Thank You for your participation in No Impact Week!
Sarah Jawaid
Salaams all,
We wanted to thank you for participating in No Impact Week! We hope that this week was a time for reflection and change.
No Impact Week Thoughts:
This was a trying week for many of us. Even for those of us conscious about our impact, holding ourselves accountable of our waste and consumption each day each was quite a challenge. As Muslims, the month of Ramadan, where we fast for 30 days from dawn till dusk, provides a similar opportunity for us to take inventory on the way we live, in hopes of purifying our heart, mind and souls. We monitor what goes in and what we do with our bodies. No Impact Week proved to be a very similar and powerful experience.
Even though it was difficult, the sense of community Huffington Post and No Impact Project created, albeit virtually, was a catalyst for DC Green Muslims to share this experience together. Our conversations were filled with eco-spiritual ethics, friendly reminders to be mindful and an overall camaraderie that is not easily found.
We were also able to partner with Greater Washington Interfaith Power and Light on the International Day of Climate Action by participating in a walk with other faith-based environmental groups. And, we were reminded that the protection of the environment affects each of us, irrespective of creed.
Video for Huffingpost.com/Green:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hlQxqFEnCs
Winner of Soap: We will be doing the raffle for all of the people who commented on the blog and announce the winner as soon as possible.
Reflection on Environmentalism and Faith:
The Earth connects each and every one of us. People following faith traditions are often guided by scripture to protect and connect with the external world, thus establishing a direct relationship between environmentalism and faith. For example, in the Jewish tradition, followers are guided to protect all of creation. In the very first chapter of the Torah, Jews are told “to tend and till the soil,” having an obligation to create a sustainable future for generations to come.
Similarly in Islam, God asks His followers to be vicegerents of the Earth, entrusting mankind with the duty to protect, preserve and restore balance in the environment. This trust upon mankind is revealed in the form of “ayat”, or signs from God which are found in three places: the verses of Scripture, the souls of humanity, and the natural realm. As the Qur’an [41:53] states:
“We shall show them
our signs (ayat)
within the furthest horizons
and inside their own souls
until it becomes clear to them
that God is Truth [Haqq].”
The universe and everything in it is a system of design, divine revelation and a manifestation of God’s signs to mankind. Studying the universe, specifically nature, is an important way of studying the wisdom of God. But why is mankind entrusted with this trust? Human beings are the only creatures who have the special qualities to enable them to serve the Earth. We have the capacity to understand the ethical notions which lead us care about the environment. Also, humans are the only beings capable of negatively affecting the inherent natural order that exists in creation. Due to this, we are entrusted with the duty of restoring the natural order, not only because of our ability to care but also because of our endowed knowledge and the ability to critically think.
Wa’salaams!
DC Green Muslims
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peace and light always.
sarah jawaid
909.702.1745
www.sarahjawaid.com