The Failure of Environmental Theology in Muslim Society: A Critical Study of the Relationship between Faith and Environment

Abstract

This article examines the failure of the implementation of environmental theology within Indonesian Muslim society, despite the strong doctrinal foundations in Islam regarding environmental stewardship. Employing a critical qualitative approach through content and discourse analysis of sermons, religious documents, and data from ecologically vulnerable regions, the research finds that Islamic concepts such as khalifah, mizan, and the prohibition of fasad fil ardh have not been effectively internalized in collective social behavior. Several factors contribute to this condition, including formalistic religious interpretations, the limited integration of ecological values within Islamic education, the co-optation of religious institutions by political and economic interests, and the growing dominance of religious capitalism in development narratives. As a result, Islamic environmental theology has not yet functioned as a transformative social force because it remains confined to symbolic discourse and lacks connection with concrete social and environmental movements. The study recommends a contextual revitalization of Islamic environmental theology through action-oriented frameworks capable of linking spiritual principles with sustainable ecological practices.