Islam and Engagements with Nature; Theology and Practice

This chapter explores Islamic engagements with nature both in theology and in lived practice. The lived practice section focusses on the experiences of Fahima (F), an observant Muslim woman living in an urban part of North England. Her reflections on being a Muslim experiencing first-hand National Parks and other nature-based spaces in Britain are put into a broader Islamic focus by considering Islamic ecology more widely by Christina (C), a Religious Studies scholar. Starting by an overview of relevant Islamic theology, this chapter grounds Fahima’s praxis in sacred text and spiritual ritual, before examining in brief the wealth of global Islamic interactions in and with natural spaces.