Yasir Qadhi – What is Islam’s Stance on Global Warming Q&A #20

			Bismillah Alhamdulillah wa salatu salam ala Rasulillah who Allah Allah, He will be here on Wella
Hammerberg. Our question for today is from Brother Sajid from California. And I'm assuming by the
email that you wrote his younger brother may be in high school. And the language is very nice and
simple and beautiful. And he says, What is Islam stance on global warming? What is Islam stance on
global warming? This is the question as it is phrased to me. So we answer this question today, by as
usual, dissecting the question. Firstly, before we get to the quote, unquote, traditional answer,
		

			we need to be very, very careful about assuming Islam always says something specifically. This is a
phrasing that we need to think very carefully about, the only time that we can definitively say,
Islam says something is that if the Quran is explicit, and the OMA has agreed, then we can say,
Islam says Allah is the Creator, no problem. Islam says the Quran is the bucola. No problem. So a
brother is asking What is Islam stance on global warming, as if all of Islam has agreed on one
stance, and then as if I am the spokesperson, officially designated by Islam with a capital I, that
whatever I say, and the reason I say this is because what happens is this, this is good, simplistic
		

			assumption that whatever problem I'm facing, there is going to be one answer one definitive answer,
and the person in front of me will answer it and solve it because he has studied the Quran. And we
have to be very, very careful in this regard. Imagine if somebody said, What does Islam say about
the factors that break we'll do and this is something the Quran talks about and the Sunnah talks
about Can anyone definitively answer Islam says these factors break will do or will have to say
what? There's difference of opinion. And by the way, all format hubs have a different list. Can you
believe all format hubs have a different list? So Muslims Hamdulillah, Allah has allowed this to
		

			live there are narrations from the Sahaba the the love within Islam as a mercy. So Muslims have
differed over even things, the Quran and Sunnah is explicit about like the account of wudu and
taharah. What do you think about an issue that doesn't even exist when the Quran came down global
warming? And then you want to say What is Islam stance? And I remember last month, somebody asked
me, texted me and I'm not exaggerating, it's exactly what it is. They texted, it was a group of
students of knowledge and Michelle Obama, What is Islam stance on the right to bear arms? The second
amendment as if all of us have to have the exact same opinion. And Islam is going to tell us whether
		

			we should be pro Second Amendment or anti Second Amendment, you understand this question is
problematic. And before I even try to attempt, I need to make sure we understand because and by the
way, this is a joke here. If you really want to effect change in the pro Second Amendment lobby, all
you need to do is wear our traditional Desi garb, thobes, turbans, and big T shirts, Muslims for the
Second Amendment, all of a sudden checks and balances and background checks and everything will
come. That is the most effective way to actually get some gun reform. We should start a group called
Muslims for the Second Amendment. And then we appear like Muslims have other lines appearing and
		

			then we we go and petition with our guns but Muslims are second amendment, we want the Second
Amendment and you will see mashallah Tabata color, the NRA will complain anyway, that's besides the
point. Okay. That was the complete joke. By the way, that was a complete joke, just just just so
that you're aware.
		

			But my point is that we need to remove this understanding that Islam has a concrete answer on any
question that comes to your mind. And it reminds me of something that we find in the books of
history that happened to the heart of giants, the first sector broke away, they kept on criticizing
it to the Allah who won by saying, we want the judgment of the Quran in an ECMO Illa de la one,
Allah's judgment. We don't want yours. We want Allah's hokum. We don't want your Helcom we want the
Quran is verdict, not your verdict. And it is narrated in the books of history that wants it to call
their leaders in Kufa and the main masjid and he called for a big copy of the Quran to be brought
		

			out. And in those days the most half was not this convenient little booklet, The most half was
bigger than this desk because it's written on Campbell parchment right, the most half full most have
no exaggeration, it is almost as large as this desk three, four
		

			With high massive people had to bring it out, they brought it out and they put it in front of it God
Allah Who and and the leaders of the hotter giants and what was their slogan, we want the Quran. We
want the Quran. So Ali said Quran speak.
		

