Issue No: 255
15th January 2016
4th Rabi al Thaani 1437 A.H.
Salamun alaykum,
More for a lesser price:
As one walks down the aisles between the shelves stacked with food and fruits in the various stores / supermarkets, it has become common to see attractive posters announcing budget offers, multi buy savings, buy one - get one free, or roll over, prices reduced….Over the last two months in November and December glitter and twinkling lights displays drew attention to special items: # because it’s Christmas!
What is the effect?
These colourful displays announcing figures of reduced prices do attract one to buy the items on offer. Without a further thought as to whether there is need for the item or need for the larger quantity, the shopper picks up several items on offer and places them in the shopping trolley. All this is under the impression of saving money and getting more food or fruits for a lesser cost. The shopper walks to the checkout delighted at the bargain in the trolley.
Later at home, after some days it turns out that a number of the food /fruit items bought are not consumed. Having reached the best before / expiry date these foods are then thrown as waste in the bin. Have you sometimes found yourself in this type of situation?
Huge Food Waste:
The UK's Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) reported that between 30% and 50% or a 1.2-2bn tonnes of food produced around the world never makes it on to a plate. This means that as much as half of all the food produced in the world – equivalent to 2bn tonnes – ends up as waste every year. Do you realise that this is food that could be used to feed the world's growing population – as well as those in hunger today. It is also an unnecessary waste of the land, water and energy resources that were used in the production, processing and distribution of this food. In an analysis by IMechE, some of the reasons for this enormous figure of waste are due to unnecessarily strict sell-by dates, buy-one-get-one free deals and Western consumer demand for cosmetically perfect food, along with other reasons.
What has one done?
By taking up the attractive sales offers one has contributed to wasting –asraaf- of the food. Muslims are strictly prohibited to do asraaf. “....and eat and drink, but do not waste; Indeed Allah does not like the wasteful.” Sura al A’araaf 7:31
Question:
Do you ‘live’ by this verse? How will you put into practice the above verse when you go shopping next time? Is prohibition for asraf only with regards to food? In addition to food and water do you apply the above verse for other items such as clothing, shoes, furniture, kitchen appliances, electronic gadgets and other personal items?
Wa ma tawfiqi illa billah
Fazle Abbas Datoo
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Resident Alim
Wessex Shia Ithna Asheri Jamaat