The Holy Prophet
Abdulhussain Muhammed Tejani (Dubai, UAE) is a Change Architect in Leadership and HR and has been involved in many capacities in the community and through pro bono work with youths. Presently, he is the Chief People Officer in Leadership and HR at People Matter, and an accredited Trainer for the Human Capital Institute (US).HR DIRECTOR/ VP HR
Human Resources Vice President focused on designing and delivering effective people management, talent development and workforce planning strategies to create a high-performance culture. Built a 24-year career encompassing HR and Learning and development directorships within global healthcare, banking, education, petroleum, market research and information companies covering the MENA region.
Effectively led pre and post-merger initiatives to integrate and harmonise HR personnel, systems and functions. Developed trust and credibility of the HR function, embedding processes and systems within wider business strategy and monitoring their operational impact. A key influencer and change agent who skilfully liaises with board-level executives, senior management and business unit heads in securing commitment to change management initiatives, as well as policy and procedure implementation. An engaging and inspirational leader adept at coaching, mediating and resolving employee relations issues. Experienced in modernising compensation and benefits structures, as well as establishing strategic partnerships to aid people development and the accomplishment of overarching business objectives.
CORE COMPETENCIES
Organisation Design and Restructure People Management Talent Development HR Strategy Workforce Planning Recruitment & Selection Change Management Employee Relations Compensation & Benefits Industrial Relations Training & Development Mediation, Negotiation, Dispute Resolution Project Management Policies and Procedures Development Performance Management
The Earth is crying. Its forests are being stripped bare, its rivers polluted, its creatures driven to extinction. Heat waves burn, storms rage, droughts spread. Yet, as humanity debates policies and technologies, we often forget the moral and spiritual foundations that could guide us out of this crisis. For Muslims, and particularly within the Shi?a tradition, the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) and the Imams of Ahl al-Bayt offer a framework of stewardship, mercy, and accountability that speaks with startling clarity to today’s ecological collapse.
The Qur’an calls humanity Khalifa – successors, trustees, stewards of the Earth. This is not a title of privilege, but a trust (amana) whose breach carries consequences in both worlds. To be Khalifa is to live with humility toward creation, to use resources with gratitude and restraint, and to recognize that animals, plants, and ecosystems are signs of Allah (ayat Allah).
The Prophet (PBUH) was the embodiment of this stewardship. He lived lightly on the Earth, valued every resource, and taught mercy to all creatures. Imam ?Ali (AS) and the other Imams continued this tradition, reminding humanity that justice (?adl) is not only social but ecological. In a time when environmental destruction threatens our collective future, their guidance becomes both timeless and urgent.
The Prophet’s Teachings: A Legacy of Environmental Mercy
Planting Life Even at the End of Time
The Prophet said: “If the Final Hour comes while you have a seedling in your hand, plant it.” . This single saying captures the Prophet’s vision: that nurturing life is always worthwhile, even when all seems lost. It is a radical rejection of despair and an affirmation that every act of cultivation is sacred.
Imam Ja?far al-Sadiq (AS) expanded on this: “There is no Muslim who plants a tree except that whatever is eaten from it by human, bird, or beast is charity for him until the Day of Resurrection.” (al-Kafi). Planting a tree, conserving a habitat, protecting an ecosystem – these are not only environmental actions, they are acts of worship that echo through eternity.
Respect for Water
Water is life. In the Arabian desert, its scarcity was felt daily. The Prophet (PBUH) emphasized that not a drop should be wasted – even while performing ablution beside a flowing river. Imam al-Baqir (AS) warned against extravagance in using water, teaching that gratitude is measured not in abundance, but in restraint.
Today, when billions face water scarcity, when rivers are poisoned by industry, these teachings demand we see waste not as carelessness but as ingratitude to Allah.
Compassion Toward Animals
The Prophet’s mercy encompassed all creatures. He narrated that a man was forgiven for giving water to a thirsty dog, while a woman was condemned for starving a cat. He comforted a camel that cried in distress and rebuked its owner for neglect. Imam ?Ali (AS), in his governance, warned against overloading animals. Imam al-Ridha (AS) explicitly prohibited cruelty, insisting that even slaughter be performed with the least suffering.
In a world of factory farming and mass animal abuse, these teachings pierce the conscience: every act of cruelty is an act of betrayal to the Prophet’s Sunnah.
