The Transformation of Religious Rituals towards Environmental Awareness

Journal: Jurnal Lentera Insani

Publication: 2026-06-16

DOI: 10.65586/jli.v2i1.69

Abstract

Environmental awareness is not merely an adaptation of religious practices in response to the ecological crisis, but rather an epistemological and ethical struggle that challenges the anthropocentric dominance within Muslim religiosity. This study aims to analyse how Islamic religious ritual practices can serve as a medium for the internalisation and realisation of environmental awareness. This study employs a qualitative approach using an interpretative case study design, chosen for its ability to explore in depth the process of transforming the meaning and practice of Islamic religious rituals within the context of environmental awareness, which is both contextual and complex. The findings challenge the established assumption that Islamic religious rituals are neither static nor immune to change. Rather, it possesses transformative potential to reconstruct the relationship between humanity and nature, grounded in theological values oriented towards sustainability. Within this framework, the ecological crisis is understood not merely as an external issue, but also as a reflection of the failure to actualise religious ethics in the lives of the faithful. Consequently, ritual transformation becomes vital for integrating spiritual piety with ecological responsibility, whilst positioning Islam as a force capable of offering an alternative paradigm, grounded in the sacredness of nature, in response to global environmental challenges.