Negative Effects of Wars on Environment

Abstract

Islam has shown great care for environment and earth development, and has advised that earth should befarmed as for the role of agriculture in preventing drought and desertification.Quran has likened farmed lands and gardens to the paradise. In addition, they have been considered as oneof Allah’s blessings on human beings.“And put forward to them the example of two men; unto one ofthem We had given two gardens of grapes, and We had surrounded both with date-palms; and had putbetween them green crops (cultivated fields etc.).Each of those two gardens brought forth its produce, and failed not in the least therein, and We caused ariver to gush forth in the midst of them.” Al-Kahf, 32-33. And he said “How many of gardens and springsdo they [Fir’aun’s (Pharaoh) people] left. And green crops (fields etc.) and goodly places. And comforts oflife wherein they used to take delight” Ad-Dukhan 25-27The Prophet Mohamed exhorted saving and developing the environment by saying “If the end hour camewhile one of you has a seed in his hand, then plant it”. He even insisted on not leaving a land withoutagriculture by saying “If any of you had a land, then either plant it or give it to your brother”One of Allah’s way to punish those who deviated from his way and chose to be corrupt is to destroy theirlands.“Verily, We have tried them as we tried the people of the garden, when they swore to pluck the fruitsof the (garden) in the morning,Without saying: Insha’ Allah (If Allah will).Then there passed by on the(garden) something (fire) from your Lord at night and burnt it while they were asleep.” Al-Qalam 17-20.He also said, “Would any of you wish to have a garden with date-palms and vines, with rivers flowingunderneath, and all kinds of fruits for him therein, while he is striken with old age, and his children areweak (not able to look after themselves), then it is struck with a fiery whirlwind, so that it is burnt? Thusdoes Allah make clear His Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses) to you that you may give thought” Al-Baqarah266. Moreover, the prophet’s companions has kept his orders of preserving environment, especially in times ofwars. For example, Abu Bakr the first Khalifa after the prophet ordered the leader of the army back then,Usama ibn Zaid, to preserve the environment constructions by saying “I exhort you all to do the followingten things:do not betray, do not be extremists, and do not play false. Do not amputate and never kill ayoung child, nor an elderly nor a woman. Never cut a plant nor a fruitful tree and never destroy it. Neverslay a cattle unless for food. And you will see some people who has left the world and stayed in amonastery, let them and never harm them”Peace is the condition to keep the environment preserved, however, war can have devastating effects onthe environment. Sometimes, war even obliges one of the war parties to harm human constructionintentionally or not, and leaves its negative and devastating effects on the humanity and environment. As aresult, war in Islam has always been for the ultimate necessity and not for fun or desire. Some wars arementioned in the paper, which had direct devastating effects on the environment and were hugely debatedas the Battle of BanuNadhir, the wars between Muslims and Kahina in the western Arabic lands, and therevolution in Cordoba. Muslims tried to cure the effects of these wars as possible, based on the teachingsof Islam and orders stated for them to preserve Environment and Construction. In this paper, we will showmore what the orders and teachings are.