Inspired by her faith to be friend to the earth

By Patricia Lane & Iman Berry 

These in-their-own-words pieces are told to Patricia Lane and co-edited with input from the interviewee for the purpose of brevity.

Iman Berry is inspired by her Islamic faith to energize others to care for the planet.

This 22-year-old Western University business and political science student from Windsor, Ont., co-founded Green Ummah to create an ecological movement for Canadian Muslims and to educate others about climate action.

Tell us about your project.

When I volunteered with the Canadian Muslim Vote initiative in the federal and municipal elections, we heard a lot of concern about climate change and the environment from Muslims. They wanted more information about how they can help, in part because our faith requires us to care for our planet. In 2020, I co-founded Green Ummah, which translates loosely as “Green Muslims coming together”, to help meet that need.

We worked with teachers and scientists to design a school-based curriculum that offers teachers both a faith-based and secular approach. Nature Canada provides funding for any class to take a field trip to a nearby natural area, where the children meet with a naturalist. The curriculum emphasizes Indigenous teachings and encourages leadership by having students design and implement a project to make a difference. In 2021, we reached about 100 kids. This spring, we will reach almost 500, in both public and Islamic schools.

Green Ummah was also active in the last municipal elections, educating social media audiences about the role municipalities can play in protecting the environment.

We run a competition awarding prizes for the best blogs that imagine a better future. We have also given presentations in mosques.

How else have you been involved?

I participated in Nature Canada’s “Nature on the Hill” and met with members of Parliament to ask for rapid action on climate change. When I asked why support for the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion continues in the face of climate change and huge costs, one MP explained that many Canadians are not yet ready to live without fossil fuels. This made my work at Green Ummah seem even more relevant.

Tell us about your background.

My parents believe they have a faith-based obligation to make their voices heard when there is injustice and to give their time and energy to help others less fortunate. When they went to a rally or joined others to feed hungry people, they took me and my sister with them.

In high school, I volunteered in my member of Parliament’s office. MP Brian Masse showed me that politicians can make a big difference for ordinary people. I invited him to speak at our mosque and since then, politicians have been regular guests. This helps people know who to turn to when they have a problem and to put a face on decision-makers. Since I saw the movie The Day After Tomorrow, I have been alive to the reality of the need to protect our futures. Green Ummah is a way to help others see that, too.

What makes your work hard?

Decision-makers seem too willing to settle for half-measures to create the impression that they care. But the reality is that the entire business model must change if we are to keep our planet cool enough for a decent future. An oil company might green its production process but if it is still producing oil, it is contributing to catastrophe. As a business student, it is challenging to imagine how we can have a fashion industry if we intend to produce fewer clothes.

What gives you hope?

Everywhere I go, I see people of all ages involved and engaged. None of us is alone.

What do you see if we get this right?

When we have figured out how to live well within the Earth’s capacity, we will be so much better able to solve the other crises.

What would you like to say to other young people?

You might feel like your idea doesn’t matter but the truth is that it does. We need everyone. You will get more done if you join an organization that supports your talents.

What about older readers?

Climate change is affecting you right now where you live but it will affect my generation more than it will ever affect you. Your actions now matter to our future.

This piece was originally published on Canada’s National Observer on May 29th, 2023.

How I Became a Chicken Farmer

By Bahaar Luhar

Bahaar Luhar and her family own an organic chicken farm called Chicken Thika Farm.  They are the first small scale farm in Ontario to be certified organic and certified halal. An Aerospace Engineer by profession, she was an experienced retail banker before deciding to start her own farm. Let us read her story in her own words:

Coming to Canada

I was born in Nairobi, Kenya – third generation of a huge East Indian community raised in East Africa. My great-grandparents, and so many families, immigrated from the deserts of Buj, Kutch in India – to help build the big railway line in Africa. My father worked at a local private airport in Nairobi – a huge influence for me. As a young widow my mother made the difficult choice to immigrate to Canada with three young kids in tow. Education was the main goal and purpose behind the huge sacrifice we made, leaving the comfort of our community. I was raised dreaming of getting my pilots license – in fact the first birthday cake I remember had a plane on it . Unfortunately my eyesight excluded me from being able to fly.