			Silence. Quran judge between us. Silence Quran We want your verdict. Silence. I didn't say anything
about the Aloha, one of the Hutterites said, oh Ali Rhodiola one. The Quran is not going to speak
back to like what's wrong with you? So Ali said, if the Quran is not going to speak back, how do you
want me to judge by the Quran? What do you mean by the Quran? The Quran has to be interpreted by
men.
		

			I have to interpret now I'm the leader and I'm giving you the laws. You see the slogan was a
simplistic attempt to negate it to the Allah one. It sounds so good. We want the Quran we want the
Quran what do you mean? Who's going to decide what is the verdict about whatever issues taking
place? We want the Quran is a slogan that doesn't translate into actual laws and Allah the Alana
saying you are just a bunch of sloganeering people who don't have a comma you're causing fitna and
facade slogan sounds good doesn't mean anything. Anyway, that's a separate tangent here. Point is
that when we say what does the Quran say? What does Islam say? It's a bit of a trick question. And
		

			unless the Quran is explicit, yes, Allah created us, okay, we can say the Quran says No prob. Now
you're asking you about global warming. What does the Quran say about this? What does Islam say? We
have to be very careful about this. Rather, the way the question should be phrased is, is there
anything in the Quran and Sunnah that modern scholars can use to discuss this topic that changes the
whole paradigm, now you're bringing in the HD herd of human beings, you know, this goes back to a
hadith of the process, and that he sought told to ideal the Allah one when he was going on war and
expedition, he said, When you go to this enemy tribe, and they say, they want you to judge them by
		

			the judgment of ALLAH, do not agree to that because you do not know the judgment of Allah. But if
they say they're willing for your judgment, then give them your judgment and seek Allah's help.
Notice the difference between this okay, no human being other than the process of speaks on behalf
of
		

			Allah subhanho wa taala, not even the sahaba. That's why the hadith is clear. The process of is
saying to this companion, that if you go to this tribe, and they agree to reconciliation, and they
say we want Allah's verdict, don't say you will give them Allah's verdict, how do you know Allah's
verdict? Rather, say, No, I will try my best to be fair, and just and then ask Allah for help is
there in Billa? So similarly, when somebody has a modern question about this issue, you know, what
does Islam say about, you know, carrying weapons? What does Islam say about this? And that, then
it's a bit of a broad question, you have to rephrase it. Is there anything in our Quran and Sunnah?
		

			Is there anything with classical drama have said about this issue? And so that needs to be phrased
also, by the way, another point and again, the reason I chose this question, frankly, was not to get
to the answer. But to answer the question, firstly, because we need to get over this simplistic
mindset. Why am I concerned about this? Because once again, I want to teach ourselves tolerance.
What happens is sometimes an island will give you an opinion, and so good opinion, but it's the
opinion of an Harlem, it's not the Quran, it is not Allah subhanho wa taala. And we take that
opinion, and we consider anybody who dares disagree to be upon misguidance evil even worse, all you
		

			need to do is look at sectarianism across the globe. Once we understand that, yes, there's something
sometimes the Quran and Sunnah its experts have no problem. Most of the time in the intra legal
disputes, sometimes even in advanced theological issues. It's not clear cut. And that's why there's
a difference of opinion. It's not clear cut. And I've given examples about this. So another point,
you are asking me and my training is in Islamic sciences, about an issue that deals with modern
sciences, global warming is not a subject that is taught in any madrasa across the globe. So this
also explains another issue we need to think about, as our profit system said, Give everyone their
		

			due, right. Do not ask a chef or an alum, a speciality beyond Islamic sciences, or else you will get
into a problem. And usually the sheikh or Adam might not even know he'll give you the response and
he will also fall into a problem. And I've given many examples about this. And when there is an area
of expertise, go to the expert, don't ask me about investment advice. Don't ask me about modern
theories of science, even though me personally I actually have a degree in engineering. I have a
minor in Chemistry. I am Alhamdulillah trained in sciences still, it's not my area that I'm reading
		

