When the Earth is Shaken: Ecocide in the Islamic Tradition

This paper aims to explore what this responsibility entails with regard to the conservation of the natural balance and the protection of non-human and non-human-made aspects of creation: the natural environment. In doing so, it will explore the possible common ground between the Islamic perspectives and the contemporary call for an international prohibition of the destruction of the natural environment, also known as the call for the prohibition of ecocide. In order to get a clear view of the definition of ecocide and to limit and frame the dive into the Islamic tradition, I will first explore the contemporary call for ecocide law. Then I will revisit the Islamic tradition with a specific focus on historical and contemporary Islamic discourses and practices on ecocide.