IN Malaysia, we often see cars with stickers proclaiming "Little Khalifah on Board" or just one word "Khalifah."
The term khalifah occurs in verses 2:30 and 38:26 — and its plural form khalaif in 6:165, 10:14, 10:73 and 35:39 — of the Quran.
Another plural form of khalifah is khulafaa, which appears in 7:69, 7:74, and 27:62 of the Quran.
The Arabic word "khalifah" is variously translated as vicegerent, viceregent, deputy, steward, successor or representative.
As this Quranic term signifies, each human being is created as God's vicegerent and is entrusted with the responsibility of "upholding the harmony of the universe" and preserving the earth.
That is to say, human beings are God-designated guardians of the earth.
They have the agency and delegated duty to look after the physical world and its flora and fauna, as God Himself would.
They are required to establish a sense of connectedness with nature, which in turn provides for them.
This is a trust that God has placed on humanity.
God has also granted human beings free will, a special status among all creatures and the power to make use of the environment.
Therefore, they are supposed to use their talent to take care of the environment and not abuse or vandalise it.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) exhorts: "Show mercy to those on earth, and He Who is in heaven will show mercy to you."
His concern about the flora and fauna is expressed in the following statement attributed to him: "If the Hour (the day of Resurrection) is about to be established and one of you is holding a palm shoot, let him take advantage of even one second, before the Hour is established, to plant it."
He is reported to have said: "If a Muslim plants a tree or sows seeds, and then a bird, or a person or an animal eats from it, it is regarded as sadaqah (a charitable act) for him."
The above hadiths emphasise the need for protecting the earth from pollution and misuse and for being kind and compassionate to the environment and surrounding communities, both human and nonhuman.
In other words, Islam stresses the responsibility of human beings to look after the environment, preserve its resources from attrition and maintain its sustainability.
Are human beings looking after this planet and the environment?
The Quran regards all human beings — believers and nonbelievers, Muslims and non-Muslims — as God's vicegerents.
Those who do not believe in the Quran may not take its precepts seriously but they still may develop concern about the environment and the willingness to be environment-friendly on moral grounds.
In this essay, I am concerned about those who profess to belong to Islam and to follow the teachings of the Quran and the sunnah (instructions of Prophet Muhammad).
More specifically, I want to discuss whether or not pious and practising Muslims appreciate the importance of, and bother about, looking after the earth.
Generally, the religiosity of Muslims becomes more pronounced and visible during Ramadan.
But does their religious commitment relate to their responsibility of looking after the planet?
Unfortunately, what I have seen during Ramadan does not give me a high opinion of Muslims' consciousness of their responsibility as God's vicegerents.
Nor does it lead me to believe that they understand the true significance of ibadah (worship or submission to God), especially sawm (fasting).
First, a significant increase in food waste is noticed among Muslims during Ramadan.
Where does the (avoidable) wasted food go and what are its impact on resources and the environment?
It goes from the dining table to the trash bin, and from there to landfill sites to generate harmful greenhouse gases.
Food waste causes the emission of methane, which contributes to global warming, air and environmental pollution and other problems, all of which harm our planet and its inhabitants. Needless to say, it spreads diseases.
Second, during and outside Ramadan, I have seen Muslims, both devout and non-observant, using one-time plastic water bottles and then leaving them on tables or rubbish bins.
I have also seen people opening plastic water bottles only to take a few sips of water and then wasting the bottles and their water content.
It is common knowledge that plastic bottles decompose slowly and hence cause environmental pollution.
Mountains of plastic bottles are dumped in open landfills, which pose environmental risks.
Plastic bottles and other plastic containers pollute lands and waters and harm the environment.
There is growing concern about the tonnes of plastic bottles, which can be avoided if people carry their own reusable water bottles.
As God's vicegerents and followers of Islam, Muslims are supposed to be at the forefront of looking after our planet and be role models for others.
Unfortunately, the dining behaviour of many Muslims and their irresponsible use of plastic bottles and containers do not suggest that they are the true vicegerents of God on earth.
Their insensitivity to the harmful effects of their actions also forms a poor impression about their understanding of their religion, its scripture and the sunnah of the Prophet.
It is true that huge industries have evolved to cater to people's demand for plastic bottles and other avoidable plastic products.
However, that should not be used as an excuse to continue and proliferate their use at the expense of our planet and the environment.
There must be better ways to create jobs and to ensure economic growth without harming the environment.
* The writer teaches English and postcolonial literature at International Islamic University Malaysia. He can be reached at mmhasan@iium.edu.my