Becoming an Aerospace Engineer

I pursued my dream by completing my bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from Ryerson Polytechnic University. In our families success typically meant studying law, medicine or engineering; my sister who completed her education in alternate medicine as a naturopathic doctor – was another influence on me. Along the way I worked in many different places from the age of 13 : Baskin Robbins, Los Rios, delivering newspapers, working in a bakery, at a hairstylist assistant, summer jobs at a pharmaceutical company; selling make-up for Mary Kay; and tele fundraising while in university. After university I worked as a process engineer for an arm of the automotive manufacturer -Magna International. I programmed laser machines to cut metal, wood, plastic: everything from jewelry to the holes in the titanium de-icing tubes for Boeing planes. I was thrilled to be able to design and build my own candle-holders for my wedding.

Becoming a Banker

After my first child it was difficult to re-enter the workforce in my chosen field of study. My need to stay close to family narrowed my options further. I was able to work part-time at call centers because of the skillset I picked up during university. I joined a financial institution, 5 minutes from home, for what I thought would be a couple months until I went back into engineering. It will be almost 20 years since I joined the bank. The roles I have had the opportunity to enjoy include sales, leadership, intrapreneurship. I have been recognized for leading nationally in customer service, digital education, diversity & inclusion. You would think that my career was set at that point. This is when when life threw me and my family an unexpected opportunity and the best role of all.

Searching for Organic Halal Chickens

Let’s take a few steps back – Back in 1987 when we first came to Canada – it was difficult to find halal meat let alone organic or pasture-raised meat. We had to share a car and plan a shopping trip with 3-4 families to Knob Hill Farms. Fast forward 25 years – my husband, our 3 boys and myself have been living in rural southwestern Ontario for the past 17 years. In this beautiful countryside where there is no shortage of farms, we couldn’t find anyone to do halal slaughter. We were unaware that the meat that is certified both halal and organic comes from Quebec – that doesn’t make sense when we have access to local farms and can reduce our carbon footprint transporting meat within the province. Also that there are only 2 stores in Ontario that carry organic meat. We noticed a gap in organic, pasture-raised meat that was hand slaughtered and realized we could fill the gap. So we decided to give it a try and start with chickens – and here we are 4 years later. Proud to share we are the first small-scale family-farm in Ontario to be certified organic and certified halal. Probably the best decision ever for our family. While my husband and boys did the labor intense work – I set out to work on sales, marketing and client experience. It was an amazing opportunity to use my love of photography. At one point my mom asked me to please send pics of her grandkids because I only shared pics of chickens!

My Journey as a Farmer

When I came to Canada, among other dreams, I thought we would live in a farm – and my dream came true – I have definitely converted from being a city girl to a country girl :). I am very blessed to have been able to experience and learn all that I have over the last few years . We continue to learn and share our experiences – for example how to grow and store garlic, as well as tomatoes. Pasture-raised means we only raise chickens from April – September. Challenges include trying to keep our flock protected from predators and the elements. This year biosecurity became important with the avian flu. We ensure to keep up with audit requirements for Chicken Farmers of Ontario, Halal Monitoring Authority and CSI Organic Standards. We care for our animals and make sure we are producing highest quality for our customers. Even though it has been the toughest experience, raising chickens with my family has turned out to be the most rewarding experience. It keeps us close to nature, to reflect on the bounties of Allah and His blessings all around us. There’s no better feeling than producing food that you have grown with your own hard work and seeing the impact it has on families. We have had amazing feedback about the difference in taste – we have noticed that even our family, including 3 teenage boys, eat less but better quality meat and very filling. We enjoy spending time talking to customers about what we do and learning from them at our local farmer’s market. We encourage people to find out more about where their food comes from and “Meet Their Farmer” Saturdays at the Mount Forest Farmer’s Market – which runs all summer – and drop by the farm for a visit after. Our business continues to expand as the community learns about us all over the province. We now have regular clients in Ottawa, London, Mississauga and GTAA – we deliver all across Ontario as far as North Bay. We are partnering with other farmers to meet the demand for other meats such as goat, lamb and beef that meet standards of organic, pasture raised and halal hand slaughter. The last 2 years we have sold out and have had customers wait for the new season when the first crop comes in.

