The Language of Water Ethics: A Linguistic and Islamic Perspective on Environmental Awareness and Water Conservation Behaviour among Communities

Abstract

Water conservation has emerged as a critical global sustainability challenge, requiring not only technological solutions but also culturally and ethically informed approaches to environmental stewardship. This study investigates the relationship between Islamic water ethics awareness, environmental awareness, and water conservation behaviour by integrating perspectives from ecolinguistics, Islamic environmental studies, and behavioural science. Guided by the Theory of Planned Behaviour and an ecolinguistic framework, the study examines how linguistic representations of Islamic concepts such as amanah (trust), khalifah (stewardship), and mizan (balance) shape environmental awareness and influence sustainable water-use practices. A quantitative research design based on secondary survey data comprising 4,850 respondents was employed. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, Pearson correlation, multiple regression, and mediation analysis. The findings indicate that Islamic water ethics awareness positively predicts environmental awareness and water conservation behaviour, while environmental awareness partially mediates this relationship. Regression analysis revealed that environmental awareness was the strongest predictor of conservation behaviour (β = .51, p < .001), followed by Islamic water ethics awareness (β = .27, p < .001). The study demonstrates that culturally embedded environmental discourse can strengthen pro-environmental behaviour by framing water conservation as both an ecological responsibility and a moral obligation. The findings contribute to interdisciplinary scholarship by illustrating how linguistic framing and Islamic ethical principles can complement conventional water governance strategies and community-based sustainability initiatives. The study recommends integrating culturally meaningful environmental communication into public awareness campaigns, educational programmes, and water governance policies to encourage long-term conservation behaviour.