Sustainable behavior during the month of fasting
Sustainable behavior during the month of fasting
The blessed month of Ramadan is upon us these days, this month of unique status and many blessings. This year comes amidst critical times that our world is going through, starting with the threat to global food and energy security, as a result of the Russian-Ukrainian war, and passing through some regional conflicts between a number of countries in our Arab surroundings and beyond, and ending with the turbulent economic conditions and natural disasters – the last of which was the devastating earthquake that killed… By the thousands in Türkiye and Syria – which threatens thesustainabilityof our civilization; Therefore, we must now – more than ever before – contribute positively and truly to preserving our environment and preserving its resources, and perhaps the blessed month of Ramadan is a starting point towards these two development goals.
How do occasions affect behaviors?
Seasons and holidays in our societies are usually associated with disturbancesBehavioursConsumerism among most of us, in an attempt to express aspects of joy, strengthen ties between relatives and acquaintances, and create a unique situation that covers our streets and shops with decorations and lights. However, we must be conscious It is appropriate to deal with these behaviors, and to act in an appropriate manner. To make it more sustainable.
The month of Ramadan is unique from other months of the Hijri year by fasting, as Muslims around the world – during the days of this blessed month – abstain from food and drink from dawn until sunset. In compliance with what God Almighty has imposed in His Noble Qur’an, considering that fasting is a type of behavioral discipline and instinctive correction, in addition to strengthening the concept of interconnectedness between Muslims in various parts of the earth, instilling a feeling for others, and feeling the hardships that the poor face in their daily lives.
Despite this, it is not an exaggeration to say that what we see on our tables – during the days of this blessed month, or during the celebration of Eid Al-Fitr – is contrary to the divine purpose and to the spiritual purposes intended for fasting, as our consumption of all types of food and drinks increases sharply, as well as our consumption of water and electricity, in addition to irresponsible shopping ahead of Eid. Mushrooms.
The goal of this article is not to extinguish the light of joy in this blessed month, nor to place blame on those who try to bring joy to their family and neighbors, but rather the goal is to encourage responsible behavior and reasonable consumption. Therefore, in the following lines, we will share with you some of what you can do to make the blessed month of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr more sustainable.
Eat and drink and do not be extravagant
We will also not exaggerate if we say: The teachings of true Islam are in themselves principles of sustainability, revealed by God – the Almighty – more than fourteen centuries ago. The one who meditates on the verses of the Holy Qur’an and the noble biography of the Prophet realizes the fact that Islam is the first to achieve sustainable development, a concept that the world did not truly pay attention to until the end of the century. Past.
One of the most important of these sustainable principles is what was stated in the Almighty’s saying: “And eat and drink, and do not be extravagant. Indeed, He does not like the extravagant”[الأعراف: 31], and it is a principle that the Prophet – may God’s prayers and peace be upon him and his family – referred to in the noble hadith reported by Al-Tirmidhi, who said: “No human being fills a vessel worse than a stomach; according to the son of Adam is food that he prepares.” His crucifixion, if it is unavoidable, then a third is for his food, a third for his drink, and a third for his breath.”
Based on the above, we must be moderate in what we serve on our tables. Generosity does not mean extravagance, and moderation does not negate luxury. One of the manifestations of correct awareness and understanding is cooking food in proportion to the number of people, and diversifying the nature of the main types. Instead of relying on meat, a number of days of the holy month can be allocated with delicious vegetarian meals from our Egyptian kitchen, which is full of these types of foods. Foods.
We are certainly aware of the Egyptian-Arab nature of generosity and celebration of guests, so if it is necessary to prepare a full table, to share breakfast or suhoor with your guests; So beware of wasting leftover food! The good ones can simply be wrapped appropriately and presented to those in need, or even preserved and then eaten in another meal, whether for breakfast or suhoor.
Another matter is the plastic plates, cups, and eating utensils that some people may use to serve food and drinks. Many of them resort to this method because using and disposing of these utensils is easy, in addition to being cheap. Alternatives to this method include using tools made from recycled paper, or using biodegradable materials.
Don’t buy it.. Make it at home
We cannot ignore the many temptations that candy shops are creative in creating and marketing during the days of this blessed month, and to speak realistically, we will not advise you to avoid it completely, but we will strongly recommend that you try making candy at home whenever you can.
At the first moment of the sound of the iftar cannon, each of us searches for a Ramadan drink to quench his thirst. Therefore, we advise you to be careful to avoid soft and manufactured drinks, as well as powdered instant drinks, and to replace all of the above with natural drinks that are beneficial to your health, and that you can prepare easily at home, such as: natural tamarind, hibiscus, carob, khashaf, and others.
Another aspect of celebrating the holy month is decorating our homes and streets with lanterns, lights, and other signs of Ramadan joy, and we will certainly not prevent you from this, but instead of buying a new lantern for the house, be sure that last year’s lantern will do the trick, and encouraging your children to use paper to make decorations will be better than buying decorative branches made – usually – from Plastic.
Another solution if you have to buy different types of ready-made decorations or lanterns for any reason, is to make sure to keep these decorations for the next year, instead of disposing of them after the holy month has passed. As for the lights, make sure that the bulbs used are LED, and that they are lit for limited hours in the evening.
What about celebrating Eid?
Eid comes with overwhelming joy that fills the hearts, and so when we race before Eid to buy new clothes and different toys for our children, we must keep in mind something important; Instead of costumes that are only suitable for this occasion, one can resort to costumes that can be worn during the rest of the year. So that our purchases are responsible, in addition to that, it is preferable – when possible – to buy environmentally friendly toys, made from recycled materials, or to buy purposeful toys, which develop our children’s awareness and arouse in them the curiosity of learning about the environment around us.
As is the case in Ramadan, the previously mentioned concepts – with regard to the consumption of food and drinks and celebrations – apply to Eid Al-Fitr, in addition to our bearing a great responsibility when going out to various destinations, such as parks, gardens, etc., which is to preserve the environment around us, and to ensure that the throwing of waste is in the places designated for it.
In conclusion, we assure you that implementing sustainability is merely responsible changes in our daily behaviors, and perhaps the blessed month of Ramadan is an opportunity for each of us to achieve a great positive impact in a small time frame, to be a role model for those around us. Given the blessings that accompany these days and the subsequent gathering of family and friends; Do not miss this opportunity to educate those around you and encourage them to adopt responsible behaviors, stemming primarily from the teachings of true Islam,Let our behavior during the month of fasting besustainable behavior.
