Nine years after Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’, Muslims launch a counterpart

NAIROBI, Kenya (RNS) — When Pope Francis released his encyclical on the environment, “Laudato Si’,” in 2015, Muslims, Hindus and other faith leaders joined Christians in dialogues in response to the pontiff’s powerful call to tend to climate change as a matter of faith. Now, nine years later, Islamic leaders have released a counterpart to the Vatican document.On Feb. 27, at a meeting on the sidelines of the sixth annual session of the United Nations Environment Assembly in Nairobi, Muslim scholars, U.N. officials and some Christian leaders unveiled “Al-Mizan: A Covenant for the Earth.”
“‘Al-Mizan’ … perfectly allows the global efforts to tackle the triple plenary crises,” Leila Benali, president of UNEA-6 and Morocco’s minister for energy transition and sustainable development, said in announcing the document’s release. “ … It acknowledges the severity of the triple crises, including pollution, including climate change, including biodiversity loss, nature and also injustice in sharing the resources of life.”
“Al-Mizan,” or “balance” in English, gives a Muslim perspective on how faith can inform and inspire action in the face of current global ecological challenges. It calls on Muslims and the broader global community to unite to restore ecological balance and preserve the Earth for future generations.

“Environmentalism is deeply embedded in the veins of Islam. It is about personal behavior and how it manifests itself in our association with others and al …

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