Volume I: Eco-Theology, Spirituality, and Environmental Ethics

Beyond Modern Positivism: Tawhid, Qur’anic Exegesis, Islamic Education, and the Construction of Islamic Ecotheology for Ecological Sustainability

  • Hafidin Nurhadi UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung, Indonesia
  • Supiana UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung, Indonesia
  • Mahmud UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung, Indonesia
  • Ade Yeti Nuryantini UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung, Indonesia

Keywords

Tawhid, Qur’anic Exegesis, Islamic Ecotheology, Islamic Education, Ecological Sustainability, Environmental Stewardship.

Abstract

The escalating global ecological crisis has revealed the limitations of modern paradigms in understanding the relationship between humans and nature. One of the fundamental causes of this crisis is the dominance of Western positivism, which views nature as a material object detached from sacred and spiritual dimensions. This paradigm has fostered an exploitative worldview that treats the natural environment as a resource to be utilized without limits for human interests. Consequently, environmental degradation, climate change, biodiversity loss, and ecosystem destruction have become increasingly severe and difficult to control. This paper examines the interrelationship between tawhid (the doctrine of Divine Unity), Qur’anic exegesis, and ecological sustainability in constructing an Islamic ecotheological paradigm as an alternative response to contemporary environmental challenges. The study aims to demonstrate how the Qur’an provides a comprehensive theological, ethical, and educational foundation for human responsibility toward nature. This study employs a qualitative approach through library research and thematic Qur’anic exegesis (tafsir mawdhu‘i). The analysis focuses on Qur’anic concepts related to environmental preservation, particularly tawhid, khilafah (vicegerency), amanah (trust), islah (restoration), and fasad (corruption), supported by classical and contemporary tafsir literature as well as recent scholarship on Islamic environmental ethics. The findings reveal that tawhid serves as the ontological foundation of Islamic ecology by affirming the unity of all creation under the sovereignty of Allah. This worldview perceives nature as a manifestation of divine signs (ayat) endowed with sacred value and therefore deserving of respect and protection. The concepts of khilafah and amanah establish ethical obligations for sustainable environmental management, while the prohibition of fasad highlights the moral dimensions of ecological destruction. Furthermore, environmental stewardship is understood not merely as a social obligation but also as an act of worship and gratitude toward God. The study also finds that Islamic education plays a strategic role in transforming human perspectives from an exploitative worldview to a tawhid-based ecological consciousness, fostering environmental responsibility and sustainability-oriented character among future generations. This paper concludes that Qur’anic exegesis offers a holistic ecological paradigm integrating theological, ethical, and educational dimensions. The framework constructed through the concepts of tawhid, khilafah, and amanah contributes to the development of Islamic ecotheology as a normative foundation for sustainable and responsible environmental stewardship in the face of the global ecological crisis.

