Khilafah as Ecological Ethics: Reconstructing Islamic Ecotheology to Address the Global Climate Crisis
Keywords:
Khilafah, Eco-theology, Climate crisis, Islamic environmental theology, Ecological ethicsAbstract
The global climate crisis, which increasingly threatens the sustainability of life on Earth, presents an urgent need for all religious traditions to formulate adequate theological and ethical responses. Islam, embraced by nearly a quarter of the world's population and concentrated in regions most vulnerable to climate change, bears both a responsibility and a rich theological resource to address this crisis. This study aims to analyze the potential of the concept of khilafah (human vicegerency on earth) as a foundation for an Islamic ecological ethic capable of substantively responding to the climate crisis. Drawing on qualitative library research that integrates thematic hermeneutics of the Qur'an, theological discourse analysis, and comparative case studies, this research examines the ecological reconstruction of khilafah, traces the global development of the "green Islam" movement, and evaluates the contributions Islamic environmental ethics can offer to global climate governance. The analysis reveals that khilafah, when interpreted ecologically, carries strong ethical implications for environmental protection. Reinforced by the concepts of al-mizan (cosmic balance), tasbih (nature's glorification of God), and the prohibition of fasad (corruption on earth), this concept provides a robust theological foundation for climate action that is not merely pragmatic-economic but spiritually motivated. The study concludes that the ecological reconstruction of Islamic theology is not only academically relevant but also practically urgent given the scale and urgency of the climate crisis confronting humanity.
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