# Islam and Climate Change: The Prophetic Cure to Eco-Anxiety | Essay **Author:** Dr. Jibran Khokhar **Topics:** Environment, Islamic Ethics, Nature & Science **Tags:** Analysis, Ethics, Natural Disasters, Prophetic Cure **Published:** November 4, 2025 **Updated:** October 5, 2026 A global survey published in *The Lancet Planetary Health* in 2021 reported that among more than 10,000 young people between the ages of 16 and 25 across multiple countries, sixty percent described themselves as very worried about climate change, and nearly half said their anxiety affects their daily functioning.[^1] Compared to the threat that climate change poses to our physical health, from heat-related injuries to the spread of tropical diseases, its mental health consequences are far less researched. But emerging studies reveal a mounting toll, especially among young people. Survivors of weather-related disasters report high rates of PTSD, depression, sleep disruption, and learning difficulties. For example, nearly three-quarters of the child and adolescent population in Pakistan experienced learning challenges following the devastating floods of 2010 and again in 2022.[^2] More recently, communities in North America have also suffered from unprecedented flooding, underscoring the compounding burden of climate-related disasters. For young people especially, climate anxiety often manifests as panic attacks, insomnia, obsessive thinking, and a pervasive sense of hopelessness. Many feel abandoned by those in power. This younger generation struggles with what experts call the “intergenerational injustice” of inheriting the fallout of choices made by those before them. Islam offers a framework for navigating this crisis that is both spiritual and practical. It is constituted by an ethical combination of restraint, hope, and solidarity. This approach is much needed in recent times with the rise in climate change denialism. Allah says: “Corruption has appeared on land and sea because of what people’s hands have earned, so He may let them taste part of what they have done, that perhaps they will return” (Qur’an 30:41). This verse speaks implicitly to the current crisis.[^3] Climate change can be considered a form of corruption born of human excess, and yet denialism persists in the face of mounting evidence. The Qur’an reminds us that such corruption is both a sign and a warning, meant to provoke humanity to change course before further destruction occurs. --- ## Restraint against overconsumption The Prophet ﷺ told us not to waste water, “even if you were on the bank of an abundantly-flowing river.”[^4] Abundance does not give us license for excess. Even in contexts where resources appear limitless, restraint is part of faith. For those of us living in the wealthier parts of the world, this hadith calls on us to rethink our consumption. Islam teaches that even restraint is an act of worship and entails accountability before Allah. ​​The Qur’an makes this principle explicit in relation to eating and drinking: “O children of Adam, take your adornment at every masjid, and eat and drink, but be not excessive. Indeed, He does not like those who commit excess” (Qur’an 7:31). Similarly, in financial matters Allah says: “Indeed, the wasteful are brothers of the devils, and ever has Satan been to his Lord ungrateful” (Qur’an 17:27). Together, these verses remind us that overconsumption in any form is not simply unwise but spiritually blameworthy. This framework becomes especially urgent when considering modern food systems. Meat production, for example, has significant environmental impacts. It increases greenhouse gas emissions through methane and carbon dioxide, contributes to deforestation, degrades land used for grazing and feed crops, exhausts freshwater resources, and causes water and air pollution. These impacts highlight how everyday choices, particularly in wealthier societies where meat is consumed in abundance, can disproportionately harm the environment. The call to moderation in food consumption is not only a spiritual safeguard but a practical necessity in preserving creation. Sayyiduna ʿAli bin Abi Talib (ra) once said: “What is above sufficiency is *israf* (extravagance).”[^5] This wisdom shows that restraint is not about deprivation but about recognizing the boundary between need and indulgence. Living within the limits of sufficiency nurtures gratitude, reduces waste, and aligns with the Qur’anic ethic of balance. It is important to remember that just because something is accessible does not mean it is free of cost. The same restraint that applies to food and water extends to modern technologies. Artificial intelligence, for instance, comes with a significant environmental footprint, requiring vast amounts of energy and water for data centers. This means that every choice to consume more, even digitally, carries consequences. Abundance in access should never make us forget responsibility in stewardship. Restraint is essential, but it is only an initial step. It is simply the absence of action; how, then, should we actually act? --- ## Planting hope Perhaps the most powerful Prophetic guidance for our moment of climate despair is the hadith: “If the Hour comes while you have a sapling in your hand, then if you can plant it before it \[the Hour\] comes, plant it.”