References

  1. Adiyono, A., Ni’am, S., & Akhyak, A. (2024). Methodology of Islamic Studies: Islam as Religion (A Perspective
  2. Epistemology, Paradigm, and Methodology). Analisis, 24(1), 169 –200.
  3. https://doi.org/10.24042/ajsk.v24i1.22636
  4. Aripin, I. T. (2025). Ayat-ayat al-quran tentang pemeliharaan lingkungan. Ahwaluna., 6(1), 149–164.
  5. https://doi.org/10.70143/ahwalunajurnalhukumkeluargaislam.v6i1.459
  6. Arsyad, M., Hasanah, N., Arsyad, M., & Hasanah, N. (2025). Nilai Ekologis Islam: Konsep Khalifah dan
  7. Amanah. Al-Mustafid, 4(1), 33–48. https://doi.org/10.30984/mustafid.v4i1.1361
  8. Arsyad, M., Hasanah, N., Arsyad, M., & Hasanah, N. (2025). Nilai Ekologis Islam: Konsep Khalifah dan
  9. Amanah. Al-Mustafid, 4(1), 33–48. https://doi.org/10.30984/mustafid.v4i1.1361
  10. Ashimi, T. A. (2025). The Concept of God (Allah) and the Unity of God (Tawhid) in Islamic Worldview.
  11. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science.
  12. https://doi.org/10.47772/ijriss.2025.91100405
  13. Ashimi, T. A. (2025). The Concept of God (Allah) and the Unity of God (Tawhid) in Islamic
  14. Worldview. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science .
  15. https://doi.org/10.47772/ijriss.2025.91100405
  16. Binion, R. (1996). Reductionism. 2(Volume 2 -Number 4), 73 –73.
  17. https://doi.org/10.70763/ef9280fbc5317f17d480e4d4f61b3751
  18. Choudhury, M. A. (2019). The Civilization of Believers and the Light of Oneness of ‘Everything’ According to
  19. Meta-science of Tawhid. 171–187. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-21558-3_11
  20. Diman, H. (2025). Model Tafsir Ayat-Ayat Ekologis Menurut Ulama Tafsir Kontemporer di Era Digital. Jurnal
  21. Sosial Dan Teknologi. https://doi.org/10.59188/jurnalsostech.v5i11.32504
  22. Djuned, M. (2023). Relasi Manusia dan Lingkungan Hidup dalam Islam .
  23. https://doi.org/10.22373/sinthop.v2i2.4080
  24. Dyer, K., & Gunnell, P. (1993). Humans and Nature: A Spectrum Not a Dichotomy. Australian Journal of
  25. Environmental Education, 9, 53–70. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0814062600003189
  26. El-Mesawi, M. E.-T. (2005). The Methodology of al-Tafsīr al-Mawḍū‘ī: A Comparative Analysis. Intellectual
  27. Discourse, 13(1).
  28. Esdarwati, S.(2025). The Concept of the Prohibition Against Corruption (LĀ TUFSIDU FĪ AL-ARd) in the Quran
  29. 410 | ICON-IMAD XV Proceedings · Volume I · 2026
  30. International Conference on Islam in the Malay World (ICON-IMAD XV), 2026
  31. and its Implementation in Modern Environmental Regulations. KnE Social Sciences, 10(26), 606–613.
  32. https://doi.org/10.18502/kss.v10i26.20039
  33. Gada, M. Y. (2024). Islam and Environmental Ethics. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009308236
  34. Gadamer. (2021). Reflections on some concepts of the Hermeneutical Philosophy of Gadamer.
  35. https://doi.org/10.13140/rg.2.2.17232.43527
  36. Gani, F., Amaliya, N. K., Dardirie, A., Gani, F., Amaliya, N. K., & Dardirie, A. (2025). Ecological Interpretation:
  37. Analysis of Qur’anic Verses on the Environment from a Contemporary Interpretation Perspective. Golden
  38. Ratio Of Mapping Idea And Literature Format, 5(2), 113–117. https://doi.org/10.52970/grmilf.v5i2.1676
  39. Hameed, U. (2022). Qualitative Research. https://doi.org/10.13140/rg.2.2.22417.71525
  40. Johan, B., Alkaf, N., Alivia, E. A., Pranjia, H. I., & Azzahra, A. F. (2025). Islamic Education Strategy as the
  41. Foundation for Character Building in Students in Facing the Challenges of the Digital World.
  42. https://doi.org/10.32832/jurma.v9i2.2813
  43. Kovaleva, N. (2024). Ecology. Life in the ‘Unstable Biosphere.’ 69–96. https://doi.org/10.30884/978-5-7057-
  44. 6399-3_04
  45. Mugwe, J. N., & Runo, S. (2026). Qualitative Data Analysis. 561–583. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-95-1892-
  46. 0_23
  47. Muhamad, A., Syihab, A. H., & Ibrahim, A. H. (2020). Preserving Human-Nature’s Interaction for Sustainability:
  48. Quran and Sunnah Perspective. Science and Engineering Ethics, 26(2), 1053–1066.
  49. https://doi.org/10.1007/S11948-020-00192-7
  50. Öhlmann, P., & Swart, I. (2022). Religion and Environment. Religion and Theology, 29(3–4), 292–321.
  51. https://doi.org/10.1163/15743012-bja10044
  52. Parry, K. W., & Meindl, J. R. (2002). Models, Methods, and Triangulation. 199–221. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-
  53. 1-60752-545-520251012
  54. Rakhmat, A. (2022). Islamic ecotheology: understanding the concept of khalifah and the ethical responsibility of
  55. the environment. Academic Journal of Islamic Principles and Philosophy, 3(1), 1–24.
  56. https://doi.org/10.22515/ajipp.v3i1.5104
  57. Rohmah, F. N. (2024). Integration Of Ecological Principles in the Pesantren System: An Analysis Of
  58. Sustainability and Environmental Conservation Practices In Islamic Educational
  59. Institutions. Molang, 2(02). https://doi.org/10.32806/jm.v2i02.813
  60. Seleem, O. A., & Lasker, S. P. (2022). Theocentrism is not Anthropocentric: An Enlightened Environmentalist
  61. Reading of the Holy Qur’an. Bangladesh Journal of Bioethics. https://doi.org/10.62865/bjbio.v13i1.34
  62. Semenova, E. P. (2024). Ideological causes of environmental crisis . 62–65.
  63. https://doi.org/10.58168/being2024_62-65
  64. Srinivasan, K., & Collard, R. (2023). Nature without Conservation. Current History.
  65. https://doi.org/10.1525/curh.2023.122.847.289
  66. Taisir, M. T., Fitriani, M. I., & Quddus, A. (2024). Integrating Environmental Sustainability into Islamic Religious
  67. Education Curriculum Development. Jurnal Penelitian Keislaman (Lembaga Penelitian Sekolah Tinggi
  68. Agama Islam Negeri Mataram), 20(2), 157–169. https://doi.org/10.20414/jpk.v20i2.11777
  69. Tang, M. W. M. (2026). The Data Analytics Process. 14–33. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781032642307-2
  70. Ulhaq, A. (2024). The Purpose of Islamic Education in Qur’anic Perspective.
  71. https://doi.org/10.19109/jsq.v4i1.20652
  72. Walidah, I. A., & Husaini, I. (2023). Reinterpretation of ecological verses to implement eco-ethics in islamic
  73. education. Jurnal Tatsqif. https://doi.org/10.20414/jtq.v21i1.7401
  74. Wati, R. (2024). Analyzing and Viewing the Development of Construction of the Philosophical View of
  75. Positivism. Journal of World Science. https://doi.org/10.58344/jws.v3i8.689
  76. Yudi, U. (2025). Green Islam Education: Menanamkan Kesadaran Ekoteologis dalam Kurikulum Pendidikan
  77. Islam. Modeling: Jurnal Program Studi PGMI , 12(1), 482 –495.
  78. https://doi.org/10.69896/modeling.v12i1.2931
  79. Zhuraeva, N., Makhmudova, D., Chorieva, D., & Kasimova, D. (2024). Rethinking the global environmental
  80. crisis: A new philosophical approach. E3S Web of Conferences.
  81. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202458702005
Scroll to Top