From La Ḍarar wa Lā Ḍirār to Ecological Ethics: Rereading Fiqhiyyah Rules in the Contemporary Environmental Crisis

Abstract

This paper addresses the critical environmental crisis through the lens of Islamic legal ethics, focusing on the principle of La Ḍarar wa Lā Ḍirār (no harm and no reciprocating harm) which underpins harm prevention in Islamic jurisprudence. Amid escalating ecological degradation, contemporary fiqhiyyah rules have yet to be fully reinterpreted to guide sustainable environmental stewardship, creating a significant gap in ethical and legal frameworks for ecological protection. Using a qualitative, interdisciplinary methodology, this study conducts an extensive literature review and textual analysis of Qur'anic verses, Hadith, and classical fiqh principles, supplemented by thematic synthesis with modern environmental ethics discourse. This approach reexamines and reconstructs Islamic legal maxims within the context of today’s ecological challenges, emphasizing stewardship, justice, and balance in resource usage. Key findings reveal that La Ḍarar wa Lā Ḍirār offers a comprehensive ethical foundation for environmental responsibility, supporting proactive harm prevention and sustainability in line with prophetic teachings. This reevaluation calls for integrating Islamic ecological ethics into contemporary environmental policies, education, and community practices. By bridging traditional Islamic jurisprudence with urgent ecological imperatives, this research contributes a vital framework for mobilizing Muslim communities and policymakers toward sustainable stewardship, reinforcing the necessity of urgent, ethically grounded action in the face of global environmental crises.