Humans and the Earth

Stephen Hawking, the famed scientist, recently came out with a statement that he doubted humans would survive for another thousand years on this planet due to our destructive ways (pollution, overpopulation, war, etc).  As I look around at all the waste and turmoil around me, I tend to agree.


Of course we Muslims are always on the lookout for the Last Day, however we should not let ourselves become complacent and think that we can be as wasteful as we want because the End Times will come soon anyway.  The Prophet once said that you can waste water doing wudu even if you are doing it in a river.  That seems like a strange idea, but when you do wudu carelessly and splash all over you tend to do it like that in other circumstances.  It is better to train one's self for economy in good times so that in times of hardship we are already prepared to conserve.


I would love to see colonization of the stars.  The Qur'an challenges us to go to the heavens!  I don't see our species being that smart though.  If you've ever known someone who is petty, corrupt, mean or just plain awful, then you realize that for everyone who makes progress, there will be ten hands to pull them down back into the mud.


A believer needs to learn to insulate him or herself from the dirty hands that seek to drag us back to the sad ways of the corrupt.  Becoming arrogant and insular is not a good tactic, though many go that route.  Knowledge is important, but if it is lacking in light, then it is mere words on a page.


Contemplation, as the Qur'an urges "while sitting, standing or lying down on our sides" can open pathways to insight.  I hope more people realize the benefits of wisdom-seeking and step away from the fires of extremism.  Those who cry for jihad all the time usually are the furthest from the spirit of Islam.  Calling for blood does not prove one's faith.  All it shows is that one has a predilection to violence.


Islam doesn't only contain jihad by the hand.  Does anyone even remember those other verses that call for us to forgive, overlook and bear things with patience.  Martin Luther King and Gandhi uses those tactics to great effect.  Where has 25 years of 'jihad' gotten us?  We're worse off than ever before.


Hawking was on to something in saying that we humans are our own worst enemies.  If Islam is the answer, as we say, shouldn't we be leading the way in teaching humanity that we are better than the evil, better than the violent and more sober than the reactionary?  Inshallah we can grow in wisdom and become the examples we need to be - for all of humanity on this fragile ball of life.  Ameen.