ENVIRONMENTAL
FATWAS
Sumatran tiger, by Creative Commons photographer Tom Lee
OVERVIEW
In recent years, Muslim authorities in some key biodiversity countries – notably Indonesia, the most populous Muslim nation – have issued fatwas on environmental issues. A fatwa is a non-binding but authoritative edict or ruling by a recognised religious authority on a point of Islamic law. Fatwas can be powerful tools in communicating to Muslims about conservation regulations and objectives, and in galvanising society to protect and restore nature.
'Killing, harming, assaulting, hunting and/or engaging in other activities which threaten endangered species with extinction are forbidden, except for cases allowed under Shariah, such as self defence.'
– Indonesia's Fatwa no 4.2014 on the Protection of Endangered Wildlife for the Balance of the Ecosystem
FATWAS ISSUED BY INDONESIA
Indonesia is the world's biggest Muslim country, with around 242 million Muslims (87% of the population). It is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world but its natural areas and wildlife are under extreme threat. The British NGO, the Alliance of Religions and Conservation, WWF and the Centre of Islamic Studies at Indonesia’s National University (UNAS) have been working with Indonesia’s Muslim leaders since 2013 to strengthen understanding of Islamic teachings related to the environment and to promote this understanding in Muslim society.
As part of this work, in 2014 and 2016 Indonesia’s national Council of Ulama (MUI) issued two unprecedented Islamic edicts calling on all Muslims to protect nature, outlining key Islamic textual references to environmental care. These edicts, or fatwas, clearly link environmental issues and Quranic teachings on moral and religious responsibility.
Environmental fatwas in Indonesia
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Recycling water (2010)
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Environmentally-friendly mining (2011)
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Misuse of formalin and harmful material in the preservation of fish (2012)
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Waste management (2014)
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The use of Zakat, Infaq, Shadaqah and Waqf for establishment of Water and Sanitation Facilities
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Protection of wildlife for the balance of ecosystem (2014)
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Forest and Peatland Burning (2016)
Fatwa Training for Muslim Leaders
To raise awareness about the teachings of the 2014 and 2016 wildlife and fire fatwas, UNAS, with support from ARC and WWF, produced training courses and educational resources for Muslim leaders and communities.
To date they have trained around 1,000 Muslim leaders to strengthen their understanding of the fatwas’ teachings. Many of them began disseminating the fatwas' messages through sermons and other outreach in their communities. This work was funded by the USFWS and UK DEFRA.
Indonesia's fatwa on
PROTECTION OF WILDLIFE ~ 2014
UNAS (in Bahasa)/2014
Announcement of the fatwa on endangered species
Find out about training resources for Muslim leaders and communities related to this fatwa.
Indonesia's fatwa on
BURNING OF FORESTS AND LAND ~ 2016
MUI/2016 (English)
2016 Fatwa On the Burning of Forests and Land
Indonesia's fatwa on
CLIMATE CHANGE ~ 2024
Fatwa on the Protection of Wildlife
TRAINING & AWARENESS RESOURCES
Click on the slider below to see a range of training resources, mostly in Bahasa, for Muslim leaders & communities.
Fatwa on the Protection of Wildlife
OTHER VIDEO RESOURCES
Click on the slider below to see a range of video resources, mostly in Bahasa, for Muslim leaders & communities.
Fatwa on the Protection of Wildlife.
RADIO & SOCIAL MEDIA
WWF supported a community radio show with the Forkodas Conservation Cleric Forum that aired in 2019. Every Friday, clerics broadcasted fatwa-themed sermons and hosted a talk show in 12 villages in the Rimbang Baling Wildlife Reserve landscape.
2019, two public service announcements were released on state-owned radio in Riau province, reaching target villages in the landscape.
The Forkodas Conservation Cleric Forum has also documented its activities on Instagram.
POSTERS
Click to open a downloadable version.
Fatwa on Fire and Peatlands
TRAINING FOR MUSLIM LEADERS
Click on the slider below to see a range of video resources, mostly in Bahasa, for Muslim leaders & communities.