Before the revelation, the Prophet Mohamamd (peace be upon him), was one of the main signatories of a treaty that was cosigned by many of the leaders in Mecca to promote justice and to protect the travelers, the needy, and the oppressed. After the revelation, he said: "I witnessed in the House of Abdallah Ben Jadaan a treaty that I would be proud to support even now if I were called to it."

Islamic scholars who commented on the Hadith said that the lessons we can draw are tremendous and invaluable in our contemporary lives. They stated that when there is a movement, a campaign, an initiative or a treaty that promotes public welfare, justice, or brings good to the society and benefits others and does not contradict with our core values, then we should champion that cause.

Of global and local importance is the issue of the environment, especially in light of the glooming scientific reports on the effects of global warming on the earth, water resources, animals, plants, and our own lives. There is a looming disaster that can be avoided if we, as humans, control our waste and become friendlier to our earth.

1970 witnessed the birth of the U.S. Environmental Movement. Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson, then a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, proposed the first nationwide environmental protest "to shake up the political establishment and force this issue onto the national agenda." Throughout the 1990's, the environmental leaders went global, mobilizing 200 million people in 141 countries lifting the status of environmental issues to the world stage. The Environmental Movement (a term that sometimes includes the conservation and green movements) is a diverse scientific, social, and political movement. In general terms, environmentalists advocate the sustainable management of resources, and the protection (and restoration, when necessary) of the natural environment through changes in public policy and individual behavior.

A wide range of organizations represent the movement from the large conglomerates to the grassroots, usually with a younger demographic than is common in other social movements. The movement is centered on ecology, health, and human rights. Lately the movement has been incorporated into faith and religion.

There are several faith-based organizations that educate their congregations about the issues of Environmentalism and champion its causes. In the hot debate about Environment, Earth, and Global Warming, the Muslim voice is strangely missing or unheard, although our faith clearly mandates us to protect the earth from exploitation, and asks us to be the guardians of earth and its inhabitants.  Are we doing anything to protect the environment, the trees, the land, the water, the air, the oceans and earth habitats? Do we care at all? What is the Islamic position about environmental protection and global warming and other environmental issues?

The Mosque Foundation has partnered with a local faith-based environmental organization, 'Faith in Place,' to champion the environmental causes within the Chicago and American Muslim community. Several community-based initiatives are being discussed and implemented, including making the new Mosque building more energy efficient or "green", by switching to renewable solar energy for heated water, using LED bulbs and lights, improving insulation, encouraging the consumption of humanly raised, of course Halal animals, and organic fruits and vegetables raised on farms which do not harm the soil and the earth, and much more.

We can't preach what we don't practice. Our faith is a faith of action, not a faith of rituals and superstition. Unless we embody our core values, and act on them, we will continue to daydream and chatter about the glorious past.