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Finally, the earth is a place to learn and discover. Muslims are encouraged to travel and ponder
about how the natural environment works and has been created by Allah, so they may be grateful.
Many were the Ways of Life that have passed away before you: travel through the earth,
and see what was the end of those who rejected Truth.
[Qur’an 3:137]
The earth is diversity, diversity of its people, its geography, its fauna and flora; it has been spread
out for us to explore it and meet with different people so we might learn to respect each other and
help each other:
"He Who has, made for you the earth like a carpet spread out; has enabled you to go
about therein by roads (and channels); and has sent down water from the sky." With it
have We produced diverse pairs of plants each separate from the others.
[Qur’an 20:53]
THE SOIL: POLLUTANTS AND FACTS:
The soil is a mixture of mineral, plant, and animal materials that accumulate during
thousands of years. The soil is essential for most plant growth because it contains the plant food!
Soil pollution is an accumulation of toxic chemical compounds, salts, pathogens (disease-
causing organisms), or radioactive materials that have a negative effect on the environment.
Pollution was often due, in the past, to ignorance: people did not know good soil management
methods, so they have contributed to the degradation of soil quality by sheer ignorance.
Pollution and erosion are the main consequences of this ignorance.
Peasants overused chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and fungicides that upset the natural way of
things, and destroyed useful organisms such as bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms along
with the pests.
Bad irrigation practices in areas with poorly drained soil have caused salt deposits that inhibit
plant growth.
Problems of soil erosion existed since the Middle Ages. People had noticed that crop
rotation was the best way to let the earth take a rest as people go to sleep. Earth is alive; it needs
to regenerate itself after harvest. Now, we know a great deal about how to take care of the soil.
Some people in the world have already implemented natural ways of getting rid of pests and
cultivating crops without destroying the soil.
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In USA some people practice sustainable farming, called “regenerative agriculture”.
They are expert in ridge-tilling. They do not use herbicides anymore, but they turn the ground
into rows of tiny ridges and valleys. Before fall harvest, they plant oats, hay in the valleys.
During winter, the plants protect the soil from erosion and inhibit weeds before it is time to plant
the crops on the ridges. They practice crop rotation. They compost manure to enrich the soil.
They do not let their cattle graze but feed them on grains.
Only 25 % of ice-free land is suitable for agriculture in the world. We use half of it for
crops. Soil replenishes itself and renews itself indefinitely if well cared of. In Southeast Asia,
rice paddies are as fertile as before because the soil is constantly nurtured.
They are ways to prevent soil erosion and water runoff:
1)
contour plowing: plow across the hill instead of up and down
2)
strip-farming: plant different strips of crops so that when one sort of crops is harvested, the
other one stays in the soil to keep from running downhill.
3)
Tied ridges blocks the water from leaving the field. They are strips crossing each other at
right angles.
4)
Terracing: shapes the land to create level shelves of earth to hold water and soil.
5)
Planting perennial species, i.e., that grow for more than 2 years like forest, tea, coffee crops.
6)
Leaving crop residues.
ACTIVITY:
Create your own terracing like in this picture! Have fun creating your own botanical garden.
It is useful as well as beautiful. Build your own garden for real or build a model, making sure
you have a water drainage system available. Then poor water on it; see how the earth absorbs the
water.
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