Question

I have been overthinking about this question So essentially I am a engineer who is working in the oil and gas and plastics industry. My job is to make sure that my unit is running correctly in the plant/refinery. So as you know the production of such products contributes to pollution and I was wondering is my job halal and moral from a islamic perspective.As you know many people just throw away plastic into the ocean and nature instead of properly disposing it. But the thing is everything unfortunately has a carbon foot print

Answer

In the name of Allah, the Inspirer of truth

The answer to your query revolves around the fundamentals of a Muslim’s responsibility and duty to the environment around him. The Qur’an appoints human as vicegerent on the earth, placing responsibility on mankind to safeguard not only the rights of humans, but also the environment around them ensuring the earth is managed in accordance with its intended purposes. Furthermore, in another verse, believers have been prohibited from spreading corruption which would lead to the ruin of crop and soil.

The Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and give him peace) on various occasions, encouraged believers to maintain the natural order of animal habitat. For example, he ordered his companion to return birds to their nest and forbade destroying trees which would result in destroying eco-systems and natural habitats for certain animals.

Islamic law revolves around ethical principles at which the core is preservation of life and property and removal of harm. All of this indicates to a Muslim’s responsibility towards the environment around them. Nonetheless, the responsibility is a collective duty to reduce pollution and preserve the signs of Allah in the nature around us.

This is not to say that anything with a carbon footprint is prohibited for use or production. Muslims should endeavour to reduce pollution by limiting their use of products which contribute to climate change and pollution. Companies should aim to be more environmentally friendly and promote green activities. The use of plastics will not stop overnight and for certain products its use is necessary (until a suitable alternative is found). Hence, we cannot rule plastic to be a product with no benefit and only harm. On this note, there is no issue with your job unless you are directly involved in activities which are destroying natural habitat. It is an individual’s responsibility to reduce their use of plastic and care for the environment. Where people are over-using plastics, disposing of them incorrectly, they are responsible for the harm they are causing and not necessarily those who work in a plastic plant.

As a worker, if you have any influence on policy making and bringing environmentally friendly changes to practice, you should not turn a blind eye to this. Rather, it is encouraged and rewarding for you to be involved in protecting nature and Allah’s creation.

And Allah knows best.

{ وَلَا تُفْسِدُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ بَعْدَ إِصْلَاحِهَا ذَلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ} [الأعراف: 85]

تفسير البغوي – إحياء التراث (2/ 199) وَلا تُفْسِدُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ بَعْدَ إِصْلاحِها، أَيْ: لَا تُفْسِدُوا فِيهَا بِالْمَعَاصِي وَالدُّعَاءِ إِلَى غَيْرِ طَاعَةِ اللَّهِ بَعْدَ إِصْلَاحِ اللَّهِ إِيَّاهَا بِبَعْثِ الرُّسُلِ وَبَيَانِ الشَّرِيعَةِ، وَالدُّعَاءِ إِلَى طَاعَةِ اللَّهِ، وَهَذَا مَعْنَى قَوْلِ الْحَسَنِ وَالسُّدِّيِّ وَالضَّحَّاكِ وَالْكَلْبِيِّ. وَقَالَ عَطِيَّةُ: لَا تَعْصُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ فَيُمْسِكُ اللَّهُ الْمَطَرَ وَيُهْلِكُ الْحَرْثَ بِمَعَاصِيكُمْ. فَعَلَى هَذَا مَعْنَى قَوْلِهِ: بَعْدَ إِصْلاحِها، أَيْ: بَعْدَ إِصْلَاحِ اللَّهِ إِيَّاهَا بِالْمَطَرِ وَالْخِصْبِ. وَادْعُوهُ خَوْفاً وَطَمَعاً، أَيْ: خَوْفًا مِنْهُ وَمِنْ عَذَابِهِ وَطَمَعًا فِيمَا عِنْدَهُ مِنْ مَغْفِرَتِهِ وَثَوَابِهِ. وَقَالَ ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ: خَوْفَ الْعَدْلِ وَطَمَعَ الفضل.

تفسير الطبري = جامع البيان ت شاكر (21/ 189) وقوله (يَا دَاوُدُ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَاكَ خَلِيفَةً فِي الأرْضِ) يقول تعالى ذكره: وقلنا لداود: يا داود إنا استخلفناك في الأرض من بعد من كان قبلك من رسلنا حكما ببن أهلها. كما حدثنا محمد، قال: ثنا أحمد، قال: ثنا أسباط، عن السديّ (إِنَّا جَعَلْنَاكَ خَلِيفَةً) ملَّكه في الأرض (فَاحْكُمْ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ بِالْحَقِّ) يعني: بالعدل والإنصاف (وَلا تَتَّبِعِ الْهَوَى) يقول: ولا تؤثر هواك في قضائك بينهم على الحق والعدل فيه، فتجور عن الحقّ (فَيُضِلَّكَ عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ) يقول: فيميل بك اتباعك هواك في قضائك على العدل والعمل بالحقّ عن طريق الله الذي جعله لأهل الإيمان فيه، فتكون من الهالكين بضلالك عن سبيل الله.

صحيح الأدب المفرد (ص: 151) (صحيح) عن عبد الله [وهو ابن مسعود] : أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ نَزَلَ مَنْزِلًا فَأَخَذَ رَجُلٌ بَيْضَ حُمَّرَةٍ، فَجَاءَتْ تَرِفُّ عَلَى رَأْسِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: فَقَالَ: “أَيُّكُمْ فَجَعَ هذه ببيضتها؟ “. فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ! أَنَا أَخَذْتُ بَيْضَتَهَا. فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: “اردُد، رَحْمَةً لَهَا”.

مصنف ابن أبي شيبة (6/ 483) حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ فُضَيْلٍ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، قَالَ: حُدِّثْتُ، أَنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ بَعَثَ جُيُوشًا إِلَى الشَّامِ فَخَرَجَ يَتْبَعُ يَزِيدَ بْنَ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ، فَقَالَ: ” إِنِّي أُوصِيكَ بِعَشْرٍ: لَا تَقْتُلَنَّ صَبِيًّا، وَلَا امْرَأَةً، وَلَا كَبِيرًا هَرِمًا، وَلَا تَقْطَعَنَّ شَجَرًا مُثْمِرًا، وَلَا تُخَرِّبَنَّ عَامِرًا، وَلَا تَعْقِرَنَّ شَاةً وَلَا بَعِيرًا إِلَّا لِمَأْكَلَةٍ، وَلَا تُغْرِقَنَّ نَخْلًا، وَلَا تَحْرِقَنَّهُ، وَلَا تَغْلُلْ، وَلَا تَجْبُنْ ”

الأشباه والنظائر (ص: 85) الْقَاعِدَةُ الْخَامِسَةُ: الضَّرَرُ يُزَالُ

Masar al-Wusul pp.

Answered by:
Bint Saeed

Checked & Approved by:
Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
Mufti Zubair Patel