The global coastal and marine ecosystems are currently facing massive, multidimensional degradation at a level unprecedented in human history. Phenomena ranging from macro to micro-scale plastic pollution, overfishing, coral reef destruction due to destructive fishing practices, to coastal abrasion and ocean acidification have exceeded the natural resilience limits of marine ecosystems[1],[2],[3]. Recent reports indicate that the rate of plastic waste discharge from land flowing through rivers to Indonesia's coasts remains at a critical level [4]. This waste not only ruins maritime aesthetics but also destroys the habitats of vulnerable marine megafauna such as various cetacean species (whales and dolphins) and sea turtles, ultimately threatening the food security of coastal communities systemically [5]. This region confronts shrinking mangrove areas, severe land subsidence, and fisheries and tourism exploitation activities that have not fully adopted a holistically integrated ecosystem conservation approach [6]. These marine environmental problems are further exacerbated by the dynamics of coastal spatial planning in various regions that have not been well integrated [7]. As an empirical example, the southern coastal area of Cianjur Regency and several other coastal areas in West Java continue to face significant ecological vulnerabilities. This degradation not only impacts the loss of biodiversity but also increases the socio-economic vulnerability of coastal communities to natural disaster threats, such as extreme tidal waves and potential tsunamis in the megathrust zone south of Java.

Various structural and legislative efforts have essentially been promoted by policymakers at both national and regional levels. These efforts are realized through spatial legal instruments such as the Zoning Plan for Coastal Areas and Small Islands (RZWP3K), institutional integration through the Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) approach, and the establishment of Regional Marine Conservation Areas (KKPD) [8]. However, the effectiveness of these regulatory frameworks is often hampered at the grassroots implementation level [9]. The main obstacle identified by various social ecology studies is the weak moral awareness of the community and industrial players towards the environment, rooted in the dominance of the anthropocentric paradigm [10]. The secular anthropocentric paradigm views the universe purely as an object of material commodification detached from sacred values, thereby breeding unethical exploitative behavior [11].

To respond to this crisis of awareness, academic discourse on Islamic ecotheology and religion-based environmental ethics has begun to grow rapidly. Experts realize that for a majority Muslim society like Indonesia, technocratic and scientific approaches alone are insufficient [12]. Cultural and spiritual interventions that touch the theological realm are needed to shape environmentally conscious behavior [13]. Concepts such as khalifah (Allah's vicegerent on earth), mizan (balance), and amanah (responsibility) have begun to be integrated into global sustainability discourse, including within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)[14].

Nevertheless, an in-depth systematic literature review of publications in global and national reputable journals reveals a fundamental research gap. By comparison, recent ecotheology studies such as those conducted by [15] and [21] focus on the ecological hermeneutics of the Qur'an on a macro level and tend to use neo-modernism or theosophical sufism approaches that often attempt to "revise" orthodox classical exegesis (turath) for the sake of contextualization. The limitation of this approach is its potential to move away from the understanding of the salaf al-shalih, which serves as the anchor of belief for the majority of Muslims. On the other extreme, maritime policy research such as those by [8] and [9] are very strong in technocratic and legalistic governance but have limitations because they lack spiritual and theological foundations. Herein lies the academic position, differentiation, significance, and novelty of this research article. This paper intends to sharply fill the void in contemporary ecological exegesis studies by revitalizing and specifically actualizing the concept of Taskhir from the analytical lens of Ibn Kathir on QS. An-Nahl: 14[15]. Unlike the mainstream Islamic ecological studies today, which tend to seek legitimacy through Western rationalistic or metaphorical interpretations, this research stands on the hypothesis that an understanding aligned with the salaf generation—which strictly integrates the principles of monotheism, pure worship, and the definition of fasad (destruction) as a result of disobedience—is capable of providing the most robust and comprehensive marine conservation ethical foundation, possessing the highest sociological binding power, and avoiding creedal deviations[16].

