ALLAH’S presence encompasses the entire universe. There is no location where He is not present.
We live and thrive in the physical world where our physical senses observe many things but have no capacity to see Him physically. However, innumerable signs are there to witness His omnipresence. These signs encourage people to reflect, discover truth, show gratitude, care for creation (stewardship), and live morally. The Quran says: “…He is with you wherever you are… . (57:4); …And your Lord is not unaware of what you do” (27:93).
Allah’s omnipresence can be witnessed in the natural environment. The environment enables us to ‘feel’ His presence. Here the environment refers to the conditions in which people, animals and plants live. Everything — living and non-living on earth — is surrounded by the all-embracing environment.
It is the environment that provides resources to sustain life, assimilate waste and enhance quality of life. It provides us with essential resources like oxygen to breathe, water to drink and grow food, shelter to live in, soil to walk, sunlight to have warmth and other nourishments necessary for survival. Similarly, on death, the environment helps decompose physical bodies. Thus, the earth is a receptacle of the living and the dead. The Quran reminds us “Have We not made the earth a container?” (77:25).
Today, the environment faces various challenges, including pollution, deforestation, habitat destruction, climate change, loss of biodiversity, fast-depleting glaciers and resource depletion. These challenges arise from human activities such as industrialisation, agriculture, urbanisation, and unsustainable consumption. They have significant implications for human well-being, the ecosystem, health and the future of the planet.
One of the major challenges to the environment worldwide is plastic pollution, which requires urgent action. Earlier, the use of plastic was hailed as one of the most transformative inventions of the modern era, having revolutionised industries, medicine and consumer lifestyles. Yet, the very material that promised convenience has now turned into an environmental and public health nightmare. The ubiquity of plastic has reached a tipping point; its invisible yet far-reaching impact threatens ecosystems, human health and the climate.
We see garbage piles in every city littered with used plastic bags; this has become part of the urban landscape, spreading disease and damaging the environment. The municipal authorities respond only after public outcry, yet the problem demands long-term solutions. Environmental awareness must begin in homes and schools, while local governments should establish proper segregation and recycling systems. We cannot fight climate change while our streets remain buried under polyethene bags.
Plastic pollution is a worldwide problem.
Fortunately, some countries are trying to use plastic waste in construction of roads. They have found that plastic waste is durable, water-resistant and can be easily moulded into different shapes. Polythene can be used in different ways in the construction industry including as insulation, waterproofing and protection against corrosion.
To save humans and other creatures on the planet, it is very important to pursue such research along with a drive to sensitise the general public over the use of plastic-made items such as polythene bags, bottles, ‘shoppers’, etc. Their use is detrimental to the environment because it harms wildlife, pollutes ecosystems, and contributes to climate change. Plastic waste can physically harm animals through entanglement or ingestion, and as it breaks down, it creates microplastics that contaminate soil, water, and even the food chain. The production and disposal of plastic also release greenhouse gases and toxic chemicals, and due to its durability, it can take hundreds of years to decompose.
Keeping in view the seriousness of the problem, the government has taken some steps, such as banning plastic bags, but both the state’s enforcement and the public’s response to these initiatives is mostly lukewarm.
Moreover, plastic production continues relentlessly, driven by rising demand in packaging, textiles, consumer goods, and medical applications. If this trajectory remains unchecked, then the day may not be far when the entire country will be in the grip of plastic pollution. The country’s plastic industry is reportedly expanding. Some researchers have warned that greenhouse gas emissions from plastic production could triple by 2050.
Hence, activists and researchers want rigorous action at the grassroots level involving schoolchildren. The government should urge citizens to actively participate in such campaigns and adopt eco-friendly products instead of plastic-made items.
The writer is an educationist with an interest in religion.
Published in Dawn, January 30th, 2026