[^6] At first glance, this seems illogical: Why plant a tree when the world is ending? But the Prophet ﷺ was teaching a deeper principle: that believers must never allow fear of futility to immobilize them. Even in the face of ultimate destruction, action rooted in goodness for the sake of Allah retains its value. This lesson aligns with modern research on climate change anxiety (CCA). A recent mixed-methods study of emerging adults in the United States found that climate anxiety is strongly associated with symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and major depressive disorder (MDD). Yet the study also found that engaging in collective action, working alongside others to address climate change, buffered against the mental health burden of climate anxiety. Individual action, in contrast, often felt insignificant and failed to reduce symptoms.[^7] The Qur’an itself commands this ethic of collective action: “And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression” (Qur’an 5:2). In the face of climate anxiety, this verse reminds us that strength comes from solidarity. Working together not only amplifies impact but also strengthens hearts, lessening the sense of isolation that fuels despair. The hadith of the sapling reflects this dynamic perfectly. Planting a tree is not a solitary act. Its benefits are not limited to humans, and could benefit ecosystems and species one might have never considered. It embodies a vision of continuity that extends beyond ourselves, reminding us that what may feel like a small gesture can help restore agency, build community, and provide a counterweight to despair. Planting, in this sense, is both literal and symbolic: we plant acts of goodness whose fruits could be reaped long after we are gone. Importantly, even when the situation seems hopeless (i.e., world-ending), the act itself has weight before Allah; He grows and rewards our efforts, whether in this life or next. The Prophet ﷺ emphasized this in another narration: “No Muslim plants a tree or sows a seed and then a bird, or a human, or an animal eats from it but that it is charity for him.”[^8] With this hadith, the Prophet ﷺ shows us that the benefits of a single seed extends in countless directions, becoming a source of charity and reward long after the initial act of planting. The tree continues to testify to the believer’s goodness through every life it sustains, whether human or animal. The Prophet ﷺ reinforced this ethic when he said: “Do not belittle any act of good, even if it is meeting your brother with a smile.”[^9] No act is too small to matter. From planting a seed to reducing waste to advocating for climate justice, each contribution done for Allah’s sake is meaningful in Allah’s sight, even if it feels minor in worldly terms. --- ## Stewardship and solidarity The climate crisis cannot be disentangled from global conflict. Wars amplify environmental destruction through burning fields, demolished infrastructure, poisoned water systems, and mass displacement. This reality deepens the urgency of our advocacy for brothers and sisters in places like Gaza and Sudan, where people face not only the brutality of war but also the compounded devastation of environmental collapse. It is important to recognize that while these conflicts may appear to occur in faraway lands, their environmental impacts do not respect national borders. The destruction of agricultural land, pollution of water, and release of toxins into the atmosphere all contribute to global ecological harm. This means that complacency is ill advised. To turn away from these crises is to ignore the fact that their consequences reverberate across the planet, worsening the climate anxieties that affect us all. The believers are cast as caretakers not only of the earth: “It is He who has made you successors upon the earth and raised some of you above others in degrees \[of rank\] that He may try you through what He has given you” (Qur’an 6:165),[^10] but also of each other: The Prophet ﷺ says, “The Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hand people are safe, and the believer is the one people trust with their lives and wealth.”[^11] Stewardship over the land and stewardship over human beings are one and the same. Caring for the environment is not only about protecting soil, water, and air, but also about protecting the lives, dignity, and future of those who inhabit the earth. To neglect one is to neglect the other. The Qur’an further calls us to collective responsibility: “And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression” (Qur’an 5:2). Solidarity in the face of climate change means linking our concern for environmental stewardship with our commitment to justice for oppressed peoples. By working together for both the earth and its people, we honor the fullness of our role as *khulafaʾ*: successors and caretakers entrusted with this world. --- ## Prophetic hope in an age of anxiety Climate anxiety is real, and its effects on young people are profound. Yet the Prophetic tradition gives us both a vocabulary and a roadmap for confronting it: restraint in abundance, hope through action, solidarity in the face of injustice, and trust in