Jakarta, wapresri.go.id – The phenomenon of climate change such as global warming cannot be separated from human actions that are ignorant of the natural environment. Currently, environmental damage has occurred almost all over the world and is the cause of the increasing number of hydro-meteorological disasters such as floods, landslides, and droughts.

Therefore, Vice President (VP) K.H. Ma’ruf Amin urged scholars and Muslims to participate in socializing issues related to environmental damage to the wider community and take concrete actions to prevent them.

“I urge the ulama and Muslim leaders to take an active role in conveying issues related to environmental damage. Then we will take more concrete actions,” said the VP in his keynote speech at the Congress of Muslims for Sustainable Indonesia at the Istiqlal Mosque, Jakarta, Friday (29/07/2022).

Because, said the VP, environmental destruction is one of the actions that is strictly prohibited in Islamic teachings. According to him, Islam teaches its people to take advantage of what is on earth for the benefit of mankind, at the same time, forbids its people to do destruction on earth.

“Therefore, Muslims are obliged to avoid actions that can cause damage (al-fasad) on earth, both concerning physical damage (fasad maddi) and non-physical damage (fasad maknawi),” he explained.

Thus, considering the crucial issue of environmental damage, the VP added the principle of “protecting the environment” as part of the objectives of Islamic law (maqasidus-syariah) which so far only 5 principles have been set by scholars, namely protecting religion (hifzhuddin), protecting souls (hifzhunnafs), protecting intelligence (hifzhul-aql), protecting offspring (hifzhun-nasl), and protecting prosperty (hifzhul-maal).

“In my opinion, two more things need to be added, namely maintaining security and peace (hifzhul amni wassalam) and protecting the environment (hifzhul-bi’ah). Maybe these 2 things can be included in one of the 5 principles above, but in my view, because these two things are so crucial related to the current situation, as seen in the Ukrainian war and the environmental damage that caused the energy crisis and food crisis, even the financial crisis,” define the VP.

Moreover, the VP said that so far the Government has committed together with other countries in efforts to reduce carbon emissions through the 2019 Nationally Determined Contribution Road Map and a long-term strategy for low-carbon development with climate resilience in 2050.

“In addition, Indonesia as Chair of the 2022 G-20 has raised the issue of climate change with an emphasis on the scale of climate resilience, efforts to reduce carbon emissions, and green technology,” he said.

The hope, continued by the VP, is that with international commitment and collaboration, efforts to tackle climate change can achieve a higher outcome.

“Of course, in dealing with the issue of climate change, the Government cannot work alone, broad stakeholder involvement is needed, including academia, the business world, the mass media, and the community, especially Muslims, to work collaboratively so that the phenomenon of climate change can be anticipated properly,” he concluded.

Previously, Republika Editor-in-Chief Irfan Junaidi, reported that there were 3 objectives to be achieved from the implementation of the Muslim Congress for a Sustainable Indonesia. The first is to raise public awareness, especially among Muslims, that the responsibility to preserve the environment is a shared responsibility.

“Then the second goal is to internalize Islamic teachings about the environment. We firmly believe that in the Qur’an and Hadith there are many orders not to damage the environment,” he said.

The third goal, said Irfan, is to realize the joint work of all stakeholders in an effort to preserve and prevent environmental damage.

“Hopefully this event will achieve these goals as expected,” he hoped.

For information, the Muslim Congress for Sustainable Indonesia was initiated by a number of collaborators to discuss and respond to the challenges of climate change that trigger various weather anomalies. The collaborators consist of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), the Environmental Council of PP Muhammadiyah, the Nahdlatul Ulama Disaster Management and Climate Change Institute (LPBI NU), UGM DPP, Purpose NGO, and Republika which have been holding this initiative since February.

After going through a series of studies, discussions between Islamic organizations across entities and related parties, as well as listening and absorbing input from the participants, the Congress of Muslims for Sustainable Indonesia conveyed seven points of advocating for all Muslims in Indonesia in order to achieve a Sustainable Indonesia.

The seven points of advocacy are as follows:
1. Global climate change has been going on for a long time. The crisis it caused was real. But it is still not understood and addressed optimally by Muslims. Therefore, strategic communication is needed and in line with the understanding and interests of the people through various Islamic studies.
2. Islamic religious leaders and Muslim leaders must take a leading role in efforts to deepen the substance of Islamic studies, communication and education to the people. The aim is to consistently emphasize the nexus between the climate crisis and faith/religion.
3. Climate change has impacted all sectors of people’s lives, thus requiring solutions based on Islamic values, rooted in local wisdom and carried out systematically, according to local needs and contexts.
4. Strong collaboration between Muslims is needed to carry out initiatives and support concrete policies aimed at tackling climate change, through partnerships with governments and other sectors.
5. Vulnerable groups such as the youths and women should be encouraged to play a leadership role in managing and organizing climate change solutions.
6. In efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change, it is necessary to utilize sharia financing and other religious social funds (eg infaq, shodaqoh, and waqf).
7. Islamic religious institutions, ranging from mosques to Islamic educational institutions (including Islamic boarding schools), must develop environmentally friendly insights and behaviors and provide strategic spaces to develop studies, initiatives, implementation, and innovations for Muslims to be actively involved in climate change action.

Present at this event were the Grand Imam of the Istiqlal Mosque, Deputy General Chairperson of MUI, Deputy Secretary General of PBNU, Deputy Treasurer of the PP Muhammadiyah Elementary and Secondary Education Council (Dikdasmen), as well as officials from the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG).

Meanwhile, the Vice President was accompanied by the Head of the Vice Presidential Secretariat Ahmad Erani Yustika, Deputy for Human Development Policy Support and Development Equity Suprayoga Hadi, Special Staff for the Vice President for Communication and Information Masduki Baidlowi, and Special Staff for the Vice President for General Affairs Masykuri Abdillah. (NN/LHS-BPMI Setwapres)