The Quran and Ecological Crisis: Constructing an Islamic Environmental Theology for Climate Action in Nigeria

This dissertation constructs a systematic Islamic Environmental Theology for Climate Action (IETCA) grounded in Quranic revelation, Prophetic ecology, and classical Islamic natural philosophy, specifically contextualised for Nigeria's climate vulnerability and faith community resources. Nigeria faces severe climate change impacts including desertification in the north, coastal flooding in the south, and disrupted agricultural seasons across the Middle Belt, yet Islamic theological resources for climate action advocacy remain underdeveloped in the Nigerian academic and public sphere. The study employs a constructive environmental theology methodology combining systematic Tafsir analysis of ecological Quranic verses (particularly from Surah al-An'am, al-Rahman, and al-Baqarah), review of classical Islamic cosmological and natural philosophy texts, and contemporary Islamic eco-theology scholarship by Nasr, Khalid, and Haq. Empirical grounding is provided through interviews with 30 Islamic environmental scholars, 20 climate scientists, and 15 faith-based environmental activists across Nigeria's six geopolitical zones. Delphi validation of the IETCA framework is conducted with 25 interdisciplinary experts. The original contribution is the first systematically constructed Nigerian Islamic Environmental Theology, incorporating three foundational doctrines (Khalifah-responsibility, Mizan-balance, and Tawhid-ecology integration) and five institutional action principles for mosque-based climate advocacy. Keywords: Islamic environmental theology, climate change, Nigeria, Quran, ecological ethics.