People should remind one another to refrain from overly lavish weddings, Muslims will be told on Friday.
“Overspending causes damage to one’s lifestyle ... and risks one’s self to become arrogant,” says today’s sermon. “Our daily lives are always filled with occasions and banquets, weddings and parties where generosity is praised and wanted, whereas overspending is frowned upon.”
Therefore, it is the responsibility of each one of us to convince one another not to overspend on wedding ceremonies – “the wise one is always careful to spend moderately”.
“Wasting natural and environmental resources is prohibited in the Islamic Sharia, because resources are a great blessing that should be preserved.”
Even the overuse of water during ablutions is frowned upon. The sermon cites an incident from the days of Prophet Mohammed, when he passed one of his companions, Sa’ad bin Abi Waqas, as he was performing ablutions. The Prophet said to him: “what is all of this waste [of water]?”
The companion replied: “Is there waste in ablution?”
Prophet Mohammed said of course – even if one was using a running river for ablutions.
The sermon states: “Waste is not restricted to water, but includes various energy sources such as electricity, which we could preserve by choosing [power] saving devices, and by taking advantage of solar energy, and turning off devices when we are not using them.”
Parents should enrich their children with these traits so they can grow a saving culture.
hdajani@thenational.ae
