Khalifah: Muslim perspectives on the Earth
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can investigate Muslim attitudes to the Earth and explain how some Muslims live out being a khalifah.
Key learning points
- Within Islam, there is a vision for how to care for the Earth.
- The Qur'an speaks of humans are khalifahs who protect the Earth.
- The Qur’an emphasises Tawhid and mizan in the khalifah’s role, highlighting the duty to prevent fasad.
- Cambridge Central Mosque and Easton Jamia Mosque support Muslims in living out this vision in real, practical ways.
Keywords
Tawhid - oneness of God
Mizan - balance and harmonyin the universe
Khalifah - human stewardship and responsbility for the Earth
Fasad - corruption and disruption of God’s natural order
Common misconception
Students may think that Islam doesn't have much to say about environmental ethics.
Islamic teachings provide a strong and ancient vision for sustainable living.
Teacher tip
Cambridge Central Mosque and Easton Jamia Mosque have excellent resources to supplement this lesson or for further research. A Muslims' guide to climate change is freely available. Students could look at the examples from the hadith and Qur'an to analyse what practical action is suggested and why.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
5 Questions
Q1.What does the idea of stewardship encourage people to do?
Q2.Which word best describes the belief that humans are the most important part of the universe?
Q3.What belief is linked to the idea that humans can use the Earth’s resources freely?
Q4.What is philosophy?
Q5.What did philosopher Mary Midgley say about the view that humans are above nature?
Assessment exit quiz
5 Questions
Q1.Match each key word to its correct meaning.
balance and harmony in the universe
human stewardship and responsibility for the Earth
mercy, compassion and kindness towards all creation
Q2.When humans break the balance Allah created in the world, they cause .
Q3.Which of the following shows rahmah?
Q4.What is one way the Cambridge Central Mosque shows care for the Earth?
Q5.Islam doesn’t have much to say about environmental ethics.
To help you plan your 9 religious education lesson on: Khalifah: Muslim perspectives on the Earth, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 9 religious education lesson on: Khalifah: Muslim perspectives on the Earth, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 religious education lessons from the Changing world: How should the Earth's resources be used? unit, dive into the full secondary religious education curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.