Indonesia is rich in natural resources with a less than perfect record of managing them. Debates about environmentalism in Indonesia naturally focus on politics, decision-making and organizations. But the idea of integrating environmentalist practices into Islam is new. As one of the largest Muslim countries in the world, something is missing if we fail to ask what the Muslim community thinks about environmental issues - conservation, exploitation and everything in between. This question has become the focus of my research for the last few months.
In my efforts to follow this "Eco Islam" movement in Indonesia, as people call it, I found myself sitting with ten Australian journalists around bowls of cassava chips and sambal in a forest in Bantul, Yogyakarta. We listened to Nashruddin thank us for visiting his brainchild, the Ilmogiri pesan trend, and motioned for us to begin eating.
We were all there to learn about the Islamic approach to envionmentalism in Indonesia, and Nashruddin is a man who is embracing this kind of approach. Islamic boarding schools in Indonesia are called Pesantren, and most are affiliated with one of two Islamic organizations, Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiya. But Nashruddin brought environmental education to this village with his own kind of pesantren, one based on culture and the environment. He calls it the Ilmogiri Pesan Trend, and it sits on a 70 hectar lot of hutan santri (protected forest).
Nashruddin's phrase "pesan trend" comes from pesantren. In indonesian language, pesan means message and trend is the trend that’s happening. He believes that he is following in the prophet Mohammad’s steps by delivering a message to the people. But, he is using the current context. He is not delivering his message conventionally, and he wants his idea to become a trend. The Ilmogiri Pesan Trend is not only a place where people from the community can come to pray and practice Islam, it is also a place to learn about conservation and have intellectual, inter-faith discussions. Participation only requires donating a book or a tree. Nashruddin often invites religious leaders of other faiths to join.
When asked for specific examples about the Islamic approach to environmentalism, Nashruddin replied with a unique idea. "When a couple gets married", he says confidently, "they should plant 20 trees on the day of their ceremony. They should then each plant one tree after every time they have intercourse. It's like an investment for their family. When their children grow old, the trees' value will increase and the environment will stay healthy for their grandchildren".
Other than the clearly educational component, Nashruddin began this pesantren with economical and ecological intentions. He encourages community members to buy a tree for 50,000 Rp (about $5) and to let it grow for ten years before cutting it down. After ten years the tree is worth more than 1,000,000 Rp (about $100). When they sell it, 40% of the profits go to the owner, 40% to a community microfinance fund and 20% to the forest managament and maintenance. In ten years time, the tree grows more leaves and roots that soak up carbon and water respectively.
Not only is this project an example of a Muslim community's approach to natural resource management and economic empowerment, it's also an example of the importance of informal education. Proud of his project's success, Nashruddin says to me "And you know, even students from Gadjah Mada University (Indonesia's top University) come here to learn what they can't learn in class". He's refering to his educational approach at the pesantren, where he focuses on leadership and takes people to the forest to learn about and build an appreciation for the community's symbiotic relationship with the environment. He says it's about helping the community find a balance between profiting from their natural environment and replenishing it.
For every person commited to change and social improvement, there is a history and a reason behind their motivation. When I asked Nashruddin about why he felt passionate to start this project, he referred to the Qur'an. "My last prophet Muhammad told me: if tomorrow is the last day and you have a handful of dates, you are obligated to plant them. Muslims are serious about that and we are taught not to exploit". Nashruddin's success is his keen insight into his culture. He realizes that environment and culture are related so he brings the message through a culturally specific context, in a way that reflects Islamic beliefs and values. This approach is meaningful to the community and more sustainable because of it.
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