The Qur’anic Concept of Khilafah: Stewardship, Not Domination
The Qur’an states: “It is He who has made you successors (khalifa) upon the Earth.” (Qur’an 35:39). This is not ownership but trust. We are caretakers, answerable to God for how we treat His creation.
Imam ?Ali (AS) declared in Nahj al-Balagha: “Fear Allah in respect of His servants and His lands, for you are responsible even for the beasts and the earth beneath your feet.” This is stewardship in its truest form: accountability not only for human justice, but for ecological justice.
Imam Zayn al-?Abidin (AS), in Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya, included prayers for rain, crops, and natural balance, acknowledging the interconnectedness of creation. Our worship, therefore, is incomplete if it excludes prayers for and care of the environment.
To betray this trust is to sow corruption (fasad). The Qur’an warns: “Do not commit abuse on the earth, spreading corruption.” (Qur’an 2:60). Corruption includes exploitation, pollution, and destruction of natural balance.
Contemporary Environmental Crises: Prophetic Guidance in Action
Climate Change and Overconsumption
Climate change is fuelled by greed, overconsumption, and waste. The Prophet’s warnings against extravagance speak directly to this crisis. His simplicity was his wealth; his moderation, his sustainability. Imam ?Ali (AS) said: “Moderation is the wealth that never diminishes.”
If societies embraced moderation – living within needs, reducing carbon footprints, consuming mindfully – the Earth would breathe again.
Deforestation and Biodiversity Loss
Forests are lungs of the Earth, yet millions of acres vanish yearly. The Prophet’s teachings on planting trees and Imam al-Sadiq’s assurances of eternal charity for greenery demand that Muslims become leaders in reforestation, conservation, and biodiversity protection.
Cutting trees for greed is not business – it is betrayal of trust. Protecting them is not charity – it is worship.
Water Scarcity and Pollution
Billions lack access to clean water while others let it flow endlessly in waste. The Prophet’s insistence on conserving even abundant water shames modern negligence. Clean water projects, equitable distribution, and opposition to pollution are Islamic imperatives, not optional luxuries.
Animal Exploitation
From industrial farming to wildlife trafficking, animals are abused on a massive scale. The Prophet’s tears for a distressed camel echo across time, rebuking us: mercy is not selective. Imam al-Mahdi (AS), in his promised rule, will restore justice not only among humans but also across creation. How can we claim to await him while perpetuating cruelty?
The Shi?a Vision: Justice Across Creation
The Shi?a tradition emphasizes justice (?adl) as a pillar of faith. Justice is not confined to human courts – it extends to ecosystems, to animals, to future generations. Imam al-Mahdi (AS), when he reappears, will establish a just order that includes the natural world. To prepare for him is to begin building that order now – reducing waste, planting trees, conserving water, and showing mercy to all creatures.
Sustainability, then, is not just environmental policy – it is spiritual preparation. It is aligning ourselves with divine justice and prophetic mercy.
A Call to Action
What, then, must Shi?a Muslims – and all people of faith – do?
- Live Simply: Emulate the Prophet’s modesty. Reduce waste. Reject extravagance.
- Protect Water: Treat every drop as sacred. Use it with gratitude and restraint.
- Plant and Preserve: Engage in reforestation, community gardens, and green projects as acts of sadaqah jariyah.
- Show Mercy to Animals: Support ethical farming, reduce cruelty, and advocate for humane practices.
- Advocate for Justice: Push for environmental policies that reflect fairness, access, and sustainability.
- Raise Awareness: Teach our children that to follow the Prophet and Ahl al-Bayt means caring for creation, not exploiting it.
Conclusion
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) was more than a messenger – he was the living embodiment of mercy, extending not only to humans but to all of creation. His teachings on respecting the natural world, conserving resources, and showing compassion to animals are not marginal – they are central to Islamic life.
The Shi?a tradition, through the Imams, reinforces this stewardship with calls for justice, accountability, and preparation for the universal justice of Imam al-Mahdi (AS). To live as Shi?a is to live as caretakers of the Earth, conscious that every act of waste, every cruelty, every neglect of nature is a betrayal of divine trust.
Our world is in crisis, but Islam has already given us the tools: moderation, compassion, stewardship, justice. To embrace them is to honor the Prophet, to prepare for the Imam, and to safeguard creation for generations to come.
The Earth is not ours to plunder. It is ours to protect. And in protecting it, we protect our faith, our humanity, and our eternal accountability before Allah.
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