Allah’s wisdom. The sapling in our hands may feel small, but it carries the promise of shade, sustenance, and renewal for generations to come. Acting in this spirit is not just an environmental ethic but a spiritual path: one that transforms despair into worship, anxiety into hope, and a sapling into a tree of life. --- ## Notes [^1]: Caroline Hickman et al., “Climate Anxiety in Children and Young People and their Beliefs about Government Responses to Climate Change: A Global Survey,” *The Lancet Planetary Health* 5, no. 12 (2021): e863–e873, [https://doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196(21)00278-3](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196\(21\)00278-3&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1762280486433516&usg=AOvVaw0FrGecDNQVd8wgs5_-lhkY). [^2]: Jaime Saavedra and Lynne Sherburne-Benz, “Pakistan’s Floods are Deepening its Learning Crisis,” World Bank, September 28, 2022, [https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/endpovertyinsouthasia/pakistans-floods-are-deepening-its-learning-crisis](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://blogs.worldbank.org/en/endpovertyinsouthasia/pakistans-floods-are-deepening-its-learning-crisis&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1762280486434186&usg=AOvVaw00l4X_G7LB9JGpGCwxdjmJ). [^3]: Al-Qurṭubī mentions that one of the meanings of “corruption” is “drought, scarcity of vegetation, and the loss of blessing.” See *Tafsīr al-Qurṭubī*, [https://tafsir.app/qurtubi/30/41](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://tafsir.app/qurtubi/30/41&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1762280486436947&usg=AOvVaw3jb_4T-S8TTwta1jmhTcLG). [^4]: *Musnad Aḥmad*, no. 7065, graded *ṣaḥīḥ* (rigorously authentic) by Aḥmad Shākir. [^5]: ʿAbd al-Wāḥid al-Āmidī, *Ghurar al-ḥikam wa durar al-kalim*, ed. Muṣṭafā al-Dirāyatī, 1st ed. (Maktab al-Iʿlām al-Islāmī, 1987), 359. [^6]: *Musnad Aḥmad*, no. 12902. This narration is *ṣaḥīḥ* (rigorously authentic) according to al-Arnāʾūṭ. [^7]: Sarah E. O. Schwartz et al., “Climate Change Anxiety and Mental Health: Environmental Activism as Buffer,” *Current Psychology* 42 (2023): 16708–16721, [https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-02735-6](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-02735-6?utm_source%3Dchatgpt.com&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1762280486435776&usg=AOvVaw3Wq-sd_q1vBBclFak2F1iL). [^8]: *Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī*, no. 2320; *Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim*, no. 1553. [^9]: *Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim*, no. 2626. [^10]: Ibn ʿĀshūr mentions the importance of the stewardship and cultivation of the earth. See *al-Taḥrīr wal-tanwīr,* [https://tafsir.app/ibn-aashoor/33/4](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://tafsir.app/ibn-aashoor/33/4&sa=D&source=editors&ust=1762280486437367&usg=AOvVaw3ysXSptD1lwFZlZc553eEb). [^11]: *Sunan al-Nasāʾī*, no. 4995. ## Summary Climate anxiety has become a documented reality of our age, particularly among the young. A global survey published in *The Lancet Planetary Health* in 2021 found that among more than ten thousand people between the ages of sixteen and twenty-five, sixty percent described themselves as very worried about climate change, and nearly half reported that this anxiety impaired their daily functioning. While the physical harms of climate change—heat-related injuries and the spread of tropical diseases—receive greater attention, its toll upon the mind is less studied yet increasingly evident. Survivors of weather-related disasters report elevated rates of post-traumatic stress, depression, disrupted sleep, and difficulty in learning. Following the floods in Pakistan in 2010 and again in 2022, nearly three-quarters of the child and adolescent population experienced learning challenges, and more recent flooding in North America has added to this burden. Among the young, such anxiety manifests as panic, insomnia, obsessive thought, and a pervading hopelessness, compounded by a sense of what has been termed "intergenerational injustice"—the inheritance of consequences from the decisions of earlier generations. Islam offers a framework for facing this crisis that unites the spiritual and the practical, resting upon restraint, hope, and solidarity. This is especially needed amid the rise of climate change denialism. Allah, the Most High, says: "Corruption has appeared on land and sea because of what people's hands have earned, so He may let them taste part of what they have done, that perhaps they will return" (Qur'an 30:41). This verse may be read as speaking to the present crisis, for the damage wrought upon the earth can be regarded as a corruption born of human excess. The Qur'an frames such corruption as both a sign and a warning, meant to move humanity to change its course before further ruin. The first element of this framework is restraint against overconsumption. The Prophet ﷺ instructed us not to waste water, "even if you were on the bank of an abundantly-flowing river." Abundance grants no license for excess; even where resources appear limitless, restraint remains part of faith, and for those who dwell in