The Environmental Crisis in Indonesia from an Islamic Perspective: A Study of Ecological Degradation and the Responsibilities of the Khalifah

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FORMOSA NEWS - Jakarta - Islamic Eco-Theology Offers Radical Remedy for Indonesia’s Escalating Environmental Crisis. A comprehensive scientific review by Budi  Muhamama Yani, Aldo, Anisatul Mardiah from Universitas Islam Negeri Raden Fatah Palembang reveals that Indonesia's escalating environmental crisis is deeply rooted in a moral and spiritual emergency rather than simple technical and economic failures. Published in May 2026, the investigation evaluates how the degradation of Indonesia's ecosystems stems from humanity's broken relationship with nature, offering a corrective framework grounded in Islamic eco-theology. The authors argue that integrating spiritual responsibility is essential to reversing catastrophic ecological collapse across the Indonesian archipelago.

Background: A Nation at the Edge of Ecological Collapse
Indonesia holds some of the most extraordinary natural wealth on Earth, housing the third-largest tropical rainforest setup on the planet, high marine biodiversity, and exceptionally fertile volcanic soil. However, the Southeast Asian nation is rapidly approaching a state of ecological ruin. For decades, rapid industrial expansion and economic growth models have treated nature as a commodities bank rather than a delicate, living system. This materialist approach has triggered widespread environmental imbalances, threatening not only local biodiversity but also the socioeconomic stability of millions of citizens who rely directly on natural resources for survival.

Methodology: Merging Theology with Environmental Data
The researchers utilized a qualitative, library-based research design to execute a systematic descriptive-analytical inquiry. The material focus of the analysis centered on current empirical evidence regarding Indonesia’s environmental challenges, including:

• Deforestation and industrial logging trends.
• River, air, and soil pollution metrics.
• Climate vulnerability indicators for island ecosystems.
• Extinction rates of critically endangered megafauna.

The team analyzed these material realities through a formal theological framework, scrutinizing primary Islamic texts including the Qur'an and Hadith alongside modern environmental philosophies from scholars like Seyyed Hossein Nasr and Yusuf al-Qaradawi. This allowed the authors to establish a direct analytical link between contemporary environmental data and spiritual ethics.

Key Findings: The Five Pillars of Ecological Decay
The study concluded that technical and regulatory fixes fail because they do not address the foundational human behaviors driving destruction. The researchers identified five interconnected spiritual and moral failures behind Indonesia's environmental crisis:

• The Desacralization of Nature: Modernization and secularization have stripped away the sacred dimension of the cosmos. Instead of viewing the earth as ayat (signs of Divine majesty), society treats nature as a dead object meant for unlimited exploitation.
• Distortion of the Khalifah (Caliph) Role: Humans have reinterpreted their assigned role as khalifah fil ardh (guardians or trustees of the earth) into a license for absolute dominance. The true mandate requires acting as compassionate managers who preserve harmony, not owners who exploit.
• Betrayal of Amanah (Trust): The environment is a divine trust to be preserved for future generations. Large-scale corporate logging and unregulated mining represent a total abandonment of this existential responsibility.
• Violation of Mizan (Universal Balance): The universe operates on a strict law of cosmic balance (mizan). Over-allocating land to monoculture palm oil plantations, emitting excess greenhouse gases, and polluting aquatic systems break this balance, causing unavoidable environmental backlashes.
• Weak Internalization of Religious Values: While environmental concepts exist in religious texts, there is a severe disconnect in Indonesian society between theoretical knowledge and actual practice, largely due to consumer culture and a ritualistic approach to education.

Implications and Real-World Impact
The findings indicate that existing market-based and technological approaches to green development cannot fully resolve Indonesia's crises. True sustainability requires transforming human values and environmental policies. Integrating religious institutions, field educators, and scholars (ulama) into environmental policymaking provides a clear pathway forward. Faith-based frameworks can drive grass-roots conservation efforts, shape sustainable business practices, and inform environmental education across schools and Islamic universities. By framing environmental protection as a mandatory form of worship (ibadah), policymakers can build public accountability that laws alone cannot achieve.

Author Profile
Budi Muhamama Yani holds an advanced academic degree from Universitas Islam Negeri Raden Fatah Palembang, specializing in Islamic Eco-Theology, environmental ethics, and contemporary Qur'anic interpretation.
Aldo is a researcher at Universitas Islam Negeri Raden Fatah Palembang, focusing on Islamic philosophy, social ethics, and environmental degradation in developing nations.
Anisatul Mardiah is a faculty member and scholar at Universitas Islam Negeri Raden Fatah Palembang, with expertise in eco-theology, religious sociology, and sustainable community development.

Source
Budi Muhamama Yani, Aldo, Anisatul Mardiah (2026). Krisis Lingkungan di Indonesia dalam Perspektif Islam: Studi Tentang Kerusakan Ekologis dan Tanggung Jawab Khalifah. Formosa Journal of Applied Sciences (FJAS). Vol. 5, No. 5 2026, Halaman 1261-1278.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.55927/fjas.v5i5.64
URL: https://journalfjas.my.id/index.php/fjas