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Abstract

Interaction with the environment is one of the basic pillars of the process of building civilization, as it represents the vital relationship between man and the surrounding nature. Investing in natural resources and harnessing them to serve society is what ensures the continuity and growth of civilizations. Hence, it becomes clear that any civilization cannot be built in isolation from the environment, as it is the incubator that provides man with raw materials, and it is also the field in which he tests his abilities to innovate and develop.The ancient Egyptian civilization is a prominent example of how to interact positively with the environment. The Nile River formed the backbone of this civilization, as the Egyptians relied on the Nile waters to organize agriculture and provide food, which contributed to creating social and economic stability. Malek Bennabi says:»Civilization begins when man masters the exploitation of the surrounding environment intelligently, transforming resources into tools for renaissance.»Source: Malek Bennabi, Conditions of the Renaissance, p. 34.This conscious exploitation of natural resources, such as building irrigation networks and dams, enabled the Egyptians to maintain sustainable agriculture and achieve a food surplus that supported their civilizational progress.In the Arabian Peninsula, despite the harsh desert environment, Arabs before and after Islam were able to benefit from their limited resources by extracting groundwater, digging wells, and building aflaj systems that contributed to irrigating crops and providing water. The Qur’anic verses have indicated the importance of water as the basis of life and development, as in the Almighty’s saying:“And We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe?”(Surat Al-Anbiya: 30)This text confirms that positive interaction with the environment, especially in providing water, has always been the cornerstone of building societies.The Islamic civilization in Andalusia presented an advanced model of interaction with the environment, as Muslims were able to transform barren lands into rich farms using innovative irrigation techniques such as irrigation canals and channels. These efforts were not only to meet daily needs, but also formed the basis for a sustainable economic system. Malek Bennabi says about this:“Transforming nature from an obstacle into a resource is the first achievement made by a living civilization.”Source: Malek Bennabi, Conditions of Renaissance, p. 40.Civilizations that failed to achieve this balance between exploiting and preserving the environment suffered collapse. An example of this is the Sabaean civilization in Yemen, which flourished thanks to the Ma›rib Dam, which provided the water needed for agriculture and development. However, the collapse of the dam due to neglect and mismanagement of resources led to the decline of this civilization. This is mentioned in the Holy Quran:»But they turned away, so We sent upon them the flood of the dam, and We replaced their two gardens with two gardens of bitter fruit and tamarisk and a few lote trees(Surah Saba: 16) This historical lesson reflects the importance of wise management of resources to ensure the sustainability of civilization.

Keywords

Perceived Social Exclusion, Mothers of Autistic Children, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Social Stigma, Social Support

Article Type

Article

First Page

151

Last Page

170

Publication Date

3-15-2026

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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