by Al-Sharif Nassef, CAIR-Philadelphia Outreach Manager
Human-caused global warming has already begun causing worldwide suffering: extreme weather, drought, flooding, refugee crises, and the terror of warfare. Our Islam calls us to be a force of mercy for all of humanity and to protect God’s beautiful miracle of nature, preserving her purity and gaining benefit from her nourishment.
Over the long term, true justice on earth only exists with peace and sustainable economies. Without clean air, water, and earth, people become sick and hungry and there can be neither peace nor justice.
Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, warned us to, “take care of the earth, verily she is your mother” (al-Mu’jam al-Kabir 5:65). In service to God, we are all earth’s keepers — khulafa, or stewards, of God’s beautiful earth. The virtue of earth stewardship long remains an important part of the Islamic tradition.
That’s why this month, CAIR-Philadelphia has teamed up with Green Muslims, Green Faith and Interfaith Power and Light to mobilize a nation-wide Muslim Contingency for the People’s Climate March on Washington, converging dressed in white with green signs on April 29 at 11am on the Western Steps of the U.S. Capitol Building (facing the Washington Monument).
It will be a historic time in our democracy — the 100th Day of the Trump presidency — and a warm day march along nearly 100,000 people signed up from around the country, showing the movement that our truth in Islam calls upon us to keep nature clean and save the earth. At the core of the Islamic tradition, this vital issue effects all of humanity (and our survival as a human race!). Do not miss out!
A part of Pennsylvania Interfaith Power and Light’s statewide Faith Climate Action Week, we are working with local mosques to host an event series that educates us how to live with green-conscience, and how to effectively pressure the government to uphold climate justice that creates peace, purity, and jobs for all of us, Insha’allah.
Throughout the year, PA-IPL — a community of congregations, faith-based organizations,and individuals of faith responding to climate change as a moral issue — as well as many local faith-based and secular climate organizing groups are an active part of the solution to today’s ecological crises and tomorrow’s climate catastrophe. We encourage you to build community and stay involved!
Sign up to reserve free seats on CAIR’s bus to and from Washington, DC for the People’s Climate March!
Invite your friends and family through our Facebook event page: Muslim Climate Action Week
We also encourage you to attend climate events near you starting this week alongside fellow CAIR-PA Community Advocates:
- 6-8:30pm – Building Power at the Intersection of Race, Economics, and Climate, POWER office: 1429 North 11th St., Philadelphia PA (Enter the courtyard from 11th St. Go to the second building back, up the ramp)
- Philadelphia Environmental Film Festival, Prince Theater, Philadelphia, PA
Additional Reading:
- Faiths and Ecology
- Islam and Ecology: A Bestowed Trust Inviting Balanced Stewardship
- Caretakers of the Earth: An Islamic Perspective
- How Do We Know that Humans Are the Major Cause of Global Warming?
- Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet
- The Facts About Climate Change and Drought
- Understanding the Link Between Climate Change and Extreme Weather
- When Will New York City Sink?
- Climate Change and Disasters
- Climate Change and National Security
Al-Sharif Nassef
