Sustainable Development in Islamic Theology: From Occasion-Driven Approaches to a Comprehensive Understanding of Sustainability Using the Example of Water-Related Fatwas in Jordan

The Islamic environmental theology (IET) that emerged in the 20th century is analyzed and two main strands are pursued: the efforts to protect the environment derived from the thinking of some Muslim scholars and activists in Europe and North America, and the discourse of Muslim theologians in Arab countries such as Egypt and Jordan that developed in the face of environmental destruction and associated problems in the societies concerned. The topic of water, i.e., the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of clean water and access to sanitation, played a particularly important initial role in the discourse in Arab countries. Jordan, for example, is one of the most water-scarce countries in the world and, since 2010, various fatwas have been seen, such as expert opinions from the General Iftaa’ Department, the state authority for Islamic jurisprudence in Jordan, on the use of water. The discourse of Muslim jurists on the Sustainable Development Goals in general has developed from this. At the same time, it is obvious that the normative theology in Arab countries is more reactive than progressive concerning the challenges of climate change. This article comes to the conclusion that Islamic theology, even if it starts from the same resources of tradition, comes to form different discourses depending on the regional context. This study will show how institutions of Islamic law respond to climate change and what flexibility is inherent in Islamic theology to meet these challenges.