Ethical Teachings in Islam

“Allah looks not at your figures or your outward appearance but he looks at your hearts and deeds” - Prophet Muhammad

With reference to the above quote, how do ethical teachings in Islam guide adherents to do good deeds in their lives?

Ethical teachings in Islam include teachings surrounding the care and protection of the environment, which are central to living a life that is considered halal in the eyes of Allah. These teachings are found in all the major Islamic sacred texts, including the Qur'an and Hadith. The Qur'an provides a number of specific references to environmental issues as well as providing some underlying principles such as the notion of khalifa which bestows guardianship of the environment on humankind, tawhid, which refers principally to the unity and absolute oneness of Allah yet by extension it includes the unity and oneness of that which is created by Allah, and akrah, insinuating that Allah will look at their “hearts and deeds” and judge adherents accordingly for the way they have undertaken their responsibilities as custodians of the environment. The Hadith also provides a number of specific teachings together with the reiteration of important principles expressed in the Qur'an.  The basic principles found in the Qur'an show that the environment is a gift from Allah and is to be cared for by human beings who are regarded as trustees or guardians. Other teachings on the environment are based on this principle. These include teachings relating to the use and conservation of water found in the qur'an, teachings on hunting and animal welfare and the importance of planting trees in the Hadith.

In order to live a good life in the eyes of Allah, adherents must be accountable for the deeds committed in their life, such as the conservation or the squandering of resources. Islam forbids extravagance in the use of resources, as even if it is plentiful. The aforementioned is the case for water use in regards to ethical teachings regarding the care and protection of the environment as an adherents duty. Islam rules that protection of all environmental elements from wastage must be maintained, since everything is viewed as of value in Islam. This is conceptualised in a qur'an passage where The Prophet passes his companion Sa’ad washing himself. The Prophet then states “Water should not be wasted when making ablution even if you are by a flowing river (Ibn Majah)”. This passage conveys the perspective that Islam holds on water conservation as The Prophet signifies that the resource of water, which is the fundamental of life, shouldn’t be wasted on acts such as washing oneself, as it serves a greater purpose, such as life giving. This can also be linked back to the paramount ethical teaching of tawhid, in relation to environmental ethics as in the environmental context the principle of the unity and absolute oneness of Allah, is expanded to include the unity and oneness of that which is created by Allah, in which water is included as one of Allah’s greatest creations. The conservation of water can also be linked khalifa, which refers to the bestowment of guardianship of the environment on humankind, inferring that it’s the duty of adherents to conserve and use water moderately. Henceforth, as adherents of the Islamic faith, they’re accountable for fulfilling these tasks in relation to conserving water, as it is a duty that they take on with entrance into the faith. Failing to be accountable for these actions, can result in living a life not deemed halal by Allah.