Islamic Jurisprudence and Environmental Planning الفقه الإسلامي والتخطيط البيئي

Throughout the history of Islamic civilization, Muslim jurists have derived from the Qur'an and the practice of the Prophet Muhammad, on whom be blessings and peace, laws applicable to all aspects of the Islamic society, including environmental planning. By environmental planning is meant all planning pertaining to the use of land and water, plants and animals: including range, wildlife, and watershed management, soil and crop management, forestry, regional planning, and landscape architecture. This paper is written in the belief that Muslim jurists shall again formulate laws pertaining to these, as well as other aspects of planning and administration. In the meantime, however, since the Muslim planning process has been in abeyance and the Islamic land use has been replaced by European models, present day Muslim planners may not generally be aware of the Islamic laws and values pertaining to their field. The paper is therefore addressed primarily to Muslims involved in planning and administration. The purpose is to outline some important aspects of Islamic legal methodology in the context of their field, and to suggest an Islamic approach to the use of land, water, vegetation, and animals. --