the wealthier parts of the world, this hadith calls for a rethinking of consumption. Restraint itself is an act of worship carrying accountability before Allah. The Qur'an makes this explicit regarding food and drink: "O children of Adam, take your adornment at every masjid, and eat and drink, but be not excessive. Indeed, He does not like those who commit excess" (Qur'an 7:31). Likewise in matters of wealth: "Indeed, the wasteful are brothers of the devils, and ever has Satan been to his Lord ungrateful" (Qur'an 17:27). Together these verses teach that overconsumption in any form is not merely imprudent but spiritually blameworthy. This principle bears directly upon modern food systems. Meat production, for instance, carries significant environmental consequences: it raises greenhouse gas emissions through methane and carbon dioxide, drives deforestation, degrades land, exhausts freshwater, and pollutes water and air. Such impacts show how everyday choices, especially in wealthier societies where meat is consumed in abundance, may cause disproportionate harm. Sayyiduna ʿAli bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "What is above sufficiency is *israf* (extravagance)." Restraint, then, is not deprivation but the recognition of the boundary between need and indulgence; living within sufficiency nurtures gratitude and accords with the Qur'anic ethic of balance. This same restraint extends to modern technologies, for artificial intelligence too carries an environmental footprint, requiring vast energy and water for its data centres. Abundance in access must never make us forget responsibility in stewardship. Yet restraint is only a first step, being merely the absence of action; the question remains how one should act. Here the Prophetic tradition offers perhaps its most powerful guidance for an age of despair: "If the Hour comes while you have a sapling in your hand, then if you can plant it before it comes, plant it." Though at first this seems illogical, the Prophet ﷺ was teaching that the believer must never allow the fear of futility to paralyse him, for action rooted in goodness for the sake of Allah retains its value even before ultimate destruction. This accords with recent research: a mixed-methods study of emerging adults in the United States found climate anxiety strongly associated with symptoms of generalised anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder, yet also found that collective action—working alongside others—buffered against this burden, while individual action often felt insignificant and failed to reduce symptoms. The Qur'an itself commands this ethic of cooperation: "And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression" (Qur'an 5:2). Strength arises from solidarity, which amplifies impact and lessens the isolation that feeds despair. The hadith of the sapling reflects this, for planting is no solitary act; its benefits extend beyond humans to ecosystems and creatures unconsidered, embodying a continuity that reaches beyond the self. The Prophet ﷺ said: "No Muslim plants a tree or sows a seed and then a bird, or a human, or an animal eats from it but that it is charity for him." The single seed thus becomes an ongoing charity, testifying to the believer's goodness through every life it sustains. And he ﷺ reinforced this by saying: "Do not belittle any act of good, even if it is meeting your brother with a smile," reminding us that no contribution—from planting a seed to reducing waste to advocating for climate justice—is too small to matter in the sight of Allah. The final element is stewardship joined with solidarity, for the climate crisis cannot be separated from human conflict. Wars magnify environmental destruction through burning fields, demolished infrastructure, poisoned water, and mass displacement, deepening the urgency of advocacy for brothers and sisters in places such as Gaza and Sudan, who face both the brutality of war and the collapse of their environment. Though such conflicts may seem distant, their environmental harms respect no borders, for the destruction of farmland, the pollution of water, and the release of toxins reverberate across the planet, worsening the anxieties that afflict us all. The believer is cast as a caretaker of the earth—"It is He who has made you successors upon the earth and raised some of you above others in degrees that He may try you through what He has given you" (Qur'an 6:165)—and also of fellow human beings, as the Prophet ﷺ said: "The Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hand people are safe, and the believer is the one people trust with their lives and wealth." Stewardship over the land and over humanity are one, and to neglect one is to neglect the other. Thus climate anxiety is real, and its effects upon the young are profound, yet the Prophetic tradition furnishes both a vocabulary and a roadmap for facing it: restraint in abundance, hope through action, solidarity against injustice, and trust in the wisdom of Allah. The sapling in one's hand may seem small, yet it carries the promise of shade and sustenance for generations to come. To act in this spirit is a spiritual path that transforms despair into worship, anxiety into hope, and a sapling into a tree of life.