The Minister of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, Prof. Nasaruddin Umar, affirmed that ecotheology invites human beings to see nature not merely as an object outside themselves, but as a manifestation of God's greatness that must be respected, preserved, and honored.

This perspective was shared by the Minister of Religious Affairs during an ecotheology lecture at a staff guidance session held at the UIN Sunan Kalijaga Mosque, Yogyakarta, on Thursday (4/6/2026). Before the academic community, he explained that the way human beings understand nature will greatly determine how they treat the environment.

If nature is viewed merely as an object, something entirely separates from God, human beings will find it easy to exploit and damage it. However, if nature is understood as tajalli, a manifestation of Allah's greatness, then human beings will be more careful, respectful, and responsible in their interactions with it.

“When we speak of ecotheology, we speak of nature connected to God,” said Prof. Nasaruddin.

In his view, the universe cannot be read superficially as mere physical reality. Behind mountains, oceans, trees, soil, water, the human body, and even the smallest elements observable under a microscope, lie signs of Allah's greatness. Science, therefore, should not distance human beings from God. On the contrary, it should bring them to a deeper recognition of Him.

Prof. Nasaruddin Umar noted that the Islamic scholarly tradition recognizes several ways of understanding the relationship between God and nature. In theological and jurisprudential approaches, Allah is understood as Al-Khaliq (the Creator), while nature is referred to as makhluk (creation). In the Sufi tradition, however, that relationship is understood more deeply, the universe is the tajalli of Allah, the manifestation of His greatness.

He emphasized that this perspective does not mean equating God with nature. God remains utterly transcendent, “entering into all things, yet not mingling; departing from all things, yet not separate,” he said, describing the relationship between God and the universe.

From this point, Prof. Nasaruddin constructed the ethical foundation of ecotheology. If nature is a manifestation of God's greatness, then destroying nature is not merely an ecological error, it is also a form of spiritual failure. Cutting down trees indiscriminately, polluting rivers, degrading the soil, and exploiting the environment without accountability means disregarding the Divine signs present in nature.

According to him, a person who possesses genuine monotheistic consciousness will not treat nature harshly. For wherever human beings turn, they are in truth facing signs of God's greatness. The universe is a space in which human beings read the ayat of Allah spread before them.

On the same occasion, the Minister also reminded the academic community not to rely solely on reason in building knowledge. Intellect, research, laboratories, and technology must walk hand in hand with spiritual awareness.

“Iqra' must be accompanied by bismirabbik. Reading without invoking the name of God will only produce monsters,” he said.

Earlier, UIN Sunan Kalijaga Rector, Prof. Noorhaidi Hasan, conveyed that the Minister's presence was an important opportunity for the entire UIN Sunan Kalijaga community to receive religious guidance, counsel, and insight that could serve as a foundation for lecturers, students, administrative staff, and Muslims in general.

According to the Rector, the message of ecotheology aligns with UIN Sunan Kalijaga's spirit of developing knowledge that is not only academically excellent but also possesses ethical and spiritual depth.

This lecture served as a reminder that the environmental crisis cannot be answered by technology and regulation alone. More than that, human beings need a transformation in the way they see the world. Nature must no longer be viewed merely as a resource to be taken without limit, but as a manifestation of God that calls for an attitude of respect, care, and responsibility.

With this perspective, protecting the environment is not only a social and ecological agenda; it is also part of the lived expression of faith. Ecotheology guides human beings not merely to live in nature, but to live together with nature in the awareness that all of creation is a radiance of Allah's greatness. (humassk)