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Ramadan is upon
us, alhamdulillah (thanks be to Allah). We have a very
few number of days left before this blessed annual guest
arrives. Preparation for this month’s treasures has
already begun. Muslim grocers have stocked up regular
Ramadan delights. Mosques, centers, and organizations
are preparing to host iftars for the masses, and groups
are planning their nightly devotions at their favourite
masjids (mosques). All is abuzz leading up to the Month
of Quran. Yet, something remains amiss. The culture
surrounding Ramadan, as far back as I can remember, is
very much the attitude many of us have for most
quasireligious and secular holidays and festivities:
materialistic consumerism. In order to taste the
sweetness of Ramadan, it seems we must indulge in the
taste of sweets of every kind, from kulfi to baklava,
gulab jamun to knafa. In this month that is supposed to
teach us simplicity and humility, we often lose the very
essence of minimalism and conservation. This month’s
column is about a return to the basics. There are a
number of areas in which we can make our Ramadan have
the same healing effect on the earth as it would on our
souls.
Here are a few tips for a more earth-friendly Ramadan.
Quran: Ramadan after all is the Month of Quran. Take a
minute or two to renew your commitment to the
responsibility Allah has entrusted you -- the trust and
weight of being managers of this Earth. Pay heed to
verses in the Quran reminding you of your place on this
earth and your duty towards it and its inhabitants, from
people to animals, plants to the inanimate; all the
natural bounties from Allah. I can’t imagine a better
way to implement the command of Allah to ponder on His
creation and the might of His design than by going out
into the natural environment that abundantly surrounds
Ottawa. It would be a beautiful habit to develop this
Ramadan; one that is reminiscent of the tradition of the
Prophet, may peace be upon him, to seek solitude in the
hills of Makkah. Take a copy of the Quran with you and
sit on the grass, or under a tree. You may enjoy your
surroundings more without a picnic in tow.
Food: The wonderful ethnic diversity of our community is
reflected in the colourful array of deserts and foods on
the iftar spread. This I’m not about to criticize, since
I certainly enjoy my occasional laddu (Indian sweet). I
do suggest however, that we use proportion when thinking
up our iftar menu. What I’m suggesting is to try to use
local ingredients in your embarrassingly named “Ramadan
Recipes”. Instead of using imported chickpea flour, use
a local alternative. Instead of imported - and
incredibly expensive - dairy products, consider Ontario
dairy. This will help reduce your ecological footprint,
and insha Allah (God willing) with the proper intention
perhaps help you increase your footprint in jannah.
Water: The same applies to our use of water. We could do
with the revival of some of the forgotten sunnan
(traditions) of the Prophet, may peace and blessings be
upon him, such as the use of very little water in our
ablution. Although we live on the banks of the Ottawa
River, consider the reminder the Beloved of Allah, may
peace be upon him, gave his companion to conserve water
even if at a flowing river. I believe that advice is
particularly appropriate for Ottawans and Canadians who
have some of the most abundant freshwater resources at
their disposal.
Waste: Whether it’s food we can’t finish or disposable
plates and cutlery, waste must stop. With all the iftars
around town and the huge numbers of people in i’tikaf
(spiritual retreat) in the mosques, imagine the amount
of waste produced from unfinished food, disposable
plates and cutlery, not to mention the enormous pile of
PETE water bottles. It’s an illness that plagues our
Ramadans. The entire month should remind us of the
plight and distress of others, but when that daily
opportunity to ward off hunger arrives, we forget
everything else. I don’t imagine it would be very
difficult for mosques to invest in reusable plates and
cutlery. I mean we did it at our Muslim Students’
Association at the University of Ottawa and we all
pitched in cleaning up afterwards. In fact, this
investment may save a lot of money in the long run. Also,
all you brothers and sisters heading to the mosques
should take reusable bottles for water. Think how much
easier that would be than constantly running back and
forth to the water cooler, waiting in line, and then
hunching over a fountain that barely produces enough
water to keep its pipes moist. And finally, let’s not
make this the Month of Wasting Food.
Energy: While devoting our nights to prayer, and our
days to remembrance of Allah we needn’t help the fat
cats at the energy company milk more money out of our
mosques, schools and centers. Use the light of the sun
shining through the windows to read the Quran and try
praying in the dark or at least in low light. You would
be surprised what that can do for you in terms of
increased tranquility and concentration (khushou’).
Praying in the dark can increase the feeling of
seclusion with your Creator. Maybe this Ramadan, climate
change watchers may see a dent in emissions because
Muslims around the world have lowered their energy use.
I can dream, can’t I? Perhaps, with these tips we may
not only be able to give our bodies a rest from all the
food, as well as the toxins we inadvertently consume but
we may give our Mother Earth the rest she well deserves
from all the toxic, hurtful, wasteful habits we’ve
plagued her with. This way she may leave us with more
places to pray upon that will vouch for us on the Day of
Recompense.
Omar Mahfoudhi has a Bachelor’s degree in
Environmental Sciences from the University of Ottawa and
is pursuing his Masters in Remote Sensing and GIS. He is
known amongst friends and colleagues as Green Kufi
because of the green prayer cap he often sports and
because he’s a Muslim Environmentalist.
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