GREEN JIHAD TRANSFORMASI PERAN KHALIFAH DALAM GERAKAN AKTIVISME LINGKUNGAN KONTEMPORER

Abstract

The global ecological crisis, characterized by climate change,
deforestation, environmental pollution, biodiversity loss, and the
excessive exploitation of natural resources, cannot be understood
solely as the consequence of technical, economic, or
unsustainable developmental factors. More fundamentally, it
reflects a profound crisis of modern human spirituality, marked
by the loss of transcendental consciousness and ethical
orientation in humanity’s relationship with nature. The
anthropocentric paradigm that places human beings as the
absolute center and master of the natural world has fostered
exploitative practices that neglect the Qur’anic principles of
balance (mīzān), trust (amānah), and stewardship (khilāfah).
This article aims to examine the concept of Green Jihad as a
transformation of the role of the khalifah within contemporary
environmental activism through a thematic (mawḍū‘ī)
interpretation of Qur’anic verses concerning stewardship, trust,
balance, and the prohibition of corruption and destruction on
earth (fasād fī al-arḍ). Employing a qualitative library research
method, this study integrates Qur’anic exegesis, Islamic ecotheology,
and the framework of maqāṣid al-sharī‘ah. The
findings reveal that the Qur’anic concept of khilāfah
encompasses both theological and ecological responsibilities,
positioning human beings as guardians and custodians of
environmental sustainability. From the perspective of maqāṣid
al-sharī‘ah, environmental preservation constitutes an essential
effort to ensure intergenerational sustainability (ḥifẓ al-nasl) and
to promote the common good (jalb al-maṣlaḥah al-‘āmmah).
Accordingly, Green Jihad may be understood as an ethical and
spiritual struggle to maintain ecological balance, prevent
environmental degradation, and foster a sustainable civilization.
Therefore, Green Jihad offers an eco-theological paradigm that
integrates spirituality, moral responsibility, and ecological
activism as a practical manifestation of humanity’s role as God’s
vicegerent on earth.