CAIR-Chicago Urges Muslims to Act on Climate
Following a declaration by Islamic scholars and religious leaders, CAIR-Chicago urges Chicago area Muslims to take action in the fight against climate change. Tuesday’s declaration, which came during a two-day assembly of faith based environmental groups in Istanbul, Turkey, stated that the world’s 1.6 billion Muslims have a religious duty to tackle climate change.
Read Full Declaration on Climate Change
“Islam teaches us: ‘Man is simply a steward holding whatever is on Earth in trust,’” the grand mufti of Uganda, Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubaje, said in a statement e-mailed out by Climate Action Network, a network of non-governmental organizations. “Therefore man should ensure that we do everything possible to protect for this and future generations in order to leave this world a better place than we found it.”
In addition to reducing individual impact on the climate, CAIR-Chicago calls on Muslims worldwide to pressure governments and corporations to adopt stricter environmental policies. The consequences of global climate change have been felt around the world often impacting the poorest and most resource scarce regions the most. Muslim countries such as Bangladesh and The Maldives are some of the most vulnerable countries in the world, and droughts made worse by climate change have been linked to the conflicts in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen.
More Information on Climate Change
Whether an individual household, a business, school, or masjid, CAIR-Chicago encourages Chicagoans to commit to confronting the problem of climate change and to join the conversation on social media with the hashtag #Muslims4Climate. For more information on climate change and a list of easy steps to reduce environmental impact please visit the resource page of GreenFaith.org.