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Week 9: Fieldwork in Sustainable Development

 


Salam All.

For this week, I discovered new knowledge about what it really means for a university to be sustainable, and I feel very thankful that IIUM has been practising what other universities are just discussing. From the fieldwork, I understood that sustainability is not only about going green—it addresses the way we live, relate, how we use resources, care for the people and the environment around us. Alhamdulillah, I’m proud to be a part of IIUM, a university that treats sustainability as an amanah, and not a trend.

I was so inspired that here at this University -students are welcomed in being a part of the change while working towards a more sustainable campus environment. From food waste composting to solar panel projects, from recycling centers to green transportation options such as UniRide, we are increasingly a reminder of how much transformative power exists when we all join together towards a common objective. Yes, to little things like shorter showers and turning off the tap when we brush the teeth, but things that can grow to something much bigger.  These lessons for me harked back to Islamic teaching of not wasting and protecting the earth, as in Surah Al-Baqarah and Surah Al-Isra’. It’s a positive, beautiful reminder that the principle of sustainability isn’t a “modern” concept—it’s already ingrained in our faith.

From projects like myTREEvolution to river clean-up initiatives and toilet cleanliness campaigns, it just goes to show that sustainability transcends the theoreticalpillars of any institutions — it’s a way of life and everyone has a role to play. IIUM is not giving us a lesson in sustainability; it is showing us the ropes on the ground. And we are not only watching — we’re responsible for making a tangible difference as khalifahs.

I’m more grateful now of the importance of my deeds, even the smallest of them. I would like to be more consistent with a sustainable lifestyle and inspire others I am around to do so. I hope and pray that Allah blesses us and shows us how we need to look after this earth with love and care.

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