Final Thoughts

We discuss often at the dinner table the need to have an education and how many marriage ads contain the word BA or MA educated. To me education is only as good as it’s application. When I think about my background and where I ended up it may not look like a straight line. My degree is called the most expensive piece of paper in our house. When you think about how much time it took to accomplish that – the lesson is learning never stops – from the cradle to the grave. I believe in exposing our children to a variety of experiences so they can tap into natural talents and build a career based on their passions. I prioritize over any degree how we treat each other – family, neighbors, community and our fellow Muslims. Manners, trust and class are very important – and education that will build a foundation for your future is something no one can take away from you – and it certainly has earned the respect of people around me. The ultimate is if you are able to establish yourself in a career that combines Deen and Duniya without compromise. I believe in expressing out loud to the universe what you want and then accepting with open arms what God gives you in blessings. There is nothing that cannot be accomplished without prayer, vision and rolling up your sleeves to get to work. I thank God for guiding us this entire journey and look forwards to how it unfolds. Thank you all for your continuous support and encouragement – Here’s to continuous learning, lifting each other up and being part of a healthy, wealthy ummah:)

About the Author

Bahaar has a B. Eng from Toronto Metropolitan University. She managed high-performing teams in retail banking – recognized nationally for customer service. Bahaar is passionate about health, wealth and family and works with entrepreneurs, specializing in agriculture, who are looking to scale up. Visit her website at www.chickenthikafarm.com

This piece was originally published on MuslimMoms.ca on August 14, 2022.

Islamic Principles in Dealing with the Environment

By Riad Galil

Born and raised in Cairo of the Mu’ez (Old quarters of Cairo), I found myself surrounded by remnants of a glorious past.

My extended family and I used to gather on the rooftop of our home to have our usual meals. Both the Qalawun complex (a school, hospital, mosque and mausoleum) and Barquq mosque command the landscape around us.

These structures were established by the Mamluks in the middle ages. The Mamluk architectures in old Cairo reflect many devices that tend to effectively blend the built environment with the natural surroundings using some natural phenomena to improve the built environment. Such improvements helped to reflect the Islamic heritage.

The key to understanding the Islamic influence on the environment is the full appreciation of the Islamic concepts of God, the role of man on earth, and the role of the natural environment.

On the other hand, it is man who impacts the environment more than any other creature of God. Seyyed Hossein Nasr who is considered as the ‘founding father of Islamic eco-theology’, argues that “in the old days man had to be saved from nature, today nature must be saved from man in both peace and war”.

Islamic teachings provide a blueprint for an ecological sustainability that is workable and ethical. When we look at the amount of deforestation, soil erosion, water and air pollution and toxic waste in the majority Muslim countries, we find that Muslim communities are sometimes worse than many advanced nations in the world.

They tend to import inappropriate technologies to resolve local environmental issues. They overlook traditionally appropriate practices that were prompted by their Islamic teachings, and hence unnecessarily create difficulties and hazards.

The Muslim Mamluks have employed some ecological measures that enabled them to introduce a number of environmentally friendly measures to improve their built environments. Their attitude was dictated by their belief in Islamic ethics.

The environment holds a huge potential that man may wisely use for his benefit and other inhabitants of our earth making certain that enough resources for future generations were secured.

Muslims need to be aware of their environmental heritage so that they would both reap the benefits in this life and be rewarded in the Hereafter as they would have fulfilled their obligations as vicegerents of God on earth.

The primary sources of Islam; the Qur’an and the Sunna of the Prophet, contain many injunctions aiming at guiding the Muslim’s activities in this life so that on the one hand he/she would fulfil their obligations towards their God and on the other hand they would enjoy a good and healthy life with a promise of even better rewards in the Hereafter.

Qur’anic verses describing nature and natural phenomena outnumber verses dealing with commandments and sacraments. Some 750 verses, or one-eighth of the Book, exhort believers to reflect on nature, to study the relationship between living organisms and their environment, to make the best use of reason and to maintain the balance and proportion God has built into His creation.

The Qur’an and Sunna stipulate some principles that affect man’s attitude towards the environment. Fitra (initial state of creation), tawhid (Unity of God), khilafa (vicegerency), mizan (balance), and hikma (wisdom) are some important concepts that seem to lay the pathway for Muslims as they deal with their environments.

Fitra (The Creation) Principle

God created man as part of the primordial nature (fitra) of His creation [Qur’an 30:29]. Fitra is the intrinsic goodness in everything created by God. Man’s role is defined by that patterning . . . and the conscious expression of this rests with humankind.

Tawhid (The Unity of God) Principle

Muslims believe in one undividable God who has no partner nor does anyone or anything may resemble. Tawhid implies the unity and the equality of all God’s creation who should strive to mutually benefit one another. God considers every type of creation, particularly in the animal world, as nations much like human nations.

