Fix wasteful habits this month
HERE we are, going through another year and the blessed month of Ramadan, fasting and performing our ibadah to earn Allah’s blessings and rewards.
Recently, I happened to be at the site of a bazaar around the time of the Isya prayers, a time when there were no canopies left, only plenty of waste.
It’s definitely not a good thing to see such a great amount of waste produced from one bazaar. Other than my concern that stall-keepers should be more responsible in managing the waste, the amount of waste is very worrying.
In 2017, Food Aid Foundation operations director Hayati Ismail said that night markets and Ramadan bazaars are the second largest sources of food waste following households. Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail has said food wastage increased to more than 15,000 tonnes during the fasting month.
The increased amount of food waste during Ramadan is not aligned with Islam, which says that moderation should be prioritised in every aspect of our lives, including eating. We should not be greedy and go to the extreme when buying food, and later waste it uneaten.
Last week, I encountered a post on Facebook about a mobile application through which we can offer free food to others. The app is a good initiative not only to counter the food waste problem in our country but also to encourage people to share with others.
I love the idea of an app that promotes small acts of kindness.
I also want to praise the government’s effort in drafting the Bill to regulate food bank initiatives, as it shows that the government is taking the food wastage issue seriously. Emulating the effort, we as individuals have to start taking action so the serious food wastage problem in our country can be resolved.
Let this holy month open the door towards fixing our wasteful habits and earning Allah’s blessings and rewards.
In verse 31, Surah al-A’raf, Allah SWT says, “O Children of Adam! Dress well every time you go to a place of worship (or at each performance of worship). And eat and drink, but do not be wasteful.”