Saturday, Jul 12, 2014
Abu Dhabi: Wasting food and overspending on other items such as clothes has become a phenomenon that cannot be overlooked, especially in thriving countries such as the UAE, an Islamic scholar said.
Additionally, other countries that suffer from extreme poverty and are in need of resources do not waste food as seen in richer countries, especially during Ramadan, Ahmad Al Qubaisi, an Emirati scholar stated.
“According to Surat AlAraaf, Allah tells His worshippers to eat and drink freely without wasting for He does not like those who waste. However, the phenomenon can currently be seen in 99 per cent of those in our societies who waste food and spend a lot on various items without needing them. I personally have 30 kandoras, despite having donated many of my previous ones. I am guilty of lavishness,” Al Qubaisi told Gulf News.
“If all Arabs and Muslims avoided extravagance and were regular donors, there would be no poor people,” he added.
The solution, Al Qubaisi suggested, is to create a culture of preservation and awareness about the importance of not throwing away any food because these are God-given resources that others elsewhere may lack and therefore wish for.
Meanwhile, Reverend Andrew Thompson of St. Andrew’s Church revealed that Christianity urges worshippers to manage and distribute responsibly all gifts from God. It also prescribes feeding the hungry in the name of God and helping those in need. “There are people without access to food and an increasing number of refugees internationally that are in dire need of some of the most basic resources. Therefore, it is a challenge for us and our society to become more compassionate,” Rev. Thompson said.
By Nada AlTaher, Staff Reporter
Gulf News 2014. All rights reserved.
