Profile: Green Deen Author Ibrahim Abdul-Matin

Image via Elan Magazine

Time to profile another Green Muslim- and this time it’s the guy who recently revealed that the Ground Zero Mosque is going to be Green!

I think it’s great to recognize the work Green Muslims are doing worldwide and this Brooklyn Brother is an inspiring environmental community organiser with alot of wisdom to offer. Ibrahim Abdul-Matin,  author of ‘Green Deen: What Islam Teaches about Protecting the Planet’, spoke to Elan about his Muslim-American activism and the interview highlights are below!

elan: When did you start working as an environmentalist?

IA: I’ve always been involved in environmentalism. That’s been a driving force throughout my entire life. I’ve worked with Outward Bound,  I was a director of youth programs at Prospect Park in Brooklyn and I’ve lead outdoor adventure tours in the woods.

This is just an opportunity for me to take the three sides of me – the social justice part of me, the environmentalist part of me, and then the Muslim part into one sort of tightly woven expression of what’s happening today.

elan: You’ve just recently finished your first book, “Green Deen” a nonfiction work due out in the fall. Tell us about the book. Why Muslims and environmentalism?

IA: The book is made up of stories about Americans that are Muslims who are doing sustainability work around the country. It’s a way to highlight the fact that we all have a responsibility to protect the planet and Muslims are no different. Muslims have a unique tradition where science is not separate.

Science and religion mix in Islam, so we’re not having a debate about whether climate change is real or not. Because there’s actually evidence in the Quran that humans can negatively impact the planet and it’s our responsibility to protect the planet.

At its core, the basic argument is that as Muslims it is our responsibility on earth to praise Allah, to protect the planet and to protect and support one another. At its core, Islam is a very humanist religion. Allah doesn’t necessarily need anything from us, but we need stuff from each other.

Part of “Green Deen” is just showing human beings that are Muslim and that are involved in sustainability works and are involved with protecting the planet.

For more information see the entire article on Elan Magazine or check out Brother Ibrahim’s blog Brooklyn Bedouin.

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