Mottainai Ethics and the Sustainability of Our World

Abstract

The International Seminar on Islam and Green Technology, held on 16 November 2016 at IAIS Malaysia, suggested that a considerable gap exists between the ideals of Islamic teachings on environmental protection and the realities of the practices of Muslim individuals and communities. Many speakers therefore proposed that we should ‘change’ our consumption and production behaviours in accordance with the normative teachings of the Qur’an and hadith, which emphasise mankind’s accountability and responsibility towards maintaining balance and harmony in what Allah the Almighty has created. Here I would like to introduce the Japanese ethical concept of ‘mottainai’ in the hope that it can contribute to further discussions on the sustainability of our world.