Islamic Ecotheology and Law No. 17/2019: Towards Sustainable Water Governance in Indonesia

Abstrak

The escalating global water crisis represents one of the most critical challenges to ecological justice, particularly in developing nations where environmental degradation intersects with weak governance and moral decline. In this context, Indonesia’s Law No. 17 of 2019 on Water Resources provides a significant legal framework for sustainable water management but lacks integration with ethical and spiritual dimensions. This article examines the intersection of Islamic ecotheology and environmental law through the Qur’anic principle of Mīzān (balance) as a moral foundation for ecological justice. It argues that legal mechanisms alone cannot resolve the crisis without theological and ethical awareness. Using a qualitative-normative method and thematic hermeneutic analysis, the study interprets Qur’anic concepts of Mīzān, Amanah (trust), and Fasād (corruption) alongside tafsir literature, linking them to the law’s principles of justice, sustainability, and public welfare. The findings show that Mīzān reflects a divine ecological order aligned with sustainable governance but highlight a gap between moral values and policy practice. Integrating the Mīzān ethic into water management fosters divine accountability, community participation, and intergenerational justice. The study proposes an eco-sharīʿah framework that harmonizes Islamic values with sustainability goals, reinforcing the moral legitimacy of ecological justice in Muslim societies.