Reconstructing Ecological Justice: A Maqasidi-Systemic Approach to Qur'anic Hermeneutics

Abstract

The contemporary ecological crisis represents a paradigmatic failure rooted in the anthropocentric worldview that dominates modern civilization. Within the Islamic context, responses to this crisis are often trapped between two extreme poles: scientific apologetics through reductionist Tafsir Ilmi (Scientific Exegesis) and conventional maqasidi approaches that remain confined within the framework of legalistic anthropocentrism. This study proposes a methodological breakthrough through the development of a Maqasidi-Systemic Tafsir Method, which integrates Jasser Auda's systems philosophy with Qur'anic hermeneutics. By operationalizing two main features, al-Idrāk (the cognitive property) and al-Kulliyah (holism), this study successfully deconstructs the epistemological problems in existing approaches and reconstructs the paradigm of Ḥifẓ al-Bī'ah (Environmental Preservation) as a sixth maqāṣid kulliyyah (universal objective). The findings indicate that this systemic approach not only yields a more coherent exegetical methodology for ecological issues but also establishes a theological-ethical foundation for a cosmocentric concept of Qur'anic ecological justice. The implications of the research include a reformulation of the human-nature relationship from a model of domination to one of just stewardship, as well as a significant contribution to global ecotheological discourse from an Islamic perspective.