			I'm not a professor of science, I'm a professor of Islamic studies. So also give give everybody
their due and learn from the mistakes of what happened in the western world when their preachers and
theologians became their scientists. Let's not in our OMA Alhamdulillah we never had what happened
in medieval Europe. Why? Because our older man knew their place and our immediate Hey, thumbs and
roses knew their places. Well, the scientists knew their place, they didn't get fit and fatwas and
our folk Kahan ruler ma did not tell us what to believe of ology and medicine. We never had the
inquisitions of medieval Europe, we never had, you know, the pope tell Galileo, the sun is
		

			stationary and the Earth goes around, sorry, the, the sun is stationary, sorry, the Earth is
stationary, and the sun goes around the Earth. That's what the Pope said to Galileo. The Christian
clerics said to Galileo, the Galileo was saying the opposite right, Galileo saying the Earth goes
around the sun. And the Christian churches saying no, we believe theologically, that the earth is
stationary. And if you say otherwise, we're going to burn you at the stake. And they literally had a
stake and they were going to burn him over there. And so Galileo, obviously, we don't want to do
that, do we? So don't go to mache, and Obama and ask them questions. We just gave a lecture a few
		

			months ago, about what the process some said unto IMO, the Ohmori dunya come he said this, you know,
your dunya better than I do. And this is about what happened in his time. Now, what if there is a
clash? In this case, hula of the Sharia, and modern scientists need to come together and discuss
amongst themselves. And the biggest example is a theory of evolution, which maybe one day I'll
discuss. But if you listen to my talks online, you know, it's it is something that needs to be
discussed. It is a clash. You know what some Muslims believe and what some scientists believe there
seems to be a clash. There's no real clash. By the way, there is no real clash, the clash is in our
		

			understanding, there cannot be an actual contradiction between what is provable by science, and what
the Quran explicitly says We firmly believe this, but there might be a clash because we haven't
either understood science or understood the Quran. So in this case, we need to get the experts in,
in in evolutionary biology, we need to get the experts to understand what the Quran and Sunnah might
imply with this wordings, and then come together, which believe it or not, still hasn't happened,
you would think it would have happened by now, it still hasn't happened, you know. So each side
needs to discuss with each other so that they can formulate what can and cannot be said. Now, when
		

			it comes to this issue. Now, after all of these disclaimers, which was more important than the
actual response, actually, that's why I chose this question. Now, we say, in my humble opinion, we
can find some generic verses and a hadith that can be applied for topics in this regard. This is my
opinion and opinion of some of the rhythm of our times. And as an educated person in this world as
well. Me personally, I'm not speaking as a person of knowledge or speaking as a person who studied
science. I think it is quite convincing that global warming is something that is proven by modern
science, it's something that is pretty much the standard understanding of what is going on. And then
		

			I don't find anything in the Quran and Sunnah that would be problematic for that. There's nothing in
the Quran and Sunnah that problematizes the perception or the theory or even the fact that what we
are doing is causing an ecological disaster of the highest magnitude. And that having been said, it
is very easy to make a case don't say the Quran says say it is possible for our modern aroma to say,
which is what I'm doing okay. It's possible for modern aroma to make a claim to be ecologically
conscious to tell Muslims that a part of their worship of Allah is to take care of the environment.
This is something that we can make a case for from the Quran and the Sunnah, why and how the Quran
		

			describes a general role of stewardship of taking care of other creatures and species to mankind and
this is explicit in the Quran. Allah subhanaw taala mentions in the Quran was Sahara calm. Murphy
Samoa will order the Jamia or min Allah has put you in charge Allah has given you authority over
that which is in the heavens and earth whatever you have power over to do. Allah subhanho wa Taala
has put you in charge of it. And Allah mentions in the Quran that we are Mustafa love and was stuck
love one of the primary meanings of Mr. McCullough, you are the Guardian and you will be asked about
what you are in charge of. And the term Khalifa in Niger is known for the Khalifa. There are two
		

