Green Deen What Islam Teaches about Protecting the Planet

by Abdul-Matin, Ibrahim

• ISBN13: 9781605094649
• ISBN10: 1605094641
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-11-01
• Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers

Summary

"The Earth is a mosque" Muslims are compelled by their religion to praise the Creator and to care for their community. But what is not widely known is that there are deep and long-standing connections between Islamic teachings and environmentalism. In this groundbreaking book, Ibrahim Abdul-Matin draws on research, scripture, and interviews with Muslim Americans to trace Islamrs"s preoccupation with humankindrs"s collective role as stewards of the Earth. Abdul-Matin points out that the Prophet Muhammad declared that "the Earth is a mosque." Deenmeans "path" or "way" in Arabic. Abdul-Matin offers dozens of examples of how Muslims can follow, and already are following, a Green Deen in four areas: "waste, watts (energy), water, and food." At last, people of all beliefs can appreciate the gifts and contributions that Islam and Muslims bring to the environmental movement. "Ibrahim Abdul-Matin not only shows the myriad ways American Muslims are contributing to the resolution of the environmental crisis that threatens us all but also goes a long way toward humanizing the Muslim community by sharing with the reader the lives of so many extraordinary, talented, and visionary people."-Imam Zaid Shakir, Zaytuna College, Berkeley, California "Ibrahim blends his passion for a green economy, his love and understanding of faith, and a deep commitment to justice in this book." -Van Jones, founder, Green for All "At a moment when distortions of Islam are what feed most Americans, Ibrahim Abdul-Matin has done something both practical and inspiring. He persuades us that the imperiled environment is both common struggle and common ground for people who share, it turns out, more than simply God."-John Hockenberry, Emmy-award-winning journalist, author ofMoving Violations, and host of National Public Radiors"sThe Takeaway

Author Biography

For the past ten years, Ibrahim Abdul-Matin has been at the intersection for the arts, music, organizing, activism, and philanthropy. As a linebacker at the University of Rhode Island and Political Science Major, Ibrahim was a finalist for the prestigious NCAA Scholar and Athlete award. Since college, he has continued to weave together sports and politics on his blog, Brooklyn Bedouin. In 2000, he became an Outward Bound instructor and by 2002 was part of the founding team of the Brooklyn Academy for Science and the Environment. He has also been published in ColorLines, WireTap Magazine, Wenited, and Left Turn. Abdul-Matin is also a full time community organizer currently working at Transportation Alternatives and within the American Muslim community. A Green for All fellow, Abdul-Matin has become a frequent contributor on NPR’s The Takeaway morning news broadcast.

Table of Contents

Foreword	p. xi
Preface: This Deen Called Islam	p. xvii
Introduction: The Earth Is a Mosque	p. 1
Waste	p. 19
The Problem of Overconsumption	p. 24
The Environmental Movement as a Response to Overconsumption	p. 33
Green Muslims	p. 46
Green Mosques	p. 57
Watts	p. 73
Energy from Hell	p. 77
Energy from Heaven	p. 89
Efficiency and Green Jobs	p. 101
Living off the Grid	p. 109
Water	p. 115
Water-Essential for Survival	p. 119
Toxic Waste in Our Water	p. 124
The Wonderful World of Wudu	p. 133
Food	p. 141
Feeding Your Family	p. 146
Urban and Suburban Food Gardens	p. 157
The Farmers' Market	p. l63
Green Zabiha	p. 171
American Halal-Setting the Stage for the Future	p. 179
Conclusion: Following the Call	p. l85
Notes	p. 191
Glossary of Islamic Terms	p. 209
Resources	p. 213
Acknowledgments	p. 217
Index	p. 221
About the Author	p. 229
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