Baha’i, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Jews, Muslims, Shintoists, Taoists and Sikhs all gathered at London’s Windsor Castle with a united environmental agenda. In an era of increasing religious divide, a once little thought of topic known as “the environment” was able to bring together ancient faith groups to discuss a modern solution.

And with Islam at the forefront of today’s news, Muslim leaders proved Islam’s ability to adapt and meet new needs.

Under the newfound coalition toward eco-commitment and a Muslim Seven Year Plan, Medina, Islam’s second most important city after Mecca, is to serve as a model green city.  This move is critical since Saudi Arabia is essentially, for better or worse, presently the pillar of the Arab nations.

Medina, “The City of the Prophet”, is a strategic start pointing that has the capacity to really launch a green campaign in neighboring territories.

The Seven Year Plan was presented by the Sheikh Ali Goma’a, Egypt’s Grand Mufti, who has already introduced the plan into his own city of Dar Al Iftaa.  Some key initiatives of the Seven Year Plan include:

• Develop and implement a “Green Hajj”.  With 2-3 million people visiting Mecca during Hajj alone, transforming the experience into an environmentally-friendly pilgrimage will reap immediate benefits.
• Construct a “green mosque” and introduce this model for other Islamic buildings worldwide.
• In the first phase, develop 2-3 green model cities; in the second phase, adapt ten other Muslim cities to implement the model.
• Integrate eco-awareness into Islamic education.
• Publish “green Qurans”, printed on paper procured from sustainable wood.
• Create a specialized TV channel focused on Islam and the environment.
• Create award and prize systems for excellence in this field.

The ultimate goal here, as with other faith groups, is to radically redefine faith-based relationships with the environment.  While the “greenie” movement is still seen as a secular front by a number of conservative groups, the world’s oldest religions with a following in the billions will be able to bring much needed attention and authority to an issue that has predated our recognition of it.

Faith groups also realize the inherent relationship they have with the environment.  Islam’s Sufi Muslims have long been known to have a deep reverence for nature.

However, despite regional shifts toward eco-awareness, ARC Secretary General Martin Palmer accurately points out the difficultly in Islamic groups face in changing what are essentially government policies.

As Palmer states, essentially Muslims groups will be “saying to Islamic governments that this is how you should act Islamically.”  Palmer also astutely notes that implementing green changes are possible if they can be proven to be Islamic in nature.  In anticipation of this obstacle, plans are in effect to functionally launce the Muslim Association for Climate Change Action (MACCA).

With 1.5 billion Muslims worldwide, the Seven Year Plan not only paves the way for increased interfaith cooperation, increased dialogue, but will also have a considerable environmental impact.  With faith as the new foundation of a green movement, critical eco-issues have a new audience and a new life force that has the potential to quickly propel the issue forward – providing not only increased awareness but effective and long lasting solutions to a growing number of environmental concerns.

Sufism is the undiscovered sect within Islam known only through its most famous disciple, the 13^th century philosopher poet Rumi whose work reflected strong themes pairing nature and spirituality.  Sufis, “heirs of a mystical ancient tradition”, helped propagate the faith to the height of its expansion in Islam’s coined “Golden Age”.  The then flourishing multiculturalism played a key role resulting in the large number of Muslims today, roughly 1.5 billion followers world wide. A great but under represented percentage this figure are still Sufi Muslims.

Initially rising out of a reaction to materialism and over indulgence resulting from excess wealth and power, Sufis are mystics at heart, lovers of the natural world inclined toward heterodoxy in a culture in which ego and possession is the norm. The key aim of any Sufi is to separate themselves from the material and seek enlightenment by way of serving God, achieved through an internal process that shifts perspectives away from to ego and toward the divine.

The process is usually performed through one of two ways. The less frequented approach is the view of “Signifier to signs”, in which Sufis work to look at the world through a macro to micro lens – in other words, understanding the bigger picture and then applying it to the individual instance. However, the majority of Sufis use the “signs to the Signifier” approach. The Signifier being a divine source, the analogy is similar to the process of understanding an artist through studying his creations.  In this way, many Sufis embrace the natural world, and as such it’s no surprise that Sufis are great defenders of the environment.

Relevance of Sufism within the Arab World

Sufism emphasizes “eco-spirituality” – the fundamental belief in the sacred virtue of nature. Since Gnostic teachings, the Kabalah, Hinduism, Buddhism, etc, all hold this as a key truth, it’s easy to see how Sufism has the capacity to bridge perceived divides between Islam and other faith groups.

According to Sufi expert and director at the Moroccan Ministry of Religious Affairs in Rabat, Ahmad Kostas, “Progress and change are basic tenets of Sufi philosophy.”  With this in mind, and with the premise of mutual appreciation for environmental initiatives, the common interest in eco-spirituality is a potential conduit for possible future partnerships between Mid East nations and their neighbors.

A Green Middle East

With the reasoning that a physical environment is reflective of a moral and cultural environment, proactive Sufi efforts to protect the environment can be seen in Morocco, where local Sufi youth gather regularly to “debate timely topics of social and political importance, ranging from the protection of the environment and social charity to the war on drugs and the threat of terrorism.” It’s no wonder that this esoteric branch of Islam is now not only gaining increased worldwide attention as a possible solution to prevailing conflicts, but is also helping pave the way for a greener Mid East.

A green Mid East is slow in the making – mostly because as Green Prophet’s Karin Kloosterman points out, “environmental education is seriously lacking.” And while Sufis make up about 1/3 of all Muslims, unfortunately their reach and global presence is still limited. It’s Saudi Arabia that’s still the front runner role when it comes to Islam and Mid East issues. If there’s to be a trickle down effect of green Muslims in the region, then Saudi Arabia is a good place to start.

- This guest post is written by Shireen Qudosi.

Shireen Qudosi is writer and natural living enthusiast who believes that despite political attitudes towards climate change, there is no harm in trying to live a more sustainable life. Her passion for conservation and the environment is reflected in her Sufi beliefs, which has a deep respect for the natural world.  Her interest in Sufi philosophy is also what inspires her work as editor of The Qudosi Chronicles, an online journal that looks at issues stemming from Islam and the Middle East.  For more information, visit www.Qudosi.com

Based in Los Angeles, Shireen considers herself a galley slave to pen and ink, and hopes to some day carry out her indentured servitude from literally green pastures.

Image via Flickr’s tawel