The Qur’an also emphasises the concept of the unity of God in many surahs (Qur’anic verses) indicating the supremacy of Almighty God over all of creation and that most creation willingly prostrate themselves to the will of God

Khilafa (The Responsibility) Principle

The Qur’an and the Sunna combine to remind mankind of their responsibilities towards maintaining and caring for the environment. God has created man to be His khalifa (vicegerent) on earth.

Such prerogative carries with it a heavy responsibility. Humans are “responsible for maintaining the unity of all God’s creation, the integrity of the earth, its flora and fauna, its wildlife and natural environment. As representatives of God on earth, Muslims should effectively preserve and care for the environment in order to protect God’s creation.

Mizan (The Balance) Principle

As God has created all things in quantified amounts, balance is required to maintain equity between species and their environments. The concept of balance draws the attention that moderation is required to maintain the balance in nature.

Violating the balance in nature has serious consequences. The destruction of the environment causes a severe imbalance in nature.

Hikma (The wisdom) Principle

“He giveth wisdom unto whom He will, and he unto whom wisdom is given, he truly hath received abundant good” [Qur’an 2: 269].

Undoubtedly wisdom is necessary for the right judgements to be passed so that future impacts of today’s decisions would perhaps be minimised.

The five main principles for humans to deal with their environments named above, Fitra, tawhid, khilafa, mizan and hikma represent the Qur’anic plan for the relation between man and the environment.

Each creation should be guaranteed respect and the right to live in security and dignity.

“Our God, the Creator, they said, is He Who gave form, shape and features to every entity. He created and vested each entity with its qualities and attributes which guide each creature to its inherent role in life” [Qur’an 20:50],

The Qur’an asserts the universality of creation that would place every creation as an important contributor into the overall functioning of life on earth as we know it. God determined that

“Everything, spiritual, animates and inanimate We create according to plan indicating the relations of objects to one another” [Qur’an 54:49].

The books of sirah are full of teachings pertaining to the good use of the environmental resources and other measures to help in maintaining the balance of nature. The Prophet advised his followers to restrict their consumption of the earth’s resources to their immediate needs without causing any waste. In a hadith the Prophet of Islam reprimanded one of his close Companions for using excessive amounts of water for their ablution.

Muslims should be thrifty in the use of the earth’s resources even if resources were abundant. The Muslim should consume enough amounts to meet his/ her needs and then think of ways to recourse the surplus to those in the world who may need it.  The concern for a lot of other humans is so much ingrained into the Muslim’s psyche that the rewards for kind and charitable actions are highly rewarded by Almighty God in both this life and in the Hereafter.

In pursuit of conserving the environment, the Qur’an issues clear and unambiguous instructions dealing with the conservation of land animals. Almighty God has decreed in the Qur’an that “The calendar introduced by God . . . divides the year into twelve months, four of which are sacred” [Qur’an 9:36].

These four months were further elaborated in Suratul Ma’eda (The table).

“Nor are you permitted to engage in the chase (killing) of wild animals or game”, while you are on pilgrimage –major or minor- (in the sacred months). God ordains what He will” [Qur’an 5:1].

For four months every year (three of which are consecutive and one stands alone), Muslims are not permitted, by order of God, to hunt land game.

Such halt of killing the land game would allow the animals a chance to rejuvenate and multiply so that its numbers would not dwindle or even become instinct as the situation is today with so many species disappearing from the face of the earth after extensive harvesting by people.

Mr Riad Galil OAM is Senior Imam at West Heidelberg Mosque and Chaplain both at RMIT University, City Campus as well as Deakin University, Burwood campus. Married with four children and nine grandchildren, he is based in Melbourne.

This article originally appeared on AMUST on February 27th, 2019.

Can The Halal Industry Contribute to a Better Environment?

By Latifa Saber 

Many often link the halal industry to the food industry, but what a lot of people miss is that ‘halal’ goes way further than that. When we think about halal we mostly think about the slaughter process that is different for Muslims, but we seem to forget that it doesn’t stop there. Depending on what industry we’re talking about, the halal rules can differ. A main guideline when it comes to halal is that it should be good for humans, animals and the environment. What’s really interesting is that many of these ‘halal – rules’ are very respectable and could change many things that are quite harmful to our environment today.

