Islam place high regards on the importance of nature in human’s life, as Romanticists did during the Romantic period. The Romanticists inspire and appreciate nature through the works of art, such as writings, paintings and music. This is identical with Islam, we view nature as part and parcel of our life, just like during the Romantic period.
Al-Quran talks repeatedly on nature. In fact, probably many of you did not know that Quranic verses that describe nature and natural phenomena outnumbered other verses that deals with commandments and sacraments. Not only that, of more than 6000 verses in the Quran, 750 verses reflects nature. This most important earth resource is a precious gift from God, given to mankind to use for our needs and not to misuse them. This is similar with the Romantic period as the Romanticists preserves nature, Muslims are bound to do the same too.
In Islam, nature is so important because human life in this world cannot exist without it, its presence sustains the harmony and proportion of God’s creations. As Al-Quran says:
“And the earth – we have spread it out wide, and placed on it mountains firm, and caused life of every kind to grow on it a balanced manner, and provided means of livelihood for you as well as for all living beings whose sustenance does not depend on you”. (15:19)
The Quran also reminds us that:
“Greater indeed than the creation of man is creation of the heavens and the earth”. (40:57)
Prophet s.a.w. also emphasized on nature in his sayings that:
1) “ Whoever plants a tree and diligently looks after it until it matures and bears fruit is rewarded”
2) “If a Muslim plants a tree or sow a field and men and beasts and birds eat from it, all of it is charity on his part”
3) “Whoever brings dead land into life, that is, cultivates wasteland, for him as a reward therein”.
Moreover, as Muslims, we should use our sense and intellectual to understand the nature as this will lead us to appreciate the glory and majesty of Allah. As Allamah Tabatabai says:
“The Quran invites reflection about heavenly signs, the brilliant stars and the differences in their conditions and the systematic order that governs them. It encourages mediation concerning the creation of earth, seas, mountains, the creation of plants and animals, human beings and their inner world. Thus it invites to a study of natural and mathematical sciences and all other fields, the learning of which in the interest of humanity and brings felicity to human society. The Quran invites to these branches of knowledge on condition that people are guided by this knowledge of truth otherwise, a knowledge that serves as an amusement and hinders one from knowing God and truth is equivalent to ignorance in the vocabulary of the Quran”.
Muslim great scholars studied nature to discover the mysteries of creation and to become aware of Allah’s wisdom and power. Al-Biruni, a famous Muslim scholar has explicitly stated that the motives behind his research in scientific fields are Allah’s words in the Quran:
“…and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth: our Lord! You have not created this in vain…” (3:191)
“…you see no imperfection in the creation of the beneficent God. Then looked again, can you see any disorder? Then return back the eye again and again, your look shall come back to you dazzled, aweary”. (67:3-4)
By verses such as this, it persuades human beings to ponder upon the creation of the heaven and earth, which is created for a reason and not to be ignored. In fact, during the Romantic period, romanticists did the same too, they ponder the beauty of nature through arts, paintings, music, poetries, essays, and more.
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