Tides that Bind: Constitutive Rhetoric of Care in Islamic Environmentalism

Increasing temperatures, sporadic rainfall, and a growing population contribute to Morocco's water scarcity. The Moroccan government has taken steps to improve conditions for the people of Morocco, including initiatives that support participatory management of water resources. The legal framework emphasizes improving community involvement, which is also the theme of this paper. Combining insights from Islamic environmentalism, water communication, and constitutive rhetoric, suggests that community building is both a religious and ecological obligation. Intertwining Islam and water conservation creates a greater sense of community and constitutes care in environmental issues. This paper investigates how communities engage with each other and the environment through the analysis of a nongovernmental organizations water school and a water museum in Morocco. These texts are analyzed for constitutive efforts by the government in creating a water-conscious community. Community commitment, eco theological perspectives, rituals and reverence of past sustainable practices are integral for constituting care communities.