Environmental Degradation and Climate Change in Pakistan: An Islamic Eco Theological Perspective

Abstract

Environmental degradation and climate change have emerged as existential threats to Pakistan, manifesting through extreme weather events, declining water availability, deforestation, air pollution, and agricultural instability. These ecological challenges jeopardize not only public health and food security but also the socio-economic foundations of vulnerable communities. While scientific analyses and policy frameworks have sought to address the symptoms of ecological collapse, they often overlook deeper moral and spiritual dimensions. This study argues that environmental degradation is not only a technical or economic failure but also a profound ethical and theological crisis.This article explores the Islamic eco-theological paradigm as an essential and underutilized lens for confronting Pakistan’s environmental crisis. Drawing upon Qur’anic cosmology, which envisions the universe as a sign (āyah) of divine harmony and balance (mīzān), the study underscores humanity’s divinely mandated role as stewards (khalīfah) of the Earth. The environmental ethics of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ—ranging from water conservation to animal welfare—are examined as models of sustainable living embedded in compassion, moderation, and accountability. Furthermore, the paper investigates how Islamic legal principles (fiqh al-bi’ah) and ethical constructs such as ecological justice (ʿadl al-biʾah) can inform policy, reorient educational curricula, and mobilize religious institutions and civil society toward sustainable reform. It calls for a paradigm shift where Islamic teachings are no longer sidelined but actively integrated into environmental governance, communal activism, and individual behavior. Only by restoring the spiritual relationship between humans and the environment can a genuinely transformative response to ecological crisis be realized in Pakistan.