The Role of Islamic Values on Sustainable Lifestyles: Does Living Area Matter?

Relevant research has highlighted the significance of religious values in promoting sustainable lifestyles. Living areas, which are frequently distinguished by technological, social, and economic variances, potentially influence people’s lifestyles. This study aimed to examine the impact of living areas on the correlation between the (i) five Islamic values (preserving religion, life, intellect, progeny, and wealth) drawn from (Maqasid) Shariah goals and (ii) sustainable lifestyles. As a Muslim-majority country with a large disparity between urban and rural conditions, Malaysia was chosen as the study location. Survey data were collected from 682 Malaysian citizens and subsequently analysed via Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). Resultantly, the moderating effect of living area was unsupported. The correlations between the five Shariah goals and sustainable lifestyles proved unaffected by people’s urban or rural living areas. In this vein, sustainable lifestyles were significantly influenced by the Islamic values practised in communities, regardless of their living area. The interview outcomes also rendered social media exposure and the universal understanding of sustainable lifestyles and Maqasid Shariah made the living area as not significant to influence people’s understanding of both elements. This research could facilitate national policymakers to increase public awareness of sustainable lifestyles in the Islamic framework without needing to distinguish between rural and urban communities.