Alya Nafilah Maulana
Respected community leaders, comrades in arms, and all those present today.
Let me introduce myself. I stand here as part of the younger generation. A generation often referred to as the nation’s successors. But today I want to ask, the successors of what?
Will we inherit clean rivers or rivers filled with garbage?
Will we inherit healthy air or air that is increasingly difficult to breathe?
Will we inherit a sustainable environment or a pile of unresolved problems?
As a young Muslim, I believe that protecting the environment is not just a lifestyle or a social media trend. It is part of the responsibility of faith.
Allah SWT says: “And do not cause corruption on the earth after it has been set in order.” (QS. Al-A’raf: 56)
This verse is simple, but its message is powerful. Allah does not command us to be destroyers. Allah commands us to be guardians.
My friends, today we often see garbage piling up in rivers, diminishing green spaces, and disasters coming one after another. Ironically, we often consider these things normal.
What is not normal, however, is when rivers turn into garbage dumps.
What is not normal is when development sacrifices the balance of nature.
What is not normal is when communities are continually victimized because the environment is not properly managed.
As young people, we don’t want to be mere objects of policy. We want to be involved. We want to be heard. Because we are the generation that will feel the impact of today’s decisions the longest.
So let me say that environmental issues are also issues of leadership and partisanship.
When the budget for the environment is considered unimportant, that is a choice.
When pollution monitoring is weak, that is a choice.
When green open spaces continue to diminish, that is also a choice.
And every choice will have consequences that society must bear.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “No Muslim plants a tree, then a person, an animal, or a bird eats from it, but it becomes charity for him.” (Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim)
This means that even planting a tree counts as charity. Therefore, protecting rivers, cleaning the environment, and championing policies that support environmental sustainability are certainly part of a greater good effort.
Friends, today’s young generation doesn’t just want to talk about the environment during special commemorations. We want real action. We want collaboration. We want to see the government, society, communities, academics, and the business world come together to find solutions.
Because protecting the environment isn’t just a matter for one group. It’s a matter for all of us.
Let’s prove that young people are not only good at creating content, but also capable of creating change.
Let’s prove that Islam not only teaches a good relationship with Allah, but also a good relationship with His creation.
And let’s ensure that when the next generation asks what we’re doing for this earth, we can proudly answer: “We’re not standing still. We’re moving. We’re protecting it. And we’re fighting for it.”
SAVE WHAT’S REMAINING!
MY SCHOOL’S UNIVERSE!
SUSTAINABLE GREETINGS!
