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In the Name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Preface to the First Edition
Praise
be to God, Creator of all; The Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds.
Blessings and Peace be upon Muhammad, God's Prophet and Apostle.
The preparation of this paper was first mooted during the process of establishing
a central administration for the protection of the environment in the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the responsibilities of which included the development
and submission of recommendations to the Government of the Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia pertaining to laws and regulations for the protection of
the environment.
In this context, several colleagues were consulted amongst whom was Dr.
Wolfgang Burhenne, Chairman of the IUCN Commission on Environmental Policy,
Law and Administration, who was enthusiastic for the paper and persevered
at all times to its completion.
In view of Saudi Arabia's position as the cradle of Islam, it was natural
that the subject of this paper took on international dimensions. The preparation
of the paper was first discussed at international level during the adhoc
meeting of senior government official experts in environmental law , held
in Montevideo (Uruguay) in 1981, where the ; proposal was very well received."
One of the most important reasons motivating the preparation of this paper
was based on the belief of both my colleagues and in the importance of
the concept of environmental management in the process of conservation
of nature and sustainable development.
The
implementation of environmental management depends on the existence of
appropriate legislation, and legislation becomes more effective and usellll
when it emanates from a nation's creed and when it represents its cultural
and intellectual heritage. This strong relationship between the effectiveness
of legislation and the strength of its cultural roots appears to me to
be all the more necessary when dealing with environmental issues, especially
in Islamic societies. For Islam prespresents a way of life that encompasses
an overall view of the universe, life, man and the interrelationships
existing between them and also combines conviction, belief, legislation
and enforement of this legislation.
It is also appropriate to refer to the existence of other reasons for
the preparation of this paper.
1. The ever-increasing need to devise and formulate legislation for the
protection of the environment, especially in view of the rapidly increasing
technological and industrial progress in all fields and aspects of development.
2. The insufficiency of the present legislation now
applied in contemporary societies and its inadequacy to achieve the required
protection of the natural environment.
3. The urgent need, particularly in Islamic countries,
to formulate a clear method and plan that would help all responsible authorities
and individuals alike in these countries to define, determine and lay
down the necessary procedures and measures for the conservation and protection
of the environment as well as for putting these procedures into effect.
The present work aims at presenting a preliminary paper in this field
and it is hoped that this will motivate more comprehensive and specialized
research in the future. It objectively defines the Islamic concept of
the environment, the relationship ofman with the environment, and the
interaction ofboth with regard to man's sustainable utilization and development
of natural resources.
Many colleagues have participated in both enhancing and achieving this
work. Previously, I have mentioned Dr. Wolfgang Burhenne and I now mention
Dr:. Hamad AI Erainan, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, King
Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, for his kind support; also I would mention
Mr. Omar Bakhashab who prepared a preliminary report on the subject in
1981; Dr. Abdul Elah Banaja, Dean of the Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz
University, Jeddah; Dr. Mustafa A. AI Deghaither, Director General of
Environmental Protection Division (MEPA); Dr. Nizar Ibrahim Tawfiq, the
Director General of the National Meteorological and Environmental Protection
Centre (MEPA); and Dr. Zaki Mustafa, Secretary General of the Saudi-Sudanese
Commission for the Development of the Red Sea Resources.
In regard to the Authors, it is my belief that in achieving this work
they have placed a basic milestone on the path of connecting Islam with
one of the most complicated and useful branches of the applied sciences.
May Allah guide us to the right aim.
Abdulbar
Al-Gain
Vice-President of IUCN
1983 AD / 1403 H
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Acknowledgements to the First Edition
We
should like to extend our thanks and appreciation to His Excellency Dr.
Hamad AI Erainan, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, King Abdulaziz
University, Jeddah, for taking the initiative in proposing to the Meteorology
and Environmental Protection Administration (MEPA) that the Department
of Islamic Studies at King Abdulaziz University would undertake the present
study.
We should also like to thank all who contributed to this work and shared
in discussing it, especially Dr. Abdulbar al-Gain, Vice-President of the
Meteorology and Environmental Protection Administration and Vice President
of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources;
Dr. Abdul Elah Banaja, Dean of the Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz
University; Dr. Mustafa A. AI Deghaither, Director General of Environmental
Protection Division (MEPA); Dr. Nizar Ibrahim Tawfiq, the Director General
of the National Meteorological and Environmental Protection Centre (MEPA);
and Dr. Zaki Mustafa, Secretary General of the Saudi- Sudanese Commission
for the Development of the Red Sea Resources.
Also, we should like to refer to the specialized expertise of Dr. Wolfgang
Burhenne, Chairman, IUCN Commission on Environmental Policy, Law and Administration,
which helped us carry out our task and achieve our purpose.
Finally, we should also refer to the great benefit and help we received
from the preliminary work carried out by Mr. Omar Bakhashab and other
researchers in this field.
Allah is our ultimate satisfaction.
The
Authors
1983 AD / 1403 H
