Beyond Technical Fixes: Sufism, Contemplation, and Climate Change as Human Predicament

The climate crisis is not merely a technical problem but a spiritual and existential crisis rooted in a flawed human self-understanding and a broken relationship with the natural world. The dominant mechanistic worldview treats nature as a resource for exploitation, leading to environmental degradation and alienation. Drawing on the Sufi philosophy of Seyyed Hossein Nasr, nature must be seen as sacred. In dialogue with Hartmut Rosa's concept of resonance, Sufi contemplative practices cultivate a deep ecological consciousness by treating everything in nature as alive and spiritually meaningful, advocating for an interconnected vision of life.

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Abstract

Building on the works of the Sufi philosopher Seyyed Hossein Nasr and the German sociologist Hartmut Rosa, this article argues that the climate crisis signals a deeper spiritual and existential crisis beyond technological solutions and carbon reduction strategies. Departing from conventional problem-solution narratives, it frames climate change as a crisis of human self-understanding and our relationship with the more-than-human world. The dominant mechanistic paradigm, which views nature as a resource for exploitation, has led to environmental degradation and alienation. Nasr critiques this objectification, emphasizing that nature must be seen as sacred rather than as a mere resource. In dialogue with Rosa, the article explores the concept of “resonance” and argues that Sufi contemplative practices cultivate a profound ecological consciousness. By integrating Sufi ontology with ethics, it advocates for an interconnected vision of life by treating everything in nature as alive and spiritually meaningful.