Based on the phenomenological background and literature mapping above, the formulation of the problem in this research focuses on three main dimensions: (1) What are the results of the linguistic and theological analysis (tafsir tahlili) of the textual construction of QS. An-Nahl: 14 in Ibn Kathir's Tafsir?; (2) What is the philosophical essence of the Taskhir concept according to the salaf generation's understanding in positioning humans within dynamic marine ecosystems?; and (3) How is the practical actualization of this exegetical concept in supporting and evaluating contemporary marine governance and conservation frameworks in Indonesia, with specific reference to the case of the southern coastal area of West Java? The main objective of this writing is to construct an epistemological building of aquatic conservation ethics based on authentic Qur'anic studies, as well as to contribute a normative framework for the formation of sustainable marine spatial planning and fisheries resource management policies within the framework of maqashid syariah.

This study has several limitations that need to be acknowledged to encourage better academic rigor in the future. First, this study methodologically relies on qualitative library research and philosophical textual analysis. Therefore, this research is not yet supported by quantitative empirical data that statistically measures the concrete impact of the actualization of the taskhir exegetical concept on the actual behavioral changes of coastal communities. Second, the focus of the interpretation is specifically limited to Ibn Kathir's view on Surah An-Nahl verse 14. This makes the scope of the study lack a comprehensive cross-comparison with other prominent bil ma'tsur exegetes (such as At-Tabari or Al-Baghawi), which might provide a deeper richness of linguistic nuances related to aquatic environmental jurisprudence.

Research Design: This research employs a qualitative library-based design, focusing on the textual analysis of Qur'anic corpora and classical exegesis. literature, as well as ecological phenomena recorded in various policy documents and scientific literature [17]. Qualitative methods in this study involve an in-depth assessment of textual and socio-theological problems not designed using statistical parameters or numerical quantification, but rather emphasizing the depth of interpretation (verstehen) and logical-philosophical reasoning.

Research Approach: Within the scientific cluster of Quranic studies, the specific approach applied is the Tafsir Tahlili (comprehensive analytical) approach. The tahlili approach is an interpretation method that dissects Quranic verses from all aspects sequentially according to the mushaf arrangement [18]. This analytical scalpel includes excavating vocabulary meanings (mufradat), analyzing Arabic morphological and syntactic structures (nahwu and sharaf), reviewing asbab al-nuzul (if there are authentic narrations), inter-verse correlations (munasabah), to tracing the theological and jurisprudential foundations of the respective mufassir[19]. Thus, the resulting understanding is not piecemeal, but wholly represents the intent of the text.

Data Sources: The primary data source intensively investigated in this research is the most authoritative classical exegesis masterpiece representing the tafsir bil ma'tsur school (narration-based exegesis), namely Tafsir al-Qur'an al-'Azim by Al-Hafizh 'Imaduddin Abul Fida' Isma'il bin 'Umar bin Kathir al-Qurasyi ad-Dimasyqi, famously known as Ibn Kathir[20]. Meanwhile, secondary data sources are compiled from recent academic literature, government regulation documents, and environmental monitoring agency reports. The secondary literature review is strictly limited to the last five years (2021-2026) to ensure the recency of ecological data and contemporary exegesis study trends.

Data Collection Techniques: This study also utilizes non-participatory observation techniques and digital literature collection. Library literature observation techniques are used to trace the distribution of discourse, selecting the most relevant articles through leading academic databases  using a combination of specific keywords: Taskhir, Marine Conservation, Islamic Environmental Ethics, Tafsir Ibn Kathir, and Eco-Theology.

Data Analysis: The qualitative data analysis process is conducted in three interactive stages: (1) Data reduction (filtering relevant information from exegesis books and ecological journals), (2) descriptive-analytical data presentation (mapping tahlili results in linguistic and theological concept matrices), (3) drawing conclusions. Specifically, in constructing the understanding to avoid deviating from the manhajsalaf, every interpretation is strictly calibrated against the principles of tawhiduluhiyah and rububiyah, ensuring that the formulated ecological actualization does not fall into the secularization of sacred texts or excessive irfani mystification.

