The Ecological Imperative of IḥyÄ' al-MawÄt
A Contextual Reinterpretation of Ḥadīth for Critical Land Restoration
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21093/siqah.v4i1.12995Keywords:
critical land restoration, ecological reinterpretation, iḥyÄ' al-mawÄtAbstract
This study reorients iḥyÄ' al-mawÄt from its classical legal framing as a mechanism of land ownership toward an ethical imperative for critical land restoration amid the climate crisis. The central question is how the tradition's substantive message can ground the restoration of damaged ecological functions in contemporary degraded landscapes. Using a qualitative library based approach, the study analyzes primary hadith compilations through a contextual lens that integrates Islamic ecotheology with empirical data on environmental degradation. The analysis excavates the text's underlying objectives in relation to ecological well being. Findings crystallize into three operational dimensions: conservation of productive land to prevent further loss, rehabilitation of degraded terrain to recover ecosystem functions, and sustainable intergenerational utilization of resources. Together, these dimensions offer a spiritually grounded strategy that frames land restoration not as a mere technical undertaking but as a continuous collective calling to nurture and sustain the earth for future generations.
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