Rethinking the Relationship between God, Humanity, and the Earth

The Earth as a Divine Trust in an Unequal World

In 2009, the United Nations General Assembly designated April 22 as “International Mother Earth Day” through Resolution A/RES/63/278. This designation was not merely symbolic; it was a response to a growing global concern that environmental degradation had become one of the defining challenges of the 21st century. In its official framing, the United Nations emphasizes that the Earth and its ecosystems constitute our “common home,” and that their protection is essential not only for human survival but also for intergenerational justice (see the official UN page on this observance).

Reports from UN-affiliated bodies illustrate the scale of the crisis. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), approximately 10 million hectares of forest are lost each year, undermining biodiversity and disrupting vital ecological cycles. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) reports that more than 11 million tons of plastic enter the oceans annually, a figure projected to increase dramatically if current trends continue. Meanwhile, the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) warns that around one million species are at risk of extinction. These are not merely scientific data points; they are indicators of a profound disruption in the relationship between humanity and the natural world.

The Quran articulates this relationship with remarkable clarity, “Evil has spread over the land and the sea because of human deed (10:41). Corruption has appeared on land and at sea as a result of what human hands have wrought. This verse does not merely describe a condition; it establishes a moral link between human conduct and ecological imbalance. Yet the Quranic vision goes further. The relationship between human beings and the Earth is not merely material but existential: “From the (earth) did We create you, and into it shall We return you, and from it shall We bring you out once again” (20:55). 

From the Earth We created you, into it We shall return you, and from it We shall bring you forth once more. The Earth is not simply a habitat; it is part of the human condition. The Quran also presents a strikingly different understanding of nature itself: “On that day, earth will narrate its news, Because your Lord sent a command to it” (99:4–5). On the Day of Judgment, the Earth will declare its accounts. This imagery suggests that the Earth is not inert matter but participates in a divinely ordered reality. This is reinforced in a broader Quranic principle: “And there is not a thing that does not proclaim His purity with praise, but you do not understand their proclamation of purity” (17:44).

There is nothing that does not glorify Him, though you do not comprehend their glorification. Within this framework, nature is not a passive object but a meaningful presence within a living, God-centered cosmos. This ethical vision is clearly reflected in the teachings of the Shīʿa Imams. Imam Ali (p) states: “Be mindful of God regarding His servants and His lands, for you will be held accountable even for the land and the animals”(Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 167).

Similarly, Imam al-Sadiq (p) states, “Livability is not wholesome except with three conditions: clean air, abundant fresh water, and fertile, productive land” (Ibn Shubah al-Harrani, Tuhaf al-Uqul, p. 321). When these teachings are placed alongside contemporary global realities, a deeper insight emerges: the environmental crisis is not only a crisis of nature, but also a crisis of justice. Current discourse increasingly frames this issue in terms of environmental justice, raising the question of who benefits from natural resources and who bears the costs of environmental degradation. In this context, several UN Special Rapporteurs have warned of what is described as “climate apartheid,” where wealthier populations can shield themselves from the impacts of climate change, while poorer communities—despite contributing least to the crisis—bear its most severe consequences.

Such inequality stands in stark contrast to the moral vision of justice central to Islamic teachings. In this light, the responsibility of believers extends beyond individual ethics to include awareness of unjust global structures. The Quran explicitly condemns excess: Eat and drink, but do not waste /Do not be excessive (7:31). In the modern world, excess is not merely a personal failing but part of a broader system of unsustainable consumption.

Everyday choices, how we consume, what we waste, how we live, are now part of a global equation. Responsible living, moderation, and environmental awareness are no longer optional virtues; they are essential responses to a shared crisis. Ultimately, International Mother Earth Day calls us back to a fundamental question: Do we see ourselves as owners of the Earth, or as its trustees? The answer to this question will shape not only the future of the planet, but also the moral future of humanity.