			main interpretations of this term. The one of the one that we will mention now there's another one
that maybe one day we'll mention the one that we will mention it is it is found in early Islamic
tafsir Khalifa means Allah has put us in charge, just like the term khalifa to Rasul Allah that He
has been put in charge. So we will be asked to
		

			about our environment and this is something that is very explicit that taking care of the
environment taking care of the plants and animals around us. This is something that is an act of
worship. Our Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam mentioned that whoever plants a tree, this hadith
is in body, whoever plants a tree, and the tree that grows up any human or creature or animal that
eats of that tree, it will be an act of sadaqa for this person. So this hadith clearly shows us that
being green or taking care of the environment, as well, the famous Hadith of the man or some
versions, the lady, an evil lady who lived a lifetime of sin, and she saw a dog that was thirsty,
		

			and she went down, she gave the water dog and the problem said beak she entered Jana, the Sahaba
said, O Messenger of Allah, Allah will reward us for taking care of an animal. This is a Hadith and
Behati, Allah will reward us for taking care of an animal and our Prophet solo sallam said, in every
living creature, there is reward in every living creature, whether it's bird, whether it's animal,
whether it's human being, taking care of any living creature, there is a reward. This is Hadith in
Behati, and the famous Hadith and Muslim Imam Muhammad that our Prophet so I said, I've said, if one
of you has a sapling, a small little plant in what you buy in Home Depot with the saplings there,
		

			when you put it in your backyard, that's called a sapling. If any of you had a sapling, and the
trumpet is blown, if you're able to plant the sapling, before the trumpet reaches you go ahead and
do that meaning, think of the future try even though there is no future after judgment day but the
concept here, think of the future. Make sure you are doing you no good in this earth. And Allah
criticizes, destroying nature. This is explicit in the Quran. Allah criticizes for example, way that
Phil already leaves it so after all, the UFC the fee ha while you Holika al how to tell when Nestle
Allahu Allah your herbal facade, when he turns away from the Quran. He then his main effort is to
		

			cause facade in the cultivation and the animals he wants to destroy. Nature we will call it right,
Allah is calling an evil person as if he's destroying nature. And Allah subhanho wa Taala mentions
in the Quran law to sue Phil out of the bad that is law here do not cause facade in the earth after
everything is in good order. Now of course, the primary meaning of facade is to you know, corn
people kill people, but destroying nature is a type of facade is very explicit in the Quran harming
nature is a type of facade. Also we have in the spirit of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam,
the famous incident of the Battle of her name, when our Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam had had
		

			surrounded the people of thought if, and they were being stubborn, and the people of thought have
lived in a walled fortress, and their cultivation was outside the fortress, all of the crops was
outside the fortress, the date palms was outside the fortress, one of the Muslims got the idea.
Let's burn their crops, which is outside the fortress. And so one tree was burned, or maybe more
than one was burnt. But when you burn a tree, will it only affect the people inside? Who else will
it affect?
		

			Animals? Who else will that affect?
		

			Nature, who else?
		

			Think about it when you destroy the whole plantation
		

			environment, but also future generations, other people that are eating from the tree, destroying
nature is very different. And it's the beauty here Subhanallah, and he will let me finish the
narration, then we'll come back to this beautiful point here. When the people have thought if we saw
that some Muslims are destroying the trees, they began begging, that don't destroy the trees. I
mean, we're having war, we're killing one another, don't destroy the trees, we beg you for our blood
and kinship for our common cause. We are all human beings here. We beg you Don't destroy the trees.
And our profit system gave a commandment to not destroy the trees. Interestingly enough, in this
		

			case, nature was more important than human life. Because destroying the trees would have meant for
two generations, they don't have food. It's not just this group that's trapped there. When you're
gonna burn the trees down, you're gonna it takes 40 years for the tree to grow. For that whole crop
that you're gonna ruin the ground you're gonna have we see what's happening in Australia is these
people cannot plant now for another Allah knows how long that forest tree is gone, that soil is
gone. So it's not just harming the living people. You're going to harm other people. You're going to
harm innocence. You're going to harm future generations. When the people have thought if begged, I
		

			will process them had mercy and He forbade the Muslims don't burn the trees. And you know what? They
weren't sick.
		

