Editing Hima (environmental protection) (section)

==Background==
According to the [[Quran]], a [[Muslim]] has a specific obligation to practice  [[stewardship]] over nature, and each species of animals is said to be "its own nation". "Human beings are God's representatives on earth. This means that if they are not charged with maintaining the world, or rending to it, they must at least not destroy it".<ref>{{cite book|title=The Holy Quran and the Environment |year=2010 |chapter=The Relationship between The Environment and Man |url=http://www.rissc.jo/index.php/english-publications.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101129013542/http://rissc.jo/index.php/english-publications.html |archive-date=2010-11-29 }}</ref>

The selection of ḥimas was thus a religious rather than community obligation, and was often undertaken by the [[ulema]].

There are five types of ḥima:<ref>{{Cite journal |first=Lutfallah |last=Gari |title=A History of the Hima Conservation System  |publisher=The White Horse Press, Cambridge, UK |year=2006 |journal=Environment and History |volume=12|issue=2 |pages= 213–228|doi=10.3197/096734006776680236 |url=http://www.environmentandsociety.org/node/3267 }}</ref>
# areas where [[grazing]] of domestic animals is prohibited
# areas where grazing is restricted to certain seasons
# [[beekeeping]] reserves where grazing is restricted during flowering
# forest areas where cutting of trees is forbidden
# [[Nature reserve|reserves]] managed for the welfare of a particular village, town or tribe (see also ''ḥaram'', although that term usually refers more to water protection measures)

There are good examples of ḥima in the [[Middle East]], some adopted by the Islamic prophet, [[Muhammad]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.greenprophet.com/2010/09/examples-of-hima/ |title=Great Examples Of 'Hima' Or Protected Areas In The Middle East |publisher=[[Green Prophet]] |date=2010-09-21 |access-date=2014-03-25}}</ref>