Natural Resource Exploitation and Ecological Justice in the Qur'anic Perspective: A Thematic Analysis of Tafsir Al-Misbah by M. Quraish Shihab
Keywords:
Natural resource exploitation, ecological justice, Qur'an, Tafsir Al-Misbah, environmental ethics, Islamic eco-theologyAbstract
Excessive exploitation of natural resources has become one of the most pressing ecological issues of contemporary times, marked by environmental degradation, loss of biodiversity, and disruption of ecosystem balance. The Qur'an, as a comprehensive guide for human life, provides ethical principles that position human beings as khalifah (stewards) of the earth with a moral obligation to manage and preserve the natural world responsibly. This study analyzes the concepts of natural resource exploitation and ecological justice in the Qur'anic perspective through a thematic examination of Tafsir Al-Misbah by M. Quraish Shihab. Employing a qualitative library research methodology with a thematic exegesis (tafsir maudhu'i) approach, the study focuses on three key Qur'anic verses, namely QS. al-A'raf/7:56, QS. ar-Rum/30:41, and QS. al-Qashash/28:77. Data were analyzed using content analysis to extract the moral, theological, and ecological dimensions embedded in Shihab's interpretive framework. The findings demonstrate that Tafsir Al-Misbah construes nature as part of God's divinely ordered creation, endowed with balance (mizan) that must be stewardly managed. Unrestricted exploitation of natural resources is deemed contrary to the Qur'anic principles of mizan (cosmic balance), fasad (prohibition of corruption and destruction), and the human covenant of khilafah. Ecological justice, in this Qur'anic framework, encompasses not only environmental preservation but also the fair, proportional, and sustainable use of natural resources so that their benefits extend to all living beings and future generations. The ecological values embedded in Tafsir Al-Misbah carry significant relevance as an ethical foundation for addressing contemporary environmental crises and cultivating ecological consciousness within Muslim societies.
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