Amāna and Ecological Responsibility in Classical Islamic Political Thought: Towards an Islamic Theory of Environmental Governance

Abstract

The growing environmental crisis has intensified scholarly interest in religious approaches to ecological ethics and sustainable governance. Within Islamic intellectual tradition, the Qur'anic concept of Amāna (trusteeship) represents one of the most comprehensive ethical principles governing the relationship between humanity, God, society, and the natural world. This study examines the political and ecological dimensions of Amāna within classical Islamic political thought and explores its contemporary relevance for environmental governance. Using a descriptive, analytical, and historical methodology, the research investigates Qur'anic foundations, classical political theories, and institutional mechanisms that transformed ecological responsibility into a practical component of Islamic governance. The study analyzes the relationship between Amāna, Khilāfah, Istikhlāf, Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah, Ḥisbah, Ḥimā, and the Waqf institution, demonstrating how classical Muslim scholars understood environmental protection as an integral aspect of political trusteeship rather than a peripheral moral concern. It further examines the concepts of ʿAdl (justice), Mīzān (balance), intergenerational responsibility, and the rights of non-human creatures as ethical foundations of ecological governance. The research argues that classical Islamic political thought provides a coherent normative framework capable of addressing many contemporary environmental challenges, including climate change, resource depletion, biodiversity loss, and ecological injustice. By reconstructing the Qur'anic concept of Amāna within modern political discourse, the study proposes an Islamic model of environmental governance grounded in accountability, sustainability, justice, and public welfare. It concludes that ecological responsibility is not merely an environmental obligation but a divine political trust that binds rulers, institutions, and citizens alike, making Amāna a foundational principle for developing a contemporary Islamic political theory of environmental governance.