Environmental Ethics as Axiology: Epistemic Convergence between Western Philosophy and Ibn ʿĀshūr’s Qur’anic Hermeneutics

Abstract

This article examines the axiological foundations of environmental ethics through a critical analysis of the convergence between Western epistemology and Ibn ʿĀshūr’s Qur’anic hermeneutics. Departing from the contemporary ecological crisis as a moral and philosophical problem, the study argues that environmental degradation is rooted not merely in technical failures but in underlying epistemic and axiological paradigms. Using a qualitative descriptive-analytical method and library research, the article analyzes Ibn ʿĀshūr’s interpretation of selected Qur’anic verses QS al-Baqarah [2]:30, QS al-Rūm [30]:41, and QS al-Raḥmān [55]:7–9 focusing on the concepts of khalīfah, fasād, and mīzān. The findings demonstrate that Ibn ʿĀshūr integrates rational, empirical, and teleological reasoning in a manner that converges with critical currents within Western epistemology, particularly those emphasizing responsibility, balance, and ethical interconnectedness. This epistemic convergence generates a coherent axiological framework that positions environmental stewardship as a moral obligation grounded in both rational accountability and divine trust. The article concludes that Ibn ʿĀshūr’s hermeneutical approach provides a robust axiological foundation for contemporary environmental ethics, enabling a constructive dialogue between Islamic thought and modern philosophical discourse on ecological responsibility.