Identifying the Dimensions of Environmental Ethics in Islamic Jurisprudence: A Qualitative Thematic Content Analysis

Abstract

The present study aims to identify and conceptualize the dimensions of environmental ethics within Islamic jurisprudential texts using a qualitative content analysis approach. Canonical Shi'a jurisprudential sources such as the works of Shahid Thani, Allama Hilli, and Imam Khomeini were analyzed. Data were examined using a hybrid deductive-inductive thematic analysis. The findings revealed five major dimensions of environmental ethics in Islamic law: “Prohibition of Corruption on Earth,” “Rights of Non-Human Creatures,” “Intergenerational Justice,” “Stewardship of Nature,” and “Collective Environmental Responsibility.” This study contributes to the expansion of ethical-jurisprudential frameworks in response to contemporary environmental crises.