The discourse in this section will hierarchically dissect the research findings starting from the epistemological foundations of ecology according to the salaf understanding, the linguistic-theological analysis of the QS. An-Nahl: 14 corpus through the lens of Ibn Kathir, the mapping of the modern marine crisis as a form of fasad, to the synthesis of the actualization of the Taskhir concept into the mechanism of marine ecosystem protection policies in Indonesia [21]. Through a critical dialogue between seventh-century AD revelation texts and twenty-first-century environmental science, this research weaves a solid ethical framework without compromising creedal steadfastness.

This qualitative library research demonstrates that the classical interpretation framework, particularly Ibn Kathir's perspective, specifically Ibn Kathir's Tafsir on Surah An-Nahl verse 14, holds limitless theoretical and ethical potential for articulating contemporary marine conservation ethics. The concept of Taskhir (subjugation of the ocean ecosystem) successfully deconstructs the fallacy of the secular anthropocentric paradigm. The salaf generation's understanding affirms that the sea is ontologically submitted absolutely to the Will (Iradah) of Allah and stable sunnatullah, where humans are merely positioned as khalifah bearing trust-based management authority, not exploitative mastery. Every bounty from the sea—whether in the form of biological food security utility (lahman tariyyah), mineral deposit wealth and ecosystem aesthetics (hilyah), or the water's capacity as a navigation medium for global economic connectivity (mawakhir)—is validly extracted according to Islamic law. However, this utilization permit is reciprocally bound by the imperative of gratitude, which obliges absolute prevention of any destructive practices and overexploitation exceeding nature's carrying capacity (fasad).

The actualization of this ethical-theological conception transforms the blueprint for protecting coastal ecosystems. Amidst the swirling threats of plastic waste crises from land contaminating the food chain, coastal mangrove deforestation, and biodiversity decline (as seen empirically in the southern waters of West Java such as the Cianjur area and its surroundings), the Taskhir paradigm necessitates an approach uniting the dimensions of heaven and earth. Technocratic policy frameworks such as the establishment of Regional Marine Conservation Areas (KKPD), implementation of the Zoning Plan for Coastal Areas and Small Islands (RZWP3K), and the Measured Fishing Policy (PIT) now receive a powerful moral justification and spiritual injection. Through an exegesis that does not deviate from creed, preserving the maritime ecosystem shifts its meaning from merely an obligation of state positive law to a fundamental essence of worship practices and the manifestation of pure monotheism. This tahlili exegesis-based conservation ethic convincingly proves that the scholarship of the salaf al-shalih is highly dynamic and holds the role of the strongest cultural instrument for achieving sustainable marine ecosystem balance.

Departing from the obtained academic findings, this research recommends an axiological synergy between technical policymakers (such as the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries and relevant provincial/regency agencies) with religious institutions, Islamic university academicians, and caretakers of Islamic boarding schools. There is a need for mainstreaming classical exegesis-based marine theology literacy into extension programs, coastal community literacy, and maritime education curriculum design. Awareness campaigns for mangrove preservation, coral reef restoration, and mitigation of plastic waste pollution from river mouths must be strongly framed with the theological narrative of prohibiting fasad to accelerate the adoption of environmentally friendly behaviors among the religious coastal communities of the archipelago. Further studies and interdisciplinary research combining Quranic exegesis expertise and environmental oceanography are recommended to sharpen the operationalization of environmental jurisprudence (fiqh al-bi'ah) in formulating the adaptation of archipelagic coastal communities in facing future global climate change pressures.

Billy Muhammad Alif: Conceptualization, Methodology, Writing – review & editing, Supervision, Project administration. Muhammad Irfan Zain: Methodology, Writing – review & editing.

The authors express their highest praise and gratitude to Allah for His guidance and grace, which enabled the successful completion of this research manuscript. We extend our profound gratitude to all parties who have provided intellectual, moral, and technical support throughout the preparation of this article. Specifically, we convey our deepest appreciation to the editorial board and the anonymous reviewers of QiST: Journal of Quran and Tafseer Studies for their constructive feedback and rigorous peer-review process, which have significantly enhanced the quality of this manuscript..

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.