Waste Management
A spiritual comment and prayer to start the day with Sarah Joseph.
Good Morning
In our household, rubbish is a bit of bugbear.
We have four rubbish bins in the kitchen β paper and card, recyclable glass and plastic, compostable, and waste. And every week I find myself removing items from one bin to another, because certain members of my family, not mentioning any names, will forget which bin is which.
The issue of waste management goes way beyond my family. In a world of abundance, it is now an international problem. So much so, this week is Zero-Waste Week, which aims to help us focus on what we chuck out.
To be fair to my family, we are pretty good at not wasting. We have almost zero food waste, and despite my moaning, we do recycle well. We see it as a religious duty actually, and part of a collective responsibility toward this planet, which in Islam is considered a Divine trust from God.
The Prophet Muhammad exhorted, "Do not waste water, even if performing ablution on the banks of a fast-flowing river." The principle extends beyond water to all resources; that even if we are surrounded by abundance, we shouldnβt waste.
So for me, small, intentional steps that reduce my consumption are not merely about participating in some βabstract environmental movementβ, they are about fulfilling my duty to God, to my family, and to future generations. They are acts of worship in its broadest sense that connect me to The Divine, by striving to ensure that His creation is preserved in all its beauty and bounty.
I pray that we can all see our responsibility to the planet and to each other, and act as stewards for the earth, protecting not wasteful. Ameen
www.zerowasteweek.co.uk