Save The Fish

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

In Surah Mu'minun, Allah asks mankind,

أَفَحَسِبْتُمْ أَنَّمَا خَلَقْنَـٰكُمْ عَبَثًا وَأَنَّكُمْ إِلَيْنَا لَا تُرْجَعُونَ

"What, did you think that We created you only for sport, and that you would not be returned to Us?" (Qur'an Mu'minun 23:115)

Most people are heedless of Allah, the Creator. This heedlessness was present in our history as human beings and their persistence led to their destruction. It is nothing new. The stories are told repeatedly in the Qur'an.

Allah is not heedless of His creation.

ثُمَّ إِنَّكُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ تُبْعَثُونَ ﴿١٦﴾ وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا فَوْقَكُمْ سَبْعَ طَرَآئِقَ وَمَا كُنَّا عَنِ ٱلْخَلْقِ غَـٰفِلِينَ ﴿١٧﴾وَأَنزَلْنَا مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءًۢ بِقَدَرٍ فَأَسْكَنَّـٰهُ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ وَإِنَّا عَلَىٰ ذَهَابٍۭ بِهِۦ لَقَـٰدِرُونَ ﴿١٨﴾ فَأَنشَأْنَا لَكُم بِهِۦ جَنَّـٰتٍ مِّن نَّخِيلٍ وَأَعْنَـٰبٍ لَّكُمْ فِيهَا فَوَ‌ٰكِهُ كَثِيرَةٌ وَمِنْهَا تَأْكُلُونَ ﴿١٩﴾

And We created above you seven ways, and We were not heedless of creation. (17)
And We sent down out of heaven water in measure and lodged it in the earth; and We are able to take it away. (18) Then We produced for you therewith gardens of palms and vines wherein are many fruits for you, and of them you eat, (19)
(Qur'an Mu'minun 23:17-19)

We, as a society, have become very individualistic and selfish, a society of I, Me, My, Mine--"I want this and that," "Give ME this and that," "Don't touch MY stuff," "This is MINE." We don't think about other people. We lack the awareness of what is around us. When we look at the night skies, we see the moon or collection of stars just sitting out there, doing nothing, while we drink our tea or coffee or soda under the moonlight and be merry. We don't think of the skies in terms of our connection to the Creator. When we go to the park, we don't even look at the trees that give us shade while we enjoy our picnic or our walks. Perhaps one day when they disappear, we will feel the heat, but then it might be too late.

We waste a lot, not just in our spending but in what we eat (and drink.) Just go to the back of any restaurant (especially the fast food restaurants) or grocery store, you will see so much food in the dumpsters. Even in our own homes, take notice of the leftovers and spoil food we throw in the garbage cans and garbage disposals everyday. What, do people think this will not affect us terribly in the long run?

The way we buy and consume things have a direct impact on production. When we consume more, we need to produce more. When we have to produce more, what is at stake? Our earth and its inhabitants. Forests have to be cleared for agriculture and industries and this already caused several environmental issues, including the climate change we have been experiencing. More fish are rapidly harvested from the oceans and the appalling fishing methods have caused much destruction to marine life. Animals have to be slaughtered at a rate that there is not enough humans to hand slaughter them fast enough to meet the consumption (and Islamic rules are compromised).

If each of us simply change our wasteful buying and eating habits, we would have taken part in preventing over fishing, deforestation and non Islamic practices of slaughtering animals. This is part of fulfilling our duty as viceregent (khalifah) of Allah on this earth.

Whatever we are doing that causes us to reject the blessings of Allah and deviate from the way of the Prophets will result in our not prosper.

وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ مِن سُلَـٰلَةٍ مِّن طِينٍ ﴿١٢﴾ ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَـٰهُ نُطْفَةً فِى قَرَارٍ مَّكِينٍ ﴿١٣﴾ ثُمَّ خَلَقْنَا ٱلنُّطْفَةَ عَلَقَةً فَخَلَقْنَا ٱلْعَلَقَةَ مُضْغَةً فَخَلَقْنَا ٱلْمُضْغَةَ عِظَـٰمًا فَكَسَوْنَا ٱلْعِظَـٰمَ لَحْمًا ثُمَّ أَنشَأْنَـٰهُ خَلْقًا ءَاخَرَ ۚ فَتَبَارَكَ ٱللَّهُ أَحْسَنُ ٱلْخَـٰلِقِينَ ﴿١٤﴾ ثُمَّ إِنَّكُم بَعْدَ ذَ‌ٰلِكَ لَمَيِّتُونَ ﴿١٥﴾ ثُمَّ إِنَّكُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ تُبْعَثُونَ ﴿١٦

"We created man of an extraction of clay, (12) then We set him, a drop, in a receptacle secure, (13) then We created of the drop a clot then We created of the clot a tissue then We created of the tissue bones then We garmented the bones in flesh; thereafter We produced him as another creature. So blessed be God, the fairest of creators! (14) Then after that you shall surely die, (15) then on the Day of Resurrection you shall surely be raised up. (16)"
(Qur'an Mu'minun 23:12-16)

May Allah forgive us and have mercy on us. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. JazakAllahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam