“And do no mischief on the earth after it has been set in order: that will be best for you, if you have Faith.” (Surah Al-A’raf 7:85)
Green Office VU has organized its first student network meeting. For this occasion, they had organized a special competition: the association with the best plan for incorporating sustainability into their union, wins a grant. We are proud to announce that we have won this award, al-hamdulillah.
But why is sustainability so important in Islam?
As the Islamic Student Association Amsterdam (ISA), we believe that connecting sustainability and faith is an important part of our mission. Islamic beliefs, traditions and values have a rich tradition of highlighting the importance of environmental protection of natural resources. The Holy Qur’an is a guiding light to promote sustainable development around the world. Allah commands human beings to avoid doing mischief and to not cause any degradation to the environment we live in. The privilege to exploit natural resources was given to mankind with one special message: promise to not damage or destroy it at all. The pursuit of happiness from an Islamic perspective is about adding value to life through good deeds and knowledge as part of the human role. It is very important to live lightly on earth and to eliminate waste and overconsumption. That is why the Islamic dream is not linked to wealth and living in luxury but rather on conserving the human, social and natural resources, which are considered as necessities in the world we live in.
We are currently organizing multiple events to create awareness about the importance of sustainability. The goal of these events is expanding our knowledge and getting practical tips on how to effectuate change and prevent exploitation. We will, for example, have a documentary evening about climate change, many workshops and a Ladies Only eve about healthy lifestyle.
Our team is very happy to win the ‘Green Office Most Sustainable Grant’. We will use the grant to invest in organic disposable tableware for our events to limit the use of plastic. Apart from creating awareness we also wish to contribute to be part of the sustainable cause. That is why we are striving to become a paper free, all-digital organization. We will also be selling sustainable tote bags to limit the use of plastic bags! Sounds exciting, right?
