The Effect Of Religion On The Process Of Sustainable Development Economy (In Terms Of Thrift)

The Effect Of Religion On The Process Of Sustainable Development Economy (In Terms Of Thrift)

Mehmet , Masum Ocak

In this study, we have tried to emphasize that from the perspective of sustainable development economy, the factor of religion affects communal incidents in our social life.Since religion, a need for a person, who is a member of a community, presents itself as a reality of a society as well. Sustainable development aims at protecting and exploiting natural resources in the most effective way. The concept of sustainable development put forward with no hesitation entails its implementation in all societies throughout the world and requires governments to take responsibilities for this matter. Sustainable development gives priority to a person’s health, happiness and adaptation to his environment. It is out of question to separate or isolate religion, one of the most prominent features of life forms, from the social, cultural or economic dynamics of a community. Our religion, Islam, which regards happiness of individuals and societies as essential in the world and hereafter, sets rules to live our lives in harmony and in a well-balanced way. It also orders us to sensibly spend what we have earned according to the limits of thrift. Everyone is going to be asked to answer the questions of how he made a living, where and how he spent it. While spending his money, he is required to take his needs, instead of his wills, into consideration and not to spend too much or waste it by staying away from any extreme expenditure. Apart from the warning against spending on the areas forbidden by the religion, there is insistence on being thrifty and frugal. Extravagance/waste is one of the most serious dangers that a sustainable development economy can ever confront. Since as an outcome of waste, individuals and naturally communities will start to lose all the facilities and things they have already possessed, and face the challenges and deprivations ensued from their absence. They will turn out to be a dependent population. Today, while people are starving in many parts of the world, it is hard even to state the limits of the waste that some of us have caused. We should not neglect that we can make use of our religion’s, Islam’s, orders and prohibitions in order to stop waste and encourage to be frugal in the work process of sustainable development economy. We have tried to explain in detail the hadiths, our Prophet’s statements, and verses which are the essential references of our religion. Keywords: Thrift, Religion, Verse, Hadith, Sustainable Development, Waste

Conference or Workshop Item
PeerReviewed

2012-05-31

1341