Assalamualaikum w.b.t 

Today I would like to share my insight on the second week's topic of Sustainable Development.

As we know, basic needs such as food and water wastage have become common habits in our society, especially among Malaysians. These bad habits become more severe during the pandemic of Covid-19, where the government announced the first Movement Control Order (MCO) in March 2020.

Did you all remember, after the MCO announcement, some Malaysians went on panic buying from shopping malls to the regular mini market. Many necessities & foods like bread, eggs and tissues run out due to panic buying.

This scenario is a nightmare for the poor family as they went to the market and find out the shelves is empty. Nothing was left behind.

Moreover, many have lost their jobs while some of them had their salaries cut due to quarantine leave. This situation is very sad and needs to be taken care of not only by the government but by society itself.

Islam has taught us to be moderate in any situation whether in daily expenses and consumption of daily necessities. 

As Allah says in the Holy Quran (7:31):-

۞  يَـٰبَنِىٓ ءَادَمَ خُذُوا۟ زِينَتَكُمْ عِندَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍۢ وَكُلُوا۟ وَٱشْرَبُوا۟ وَلَا تُسْرِفُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُسْرِفِينَ

O Children of Adam! Dress properly whenever you are at worship. Eat and drink, but do not waste. Surely He does not like the wasteful.

In this Surah, Allah also mentioned about corruption. Thus,  as Muslim, we should refrain ourselves from making mischief on the earth. 

 ۞ وَلَا تُفْسِدُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ بَعْدَ إِصْلَـٰحِهَا وَٱدْعُوهُ خَوْفًۭا وَطَمَعًا ۚ إِنَّ رَحْمَتَ ٱللَّهِ قَرِيبٌۭ مِّنَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ

Do not spread corruption in the land after it has been set in order. And call upon Him with hope and fear. Indeed, Allah’s mercy is always close to the good-doers.

The corruption here means the damage mankind do to this earth like wastage of natural resources, urban development and so on.

Back to our main intention. What is the relation between panic buying and food wastage that I mentioned?

According to SWCorp Malaysia (Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation), the household sector contributes 44.5 per cent of Malaysia's daily food waste, which totals 16,667.5 tons.

About 24 per cent of the food waste, or 4,005 tons, is still edible, enough to feed 2,970,000 people for three days.

SUCH A HUGE AMOUNT OF WASTE which we can actually give to the needy people out there.

However, as I learned this week's topic, I figure out that when we, as a community realizes the role of Islam in our daily life. We do not dare to waste anymore. Islam has set a systematic guideline for its believers to be followed. For example, the usage of water during Wudhu'.

Let's take a look at this video!