Let’s take a look at the beauty industry for example and think about how halal is implemented when it comes to manufacturing cosmetics.  Halal beauty and personal care goes way further than banning pork derivatives from the products and having halal financial services. When we’re speaking of halal beauty we have to make sure that the products don’t own any pesticides. But that’s not all; besides the ingredient list the halal beauty sector also focuses on the manufacturing. This means that the environment and the people who work on the cosmetics are not to be forgotten. It is highly recommended to manufacture products locally, which reduces the effect on the environment. Also fair trade is a must! Exploitation of production workers is definitely a no-go. Last but not least: The creation of halal beauty products needs to be free from any type of animal cruelty.

So we’re talking about banning pesticides, stopping the exploiting of working forces, and fair-trade, all these standards are exactly what many environmental activists are pleading for these days. So what if these halal guidelines were a standard for all industries? Could this be an optimal solution for the many problems that live in the industry these days? Think of sweatshops exploiting workforces in third world countries, the use of pesticides or the abuse of animals to manufacture products.

The ideal answer would obviously be yes, but of course it isn’t that easy. Even though the standards are high when it comes to the halal guidelines, many of these industries lack a standardized approach, which makes it really hard to control it. And unfortunately there’s also this strange feeling towards halal products by some non-Muslims who still see it as some kind of Muslim hocus-pocus

But maybe being more open about it and having more transparency into the halal industry would get rid of these problems, which could lead to more industries applying these guidelines. Because if we look at the way our environment is often treated these days, it really screams for a new way of doing things. More specific it screams for a way in which we can enjoy products without exploiting people, abusing animals or disrespecting our planet.

This article originally appeared on mvslim on July 24th, 2017. 

From Asthma to Zika: UNEP tackles links between health and environment

Skin cancer. Lung cancer. Asthma. Lead poisoning. Mercury poisoning. Malaria. Ebola. Zika. The list of health conditions that can be linked to environmental pollution and degradation is long and growing.

Speaking to a packed room of international delegates on Wednesday morning, UN Environment Programme Executive Director Achim Steiner stressed that the links between health and environment are fundamental, and that international action can have a profound impact.

"The spread of Zika, just as with Ebola, has sent a strong signal to the international community that there is a need for increased attention to the linkages between environment and health," he said. "There is a growing awareness that humans, through their intervention in the environment, play a vital role in exacerbating or mitigating health risks."

Mr. Steiner was addressing UNEP's Committee of Permanent Representatives (CPR), a group of 300 delegates representing over 140 countries and major groups. The CPR is meeting at UNEP's Nairobi headquarters this week to prepare for the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA), the world's highest-level decision-making body on the environment, which will convene at the end of May.

In his remarks, Steiner cited data from the World Health Organization (WHO), which has found that 23 per cent of all premature deaths around the world can be attributed to environmental factors. Among children, that figure rises to 36 per cent.

"Every year, nearly 7 million people die because they are exposed to indoor and outdoor air pollution, from power generation, cookstoves, transportation, industrial furnaces, wildfires, or other causes," Steiner said.

"We are eating into an ecological infrastructure that not only sustains us, but protects us. The fallout from the footprint of human activity in the 21st century seems to grow every year."

Mr. Steiner also pointed out that more than 2 billion people live in water-stressed areas, 1,000 children die every day from water-borne diseases, and 42 million life years are lost every year due to natural disasters.

There is strong evidence that international action to protect the environment can have strong, positive impacts on human health. Thanks to the Montreal Protocol, which took effect in 1989, nearly 100 substances that deplete the ozone layer have been removed from circulation. Because of that progress, some 2 million cases of skin cancer will be prevented before 2030. And the removal of lead from fuel is already preventing over 1 million premature deaths each year.

UNEP - in partnership with the World Health Organization, the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions and the Montreal Protocol - is preparing a report entitled Healthy Environment, Healthy People that will explore how the environment impacts human health. The report will be launched at UNEA, where it will be the subject of a discussion among ministers on the implementation of the environmental dimension of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. The Agenda and its 17 goals were adopted in September by 193 Member States, and lay out a pathway for sustainable development. The goals integrate the social, economic and environmental concerns of development.

A healthy environment presents opportunities for a healthier society, and it brings economic benefits as well. The phase out of ozone-depleting CFCs should result in a cumulative $1.8 trillion in global health benefits by 2060. Eliminating lead in gasoline on a global scale will boost global GDP by an estimated 4 per cent. And the return on investment in water and sanitation services is between $5 and $28 per dollar invested.