The end of the month of Ramadhan marks the beginning of a renewed opportunity. To take the goals and vision that we sculpted of ourselves during the holy month and expand them. The chance to apply them in the longer term and make our newly formed habits a new reality. With “Eid week” wrapping up during a particularly troubling time in the world, post-Ramadhan celebrations were cut short this year. However, there are ways to ensure that the discipline we exercised and the fervor we held for creating a spiritual lifestyle during the holy month of Ramadhan does not end as abruptly. In this post, we will be taking lessons on living a simpler life, learned from Ramadan and Eid and how to embrace a more mindful way of gift-giving with less waste.
Zehra is a freelance writer and new mom to a vivacious and strong-willed girl. She is a psychometrist by profession with a background in research, but her true passion is in writing. When she is not writing or at the park with her daughter, you can find her savoring a cup of chai and dreaming about traveling the world. Zehra loves to listen to others’ unique stories and learn about their experiences.
Follow her on Instagram @xy.zee and read more of her work on Thrive Global and The Muslim Link.
Mindful gift giving for Ramadan and Eid
One goal that we can all work on is acting with more intention and learning to become more mindful of the impact of our actions.
Many of our Eid celebrations this year included plates and boxes full of goodies, from traditional sweets baked with parents and grandparents to cupcakes, cookies, and other desserts made impeccably by professional bakers in the community. Social media platforms have allowed small businesses to showcase their craft, and customers have displayed their excitement and appreciation through posts and tags for getting their hands on delicious and beautifully plated treats from friends and family.
Gifting is part of Sunnah
As discussed in our Eid and Ramadan Gift Ideas posts, gift-giving is a Sunnah of the Prophet (SAW) and is a highly recommended act. One hadith tells us that the person who is presented with a gift should return the favor by giving back an even better gift. But if they cannot return the favor, then they should express gratitude and speak well for the gift-giver.
A person who is not able to present us with a gift should give it to the righteous ones from among our followers. It will be written for him as a reward for presenting a gift to us!1
IMAM MUsa al-kadhim (as)
Gift-giving increases feelings of goodwill between people and helps strengthen the social fabric with which we are all connected. Who doesn’t like to be remembered and presented with a token of their friendship or appreciation?
The gift-giving and posting frenzy we have seen this Ramadhan and Eid served the dual purpose of supporting small businesses in the community while tackling our ever-growing list of gift recipients. But to what extent is our intention crossing that fine line of promoting extravagance and being wasteful, albeit behind good intentions?
Embracing Mindful Gift-Giving for Ramadan and Eid with less waste
We all add to the waste problem. Wasteful living can sneak into our habits in many ways – from the extra food left on our plates at mealtime that is later put in the trash, to the produce and leftovers that get pushed further back in our fridges and left to rot, to the use of non-recyclable packaging that ends up in landfills. As a community, we are guilty of much waste – especially in the month of Ramadan as outlined in our Islam and the Environment post
The Quran has much to say about waste and extravagance:
- “Eat and drink, and be not wasteful. Surely He does not love the wasteful/extravagant.” (7:31)
- “And do not spend wastefully.” (17: 26)
- “Those who, when spending, are neither wasteful nor tight-fisted, and moderation lies between these [extremes]” (25: 67)
Consider the following facts2:
- According to a 2019 study, Canada produces the most waste in the world!3
- An estimated 58% of food in Canada is never even consumed.
- The average Canadian household spends over $1700 on food that is wasted every year!
- Food waste costs the Canadian economy $49 billion every year!
- The young adult population aged 18 – 24 is a particularly relevant contributor to this issue. This age group has been found to lack awareness of the sheer amount of food that is wasted and to feel a sense of apathy on this issue4.
- Canadians are wasting 13.5% MORE food since the start of the pandemic5
- The main reason cited for why food is being wasted is that food is left in the fridge or freezer for too long.
Wasteful living is everyone’s problem. When we waste food and other material items like the pretty packaging that goes along with the treats we gift (or even when we look beyond food, such as purchasing new clothing every season to keep up with the fast-fashion trends) not only are we being unjust to society, but also the environment. Our wasteful habits are “eating up” our natural resources and creating significant environmental consequences.
‘We have a responsibility to each other…’
The Quran reminds us that we have a responsibility to each other and to the abundant resources that we have been given on this planet.
Beyond being an environmental issue, this is also a moral and ethical issue. The irony is that in Ramadhan we fast our bodies in an attempt to turn our focus away from food and inwards towards our higher self, spirituality, and responsibility to society, but somehow, food inevitably becomes the center and focus of our thoughts, motivation, and actions.
We can all make small changes to minimize this growing waste problem. Here are 5 tips for mindful gift-giving for next Ramadan and Eid so that we can reap the benefits of having less waste (inshaAllah).
5 Tips for Mindful Gift Giving for Ramadan and Eid:
1. Use recyclable packaging
Use recyclable packing or package treats in boxes that you know your recipient can re-use. When others give gifts, save the packaging and find creative ways to re-use and upcycle them. The ones below are great alternatives to wasteful packaging.
We love this huge roll of eco-friendly wrapping paper that can be used for everything!
Recyclable food pouches, perfect for edible gifts!
2. Encourage small businesses
Encourage your favorite small business to explore sustainable packaging options! We love that many small businesses like @kufesk use environmentally friendly and sustainable packaging.
3. Hold a snack / gift exchange
Hold a Ramadhan snack exchange or Eid gift exchange instead of purchasing and making snacks and sweets for everyone. This way, each individual will receive less food, which is more likely to be eaten. @charity.x.change held one this past Ramadhan. Why not make this concept the primary iftar that we “host”, instead of sending multiple boxes of iftar to multiple people?
4. Give long-lasting gifts
Consider giving a longer-lasting gift, one that relates to a meaningful theme, such as an Islamic home décor item or personalized gifts like a sadaqah jar from @alush.ca. These can be small and relatively inexpensive gestures that hold a permanent place in your home. They will serve as constant reminders of how we can live more mindfully and with intention.
5. Hold a ‘donation lottery’
The best gifts are the ones that help those most in need, and there is no lack of emphasis on the importance of charity in Islam and the Quran.
Similar to a gift exchange, let each person participating select a charity of their choice and donate an amount of money of their choice. Pool the money together and randomly draw one charity to where the funds will be donated to. This is one fun way to spread awareness of the many amazing initiatives out there that may hold a special place in our hearts while allowing us to make a collective impact!
Do you have any other mindful gift-giving ideas for Ramadan or Eid? How can we live a less wasteful and extravagant lifestyle, not only in the holy month but every day?
References:
1. https://www.al-islam.org/last-luminary-and-ways-delve-light-sayyid-ridha-husayni-mutlaq/responsibility-80-giving-gifts-and
2. https://wrwcanada.com/en/get-involved/resources/food-waste-themed-resources/food-waste-canada-facts
3. https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2019/07/12/canada-united-states-worlds-biggest-producers-of-waste/39534923/
4. https://www.ift.org/news-and-publications/news/2018/august/20/young-adults-may-lack-management-behaviors-to-prevent-food-waste
5. https://www.nationalobserver.com/2020/09/18/news/covid-19-changed-how-canadians-eat-are-we-wasting-less-food
Related Posts:
Islam and the Environment – How to be an Eco-Friendly Muslim
DIY Ramadan Gift Ideas
Eid Gift Ideas – The Ultimate Guide
