance of Earth Day here.
The word used in the Quran for “earth” is أَرْض [arD]. It is used over 450 times in the Quran, to refer to the planet we live on – the Earth – but also to: land, ground, soil, city, country, domain, the surface of the Earth, the floor, something that is flat, a tremor, anything that is low.
Allah SWT created the Earth as a place for us to settle in and enjoy for the short duration of time that we live on it:
اللَّهُ الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الْأَرْضَ قَرَارًا وَالسَّمَاءَ بِنَاءً وَصَوَّرَكُمْ فَأَحْسَنَ صُوَرَكُمْ وَرَزَقَكُم مِّنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمُ اللَّهُ رَبُّكُمْ ۖ فَتَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ
“It is Allah who made for you the earth a place of settlement and the sky a ceiling and formed you and perfected your forms and provided you with good things. That is Allah, your Lord; then blessed is Allah, Lord of the worlds.” (40:64)
Allah SWT also filled the Earth with so many things that are beneficial to us, without us even asking for them subhanAllah: water, trees, mountains, rivers, lakes, oceans, fruits, vegetables, fertile lands…
