New parents and nursing Muslim women will be pleased to know the Islamic perspective on nursing is pro-breastfeeding. And it doesn’t cost the Earth. At Islam’s core of a stable society is a functioning family where, interestingly, the mother has a higher status than the father. And for a family unit to be healthy, mothers […]
ARC works with major religions like Islam, Christianity and Judaism to develop environmental programs. Now they look at food. It might have something to with the fact that it’s almost Eid al-Adha, where halal slaughter is carried out en masse, but it feels like everywhere I look halal is getting a hard time in the […]
A high speed train to Mecca in Saudi Arabia will cut down on carbon emissions during hajj this year, but its reach is limited. Every year, around three million Muslims from across the world prepare for the spiritual journey of a lifetime. Many will have been saving up for the trip for years and will […]
Muslim nations may face a lot of diverse problem but one concern they share is water scarcity. At the latest conference of Islamic environment ministers, water shortage was highlighted as one of the most pressing environmental issue facing the region and Muslim leaders stated it finding a solution was one of the ‘most important duties […]
Arwa explores why the shift away from home slaughtering during Eid al-Adha is damaging the way people see meat. In around one month’s time Muslims from across the world will celebrate Eid al-Adha by sacrificing a sheep or a goat. Eid al-Adha, the ‘Festival of Sacrifice’, commemorates the occasion when god asked Prophet Ibrahim to […]
Within Islam there are many herbs, plants and fruits that are believed to have medicinal and healing properties. Olive, pomegranate, dates and figs are amongst those that are directly mentioned in the Quran as blessed foods. However, there is only one that can stake a claim as a super food and that is black cumin, fennel flower, or 'Habbat ul Sawda' as it is known in Arabic.
Islamic ministers from 30 organizations and countries will get together early October in order to put the environment back on the political map. Tunisia will host a conference of Islamic environment ministers in early October to look at how environmental issues can be impacted from a governmental perspective. The 4th Islamic environment ministers conference will […]
Next week leaders of various sects will discuss modern interpretations of climate change within the Islamic tradition. Next week, Jordan will be hosting a three day event on the ‘Environment in Islam’ which is the theme for the 15th General Conference of the Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought. The event, held on the […]
Though the practice of establishing Himas to protect nature had previously declined, the Middle East is currently witnessing a resurgence of this ancient tradition. Now that Green Prophet has looked into the tradition of ‘Hima’ or environmental preservation in the Middle East, this post will explore some of the most famous examples of Hima and […]
Hima, practised for over 14,000 years in the Arabian Peninsula, is believed to be the most widespread system of traditional conservation in the Middle East, and perhaps the entire earth. In these modern times, it’s easy to think of environmental protection as a new concept which has emerged in response to modern problems linked to […]
Mud buildings have withstood the test of time; will they populate our futures too? Think of Islamic mud structures and more than likely the iconic Great Mosque of Djenne in Mali will come to mind. The largest mud brick building in the world, the mosque is considered to be amongst the greatest achievement of Sudano-Swahelian […]
A How to avoid common pitfalls that undermine breastfeeding in the Islamic world. Dr. Modia Batterjee, the author of A Fading Art: Understanding Breastfeeding in the Middle East, is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant with a private clinic, and has a masters degree in public health. As such, she is able to understand both […]
Gentle artists and prophets inspired by nature offer a cure against environmental destruction This post takes its inspiration from two different stories. One by Mike Shanahan, an environmental journalist whose work we admire, and another published in Al MasryAlyoum. The first proposes that incorporating religious principles into our daily lives will heal our relationship with […]
The Louvre exhibition demonstrates Saudi Arabia’s historical influence on the Middle East region; can they spread a clean energy agenda too? When we think of Saudi Arabia, we think of oil, robed men, Mecca, and more oil. Certainly there’s an abundant supply of it, though, like in Egypt, the country experienced power shortages this summer […]
Are Muslim vegetarians creating a false campaign to discourage meat-eating? An article by Joseph Mayton in The Guardian created some debate. He claimed that eating less meat is more Islamic. Is it? For Muslims eating meat in small proportions is “halal” (lawful) and a blessing from God. However, Mayton claims that Prophet Muhammad did not […]