			cessful back then they left the people that went back to Medina. They didn't harm the trees, think
about that. So we can extrapolate from the Quran and Sunnah that we are told to take care of nature
and think about our ecology and whatnot. And so for those who are interested in this field, it is
definitely something that we can say, can be an action of worship, that we take care of the
environment we are environmentally conscious we quote unquote, go green, we advocate causes that
will diminish global warming. If we do this with the proper intention insha Allah Allah, there is no
problem in saying the general text of the Quran and Sunnah would facilitate this before I finish
		

			this question, a very important disclaimer, we have to avoid the two extremes. What are the two
extremes? The first extreme, which is common in one segment, is to take these modern politically
correct causes, and to make them the end all and be all of the religion of Islam
		

			to make these causes, the most important, because you see, first thing we got to do is check does
the Quran and Sunnah forbid this or neutral or encouraging? In my humble opinion, I give you we can
find encouragement, right? Once we find encouragement, the next thing we got to do, okay, encouraged
but where is it on the list? Is it on the most important list? Is it on? Very important? Is it on?
So where is it on the list, and what we see is that some people prioritize these issues to the point
of it eclipses eemaan in Allah subhanho wa Taala it eclipses a Badatz it becomes more important than
Quran and vicar. And that's a mistake. That is a big mistake. Because you will not enter Jannah
		

			simply by being equally ecologically conscious and you don't do your homework with Allah subhanaw
taala that is more important. I'm not saying it's either or, but I'm simply saying the one who wants
to get involved here should prioritize it. The way that Allah has prioritized make sure they
themselves are prey, make sure they themselves have the connection with Allah. And yes, now that
they have enough energy, they can go and do something else. No problem. This is one extreme. And by
the way we see this I think most obviously in the issue of meat. You know, I still haven't answered
the meat question. I've gotten like 15 questions, I'm delaying the juicy meat to the even longer
		

			Okay, still behind on zebra, I still haven't answered academically one day I'll do that inshallah.
But we see this in the meat issue where segments of Muslims are more concerned about how the animal
was treated than how the animal was slaughtered.
		

			And halal and haram goes over how the farmer used to treat the animal more so then, the procedure
for the slaughtering of the animal and how the farmer treated the animal is important, but much more
important to pronounce the verdict is what is how the animal was slaughtered. So you see what
happens when you don't prioritize properly. So you have this movement that says if the animal was
treated unethically, it is haram, regardless of how it was slaughtered. And if the item was
slaughtered properly, but it was in a cage and the chicken was in a cage, we will pronounce the
verdict of haram regardless of how the animal was slaughtered. So Fick for them changes because of
		

			political correctness. And that's not right. We don't have to have either or we can encourage
ethical treatment of animals, which we should do. And I've done this multiple times. And we can say,
but it is obligatory, to slaughter the animal properly. Great. You have a whole package deal here.
But when you don't have your priorities straight, then something which is not the most important,
it's important, nobody's denying, it's not important, but it's not the most important the most
important is slaughtering and feeding the animals should be pure. That is more important. If the
farmer mistreats the animal that's wrong, it's a sin. The animal will be able to complain on
		

			Judgement Day Believe it or not, the farmer might be punished for what he has done. But the meat is
still halal for us now you don't want to buy it, that's fine, but don't say It's haram. But we'll
get to that issue. Now. That's one extreme what is the opposite extreme? When it comes to these
issues? Who can tell me?
		

