Rural development entails a number of concepts like equity, justice, participation and empowerment. Also, it focuses on the notion of people-centerd development. The message of Islam provides a human universal approach of looking at the world, as a domain of peaceful civic culture and a holistic mode of knowing, being and doing.

The objective of this paper is to shed some light on the role of Islamic values in propomting sustainable rural development through collaboration with various cultures and religions. Besides, the application of  Islamic Banking concepts in rural context will be presented.

The pursuit of happiness and good life (Hayyat Tayebah in Arabic) from an Islamic perspective is about adding value to life through social responsibility, developing the community, living lightly on earth (Zohd) and elimination of waste and over-consumption (israf).  

Odeh Al-Jayyousi
Regional director for West Asia/ Middle East
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
Amman, Jordan
Odeh.al.jayyousi@iucn.org