I think if the question of domestic junk is not resolved in Muslims countries, it is largely because religious authorities don't do their job, which is interpreting the Qoran. As far my formal Muslim friends pretends all answers can be found in the Holy Book, how comes they did not find the answer and put it in action yet?
(Algeria, Cap Bon, Annaba; Cherchell roman site)
I can't believe an Holy Book that makes so much intelligent and hygienic recommendations such as washing hands (ablutions) says nothing about domestic junk, which is a source for parasites propagation and disease contamination.
Hello Fred. I dispute the claim that Islamic religious texts do not address the issue of environmental cleanliness. In a Hadeeth (Prophetic tradition) narrated in the Sahih Al-Bukhair and Sahih- Muslim under the chapter of Faith that removal of harmful objects and trash from the street is the minimum level of faith: " وأدناها إماطة الأذى عن الطريق ". Regrettably, the problem found in many Muslim countries is the ignorance of this aspect of religion. I cannot fault the religious authorities in some of the Muslim countries. For instance, in Saudi Arabia it is part of the Islamic Education curriculum in grade school to keep the country clean. In fact, the religious police also address this issue by distributing literature and speaking to youth. There are large banners in mosques and sermons delivered by Imams on the subject. Here's a short example of one of the highest religious authorities in Saudi Arabia, Shaykh Dr. Salih Al-Luhaydan citing this point in a class in a mosque: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XvclgrfyEw This is another example of one of the Professors and religious scholars discussing this narration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6R5BLJ4nHY
The sad reality is that this behavior is not because of the religion, it is the recent societal changes - as this was very uncommon in the culture in the past.
When I tried to organize an environmental clean-up day for my students in Saudi Arabia, the students were reluctant because they felt that the society would mock them for picking up garbage from the streets. True enough, when they did participate, some children laughed at them but soon joined them.
What is needed is for the society to reconnect with the religious instruction- sadly something that the societies have gone further away from their roots.
I never said the behavior was because of religion, but that religious did not do their job, explaining people how to correct it following your texts. Thanks for the Hadeeth citation. In Algeria, religious scholars seems much occupied with the length and opacity of women's veils. It's a pity that they don't read Qu'ran in order to help country and people to fix a serious junk problem. It is said Arabia Saudi pay them. In Spain, too, we have to fight alone against junk. Townhall & governments pretend not having the money. So we, the people, have to do it by ourselves, picking up junk on the beaches. Afterwards, we make a big fiesta and invite all the island. It works, at least in Formentera, a 20km-long island in the middle of Mediterranean sea.;
Fred Romano, I can't speak to the other Arab Countries as I have only researched and lived in Saudi Arabia, but in Saudi Arabia there is actually a push from religious authorities to educate the people to take social responsibility. I saw a very different attitude in Bahrain where the environment was beautifully kept clean by the government and authorities, albeit through foreign employment. Some of the other countries, like Egypt, really suffer from lack of cleanliness. Sadly, many Asian countries also have similar issues. But to be quite honest, I see similar behavior in San Francisco when it comes to junk
In our very small Formentera island (20km long vs 5km large), junk was invading everything, trees, roads,fields, houses and beaches. Town-hall took concrete measures for collecting selected junk and each family unit have to pay 390euros/year. But on the top of it, every year, when tourists are gone, people organize big popular walks on the beach to collect junk. Because it is a people's problem, it can only be solved by people, by a large and willing population. And it works. The whole environment bettered. A French friend of mine was surprised to see the island so clean, compared to Italy or France. So it's a very good news Islam in Saudi Arabia at least accept one of his main role in society, which is teaching. Also kids have to be taught very young: selecting junk(not real one) as a game. It's important for their future.
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