Afraid to ask at the mosque: Should Muslims worry about climate change and the loss of animals?
Assalamu alaikum everyone. I feel really shy to bring this up with an imam face to face, but it's been on my mind for years now. I guess I've been stuck in a kind of doomer mindset watching how climate change is wrecking the planet, especially all these animal habitats. Like, these creatures are all part of Allah's creation, and we humans are causing so much damage just by existing in such huge numbers. The more I read, the more it hits me that the Earth wasn't built to handle 8.2 billion of us, and the way resources get consumed takes a heavy toll. Astaghfirullah if this comes off as questioning Allah's knowledge or qudrah-over 75% of wildlife has vanished, beautiful animals that Allah brought into being. Sometimes I wonder if I'm just obsessing over dunya too much. At the masjid they're always talking about how the community is growing and we need more parking, more buildings, cutting down trees, more cars polluting… and honestly it makes my heart sink. I make dua in every salah to get rid of this heavy feeling and stop fixating on worldly things. As Muslims, are we not supposed to be concerned about climate change and how overpopulation is wiping out other living beings? I would really appreciate any logical explanation that helps me understand why this dunya isn't what matters, and that Allah could create another Earth 5000 times if He willed. May Allah accept our ibadah and forgive us all.