			No, no.
		

			Definitely.
		

			Their modern liberalism and exactly
		

			our brothers well aware of these debates, because he's intrinsically involved online.
		

			Sometimes on both sides I wonder that's why anyway, that's here's my T's to go person you should all
know this.
		

			Our brother correctly points out the other extreme, which is typically from under educated,
overzealous fundamentalist types of gum tree. I'm sorry to be so stereotypical, but this is what it
really it is. It boils down to people who think they're defending the tradition.
		

			And so any time anybody comes and says, Yeah, okay, you can be good
		

			mean in Islam? A star for Allah imam in no way did he say anything like this it been how God talk
like this Imam Abu Hanifa. Did you mentioned about shutting the light off when you leave the room?
This is all you liberal because people, all of you soul sell yourselves to the progressive
modernists, okay? And these people, they want to defend the traditional, they've never studied it
critically.
		

			They just are so sensitive. And we understand so many changes have gone. Anytime somebody comes in
wants to push the boundary a little bit, that just knee jerk reaction that Oh, that's it. What's
next? Now? Everything is halal. Okay, you're gonna say LGBT health, we're talking about being green.
Next step is automatically LGBT halal. Like, that's the way their minds worked. Any change is like,
going to change everything. And so if you dare come and say, You know what, it's not an Islamic to
be green on the contrary, if you do it properly, inshallah you will be rewarded. I mean, I quoted
you 10 evidences from the Quran and Sunnah. Just because there was no global warming at the time of
		

			him on nowhere, and he didn't talk about it, does it make it wrong to advocate being ecologically
conscious? Well, according to this group, it is because again, they're so they're so cautious about
any change, that they are not willing to have any type of different discourse and we see them all
the time. You know, just as you know, they're they're very well common and whatnot. And this is
another problem point is we're on within Washington. So to conclude, and inshallah we'll finish with
one question today because it was a long question, to conclude. The Quran and Sunnah
		

			does not have something explicit about global warming, but we can make an argument from the Quran
and Sunnah, that Allah subhana wa Tada will reward us for being conscious of every living beings
around us. That includes animals, and that includes plants. We can also make an argument from the
Quran and Sunnah, that it is nice to be ecologically conscious that we should think about the plants
just like our prophets Islam did that he prays people who planting plants we praise people heed
himself took care of the plants outside of quinine, even in case of war. It is a very easy argument
to make. And given the fact that science is now pretty much definitive that we have caused damage to
		

			the environment. Then we can say and I'll conclude with Windows verse, pseudo room verse 41.
Valhalla first out of the room vara for Southborough Buhari be microservice at NASA, they will do
combat Ebola they will do it is not implausible to derive that mankind can cause disasters in nature
from a verse in the Quran. Has anybody in the past done it? Not necessarily, but the wording allows
for it? What is the wording translators? For sad has spread facade means any type of chaos, any type
of harm and global warming is a type of facade Vahagn facade Oh, Phil burry will Bahar facade has
spread in the heavens and in the earth. Why, how be my cursor but aiding us because of the results
		

			of what men have done. We have caused the facade we have harmed now obviously the primary meaning is
civil war is because men are stupid they're fighting one another. The primary meaning is you're
killing one another because of what you are doing this the but the Quranic wording allows that you
can say that one type of facade is ruining nature. This is a type it's literally in the Quran. Right
Way Dr. Wallace I probably you've seen the fee here where you local health awareness and this is
explicit facade is destroying the crops. So one type of facade is global warming, and Allah is
saying facade is the result of what you yourselves have done.
		

			And this is something that we can apply to what we see around us may Allah Subhana Allah Allah grant
us wisdom, grant us the last grant of southern May Allah Strathern to make us stewards of this earth
that will be able to answer to Allah subhana wa Tada for the responsibilities He's given us in sha
Allah Tala will continue tomorrow with our seminar saw Kamala Harris and I'm wondering what happens