Religious Leadership in Environmental Preservation: Dissemination Strategies for Fatwa MUI No. 86/2023

Abstract

The so-called Fatwa No. 86 of 2023 issued by the Indonesian Ulema Council is a powerful move towards solving the global environmental crisis, especially the current threat of climate change and global warming. It asserts that torment is the stewardship of the environment (amanah), which is a duty of faith. This paper discusses how to spread the fatwa in a way that it will be well understood, adopted and utilized by different communities. The normative-theological approach is based on the primary sources, i.e. the Quran, Hadith and Fatwa No. 86/2023, and the secondary ones, i.e. academic sources and reports on environmental practices by religious people. The results indicate how religious leadership (ulama, ustadz, kyai, and khatib) played the pivotal role of integrating ecological ethics in daily religious practice. The dissemination strategies are mosque-based sermons, study groups, being embedded in Islamic education programs, virtual da'wah, cross-sector engagement with government, nongovernmental organizations and local communities. The case studies of the green retrofit of Istiqlal Mosque, Eco-Pesantren Daarut Tauhiid and waqf-based reforestation works are only a few examples of giving theological direction which may trigger a more practical environmental response. The article concludes that the document of Fatwa No. 86/2023 is not only a statement of theological character, but also a social and educational tool that can influence the ecological consciousness and environmentally responsible behavior on the territory of the Indonesian Muslim community.

Fatwa MUI No. 86 Tahun 2023 merupakan langkah strategis Majelis Ulama Indonesia (MUI) dalam menghadapi krisis lingkungan global, khususnya isu perubahan iklim dan pemanasan global. Fatwa ini menegaskan bahwa menjaga lingkungan adalah bagian dari amanah ilahi (khilafah fil-ardh) sekaligus kewajiban iman. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menelaah strategi penyebarluasan fatwa tersebut agar dapat dipahami, diterima, dan dipraktikkan oleh berbagai lapisan masyarakat. Dengan menggunakan pendekatan normatif-teologis, penelitian ini mengkaji sumber primer berupa al-Qur’an, hadis, dan Fatwa MUI No. 86/2023, serta sumber sekunder berupa literatur akademik dan laporan praktik lingkungan berbasis agama. Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahwa kepemimpinan keagamaan (ulama, ustadz, kyai, khatib) memiliki peran sentral dalam membumikan fatwa melalui khotbah Jumat, pengajian, kurikulum hijau di pesantren, dakwah digital, serta kerja sama lintas-sektor dengan pemerintah, LSM, dan komunitas. Contoh praktik di masjid Istiqlal, Eco-Pesantren Daarut Tauhiid, dan program wakaf hutan membuktikan efektivitas integrasi nilai agama dengan aksi lingkungan. Implikasi penelitian ini menegaskan bahwa fatwa bukan hanya pernyataan teologis, tetapi dapat menjadi instrumen sosial, pendidikan, dan kebijakan dalam membangun kesadaran ekologis umat.