The declaration “Al-Mizan: A Covenant for the Earth,” organized by Muslim Environmentalists including Prof. Dr. İbrahim Özdemir, Dean of Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, published its April bulletin. The topic for April was olives and olive trees, with the bulletin examining olives and olive trees from religious, cultural, and literary perspectives.
“Environmentalists drew attention to the protection of olive groves”
With the published April 2022 bulletin, environmentalists highlighted the importance of looking at trees, especially olive groves, from a broader perspective, aiming to raise awareness in this field with their articles.
Prof. Dr. Özdemir, expressing his thanks to Bulletin Editors Ali A. Açıkgenç, Bircan Özmen, Mustafa Açıkbaş, Utku Selvan, and İlayda Tüter, stated: “While it is becoming clearer every day that the modern economic understanding is unsustainable, the decision to cut down olive groves for mining, which could lead to the destruction of the ecological balance, must be thoroughly reconsidered. The Quran warns us about the balance in the ecosystem by saying, ‘Do not transgress the balance’ (55:8). Thoughtlessly plucking a tree, a leaf, or killing an insect just because one feels like it is not ethical on this planet where ‘everything is created with great measure and balance.’ We invite you to ponder the divine command in all its depth: Think about the olive!”