OUR exaggerated consumption behavior is a dominant feature in this month. We do not know the reasons or the justifications for this. Sanctifying this holy month does not mean that we become more extravagant in our spending, especially on food. Whoever wants to see for himself should go to the shops selling food where he will see long queues of people waiting to buy. People are crowding to buy food as if we are in a war of retaliation. Why do we do this in Ramadan, which is supposed to be a month of spiritual behavior and wise spending on food and drink? In Ramadan people should eat two meals instead of three. This extravagant spending constitutes a huge financial burden not only on families but on the government as well. We have been passing this bad conduct from generation to generation and it is too difficult for us now to give it up. Some families are even boasting that they eat more richer and varied food than the others. This is not Islamic conduct. We are not against people celebrating this holy month with spiritual joy. It is the right of families to get together in this holy month. The thing I do not understand is that food that can be enough for 20 people will be served to a table of five people only. We purchase food with a vengeance and spend a lot of money. This is a total economic and food waste. We should carefully study our purchasing habits. We should only buy what is enough to meet our need, not more. We should not fill the tables with scores of food items which we do not eat. People should eat reasonably during Ramadan. Our eating habits in this holy month are proof that we have not yet abandoned the bad behavior which we inherited from the previous generations. We should enlighten people against these bad habits. This is the role of the mosques, schools, homes, the media and others. We should maintain balance in our food purchases and consumption. You are not asked to buy more than what you actually need. You do not need to borrow money and drown yourself in debts only to imitate the others in their exaggerated consumption. By doing so, nobody except you will be the victim.
