Minister Atty. Hamid Aminoddin D. Barra of the Ministry of Human Settlements and Development, the Housing Arm of the BARMM, served as keynote speaker during the 4th Ethics for Nature Seminar on March 15, 2023 at the Convention Hall of the Mindanao State University-Main Campus, Marawi City.

The seminar aimed to communicate the link between ethics and nature, through a postmodern perspective and see its relevance to address contemporary problems in our ecology as well as issues concerning human responsibilities to nation-building towards a harmonious journey with nature.

Minister Barra presented the Islamic Concept on the Environment, which began with a quick introduction to the bases of Islam, namely peace, then progressively delved into Prophetic tradition and Shari’ah principles on the Environment’s preservation. Verses from the Qur’an and passages in Hadith were cited throughout the presentation.

One of the concluding thoughts from Minister Barra’s presentation was based on the passage from Surah al-Rum 30:41, “Destruction has appeared in the land and the sea on account of what the hands of men have wrought, that He may make them taste a part of that which they have done, so that they may return”.

Another topic discussed during the seminar was titled “What We Owe Each Other: Positive and Negative Duties in the Issue of Climate Justice” by Dr. Christopher Ryan B. Maboloc, Associate Professor from Ateneo de Davao University.

The seminar was conducted by the MSU-Marawi City through the Department of Philosophy.