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52 Ways To Make A Difference
By Amina Cisse Muhammad
29/06/2001
Often, when we think of how we might somehow make a difference in someone else's life, we think of only the "big ways." Although it is great to strive towards the ideal, we are often stopped from trying by considerations such as a lack of time and/or money, or we are discouraged because we don't believe we will get the results that we desire.
In this column, we will feature discussions of "small ways" that each of us, as Muslims and as human beings, can seek to contribute to our families, our communities, our societies; indeed, Insha'Allah, to the world. And we urge you to take a moment to reflect on these words, and to contemplate how you might put them into action in your own life to benefit humanity. May Allah bless each and every one of us!
#14: Love Allah's Earth, and strive to take better care of it.
Reduce the amount of packaging you purchase and throw away by buying as many items as you can without packaging in the first place. Are there packageless alternatives to some of the packaged foods you consume? Can you buy some of your staples in bulk? Some shampoos and soaps are available in refillable bottles. If you can't avoid cardboard or plastic packaging, see if some of it can't be saved and reused for something else, such as children's art supplies (Gordon).
It never ceases to amaze me how, even though Allah calls Muslims the "best of peoples, evolved for mankind" (Holy Qur'an, Sura Ali Imran, 3:110) and has appointed humans as his "agents, inheritors of the earth" (Sura Al An'am, 6:165), we are often very negligent when it comes to caring for this Earth that is our home and that of our children and their children as well.
It was difficult to find Islamic materials directly related to caring for our environment. Allah does command us to be mindful of the resources that He has placed at our disposal - He forbade the unnecessary cutting down of trees, and He emphasizes the need for cleanliness (which would extend to our environment and, thus, make polluting the earth abominable). Prophet Muhammad (SAW) also reminded us of the importance of cleanliness when he said, "Cleanliness is half of faith." We are ordered to make ablution before prayer, and also to make sure that our places of prayer are free of contamination and filth. Since the entire world (except restrooms, graveyards and other forbidden areas) is a potential place of prayer for us as Muslims, it follows that we should be mindful of preserving it in a state of cleanliness.
As Allah's vicegerents, surely, we should be foremost in efforts to protect our environment - in any manner that we might possibly do so. Below is a list of additional suggestions that we can follow:
1. Cut down on air pollution by periodically giving your car a rest. You'll be loving your body too.
2. Properly dispose of all waste items.
3. Wisely plan meals to cut down on food waste.
4. Recycle newspapers, and aluminum, glass and plastic products whenever possible.
5. Use reusable containers rather than disposable bags and wraps.
6. Make an effort to cut down on energy use to conserve our natural resources and help reduce air pollution.
7. Use rechargeable batteries whenever possible.
8. Find ways to cut down on the use of water.
9. Be respectful of others by minding and cleaning up after your pets.
10. Contact a local or national organization to find out how you can become active in efforts to protect the environment.
Related Websites
www.foe.org (to Friends of the Earth, a national environmental organization dedicated to preserving the health and diversity of the planet for future generations)
www.sprint.com/epatrol/ (a web site hosted by Sprint that offers helpful tips for preserving
our environment)
Notes: This list is being developed partially from the card set, 52 Ways to Make A Difference, authored by Lynn Gordon and published by Chronicle Books of San Francisco in 1996, and
available at Borders Book Store in the mini-book section.
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