Carers of the Earth - Our deen is green

Green

As consumers it is our responsibility to move away from the detrimental effects of the fast fashion industry; the abundant use of synthetic and harmful materials, the toxic and chemically manufactured fabrics, as well as the exploitation of human resources. Silq Rose uses natural, biodegradable material, comprising of innovative fibres and smart textiles; whilst fusing traditional and sustainable techniques to ethically produce hijabs for women. 

At her recent event in June, political fashion creative Hoda Katebi mentioned the following;

‘…the closest thing touching your skin is your clothes and your clothes are made from oppression, thus the closest thing touching your skin is made from oppression.’

Being fashion conscious extends beyond being mindful of the environment, fabric compositions and quantities. It is absolutely vital that we take into consideration the conditions and treatment of workers involved in manufacturing products, to ensure we are not feeding a system of oppression; a system which heavily underpays, exploits and abuses their workers.

As inhabitants of this Earth, we must actively engage in sustainable practises, including being environmentally friendly. As Muslims, this is our duty. From a consumer perspective, it is our responsibility to carry out research into the brands we buy into, and how sustainable and ethical their practises are.

In support of this, Islamic teachings disagree with the use of excess resources for the purpose of living an extravagant lifestyle. Environmental stewardship is integral in Islam, and human beings are encouraged to incline towards moderation and conservation.

‘It is He who made you successors on earth…’ - [ Quran 6:165 ]

Our responsibility is to carry out this important trust. Numerous prophetic teachings speak of humans being co-owners of water, fire and pasture. Land preservation and providing shelter for wildlife is also of upmost importance. Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) reserved special areas where water, wildlife and forestry were restricted or completely left alone. If such practices were still prevalent today, imagine what our beautiful Earth would look like?

The responsibility to care for our environment and the people living in it is incumbent on us all. Taking small steps is sometimes what is needed to make a big change.

Further reading