How Should We Handle Edible Fruits and Vegetables Discarded by Employers?

Answered by Shaykh Anas al-Musa

Question

We work at a company selling fruits and vegetables, and sometimes we are asked to throw away fruits that are still edible. What should we do?

Answer

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all worlds. Peace and blessings be upon the Messenger sent as a mercy to the worlds, our Master and Prophet, Muhammad, and his Family and Companions.

Ruling on Wasting Edible Food

Throwing away edible fruits and vegetables is impermissible, as it constitutes wasting the blessings of Allah, which we are commanded to preserve. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) taught us to respect food and not waste it. He said:

“When any of you eats food, let him lick his fingers, for he does not know in which part of the food the blessing lies. And if a morsel falls, let him pick it up, clean it, and eat it, and let him not leave it for the devil. He also instructed us to scrape the dish, saying: ‘You do not know in which part of your food the blessing lies.’” [Muslim]

‘Aisha (Allah be pleased with her) narrated:

“One day, the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) entered and saw a piece of bread lying on the ground. He picked it up, wiped it, and ate it. Then he said: ‘O ‘Aisha, treat the blessings of Allah with respect, for they rarely leave a household and then return to them.’” [Tabarani, al-Mu‘jam al-Awsat; Bayhaqi, Shu‘ab al-Iman]

These hadiths highlight the importance of preserving Allah’s blessings, as they are gifts from Him. It is incumbent upon a Muslim to show gratitude for these blessings. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:

“Love Allah for the blessings with which He nourishes you.” [Tirmidhi]

What Should You Do?

If your employer instructs you to throw away edible fruits and vegetables, consider the following:

Advise Your Employer Kindly

Advise them kindly by sharing the aforementioned hadiths and explain that wasting food constitutes squandering wealth, which the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) explicitly prohibited.

He (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:

“Indeed, Allah has forbidden disobedience to mothers, withholding and demanding (without right), burying daughters alive, and He dislikes idle talk, excessive questioning, and wasting wealth.” [Bukhari]

Request Permission to Use the Edible Produce

Request permission to take the edible produce instead of discarding it. You can then:

• Use it yourself.
• Donate it to the poor, the needy, or charitable organizations.
• At the very least, feed it to animals, which is also rewarded. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “When asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah, is there a reward for us in serving animals?’ he replied: ‘In every moist liver (living creature) is a reward.’” [Ibid.]

A Final Reflection

Many people fail to appreciate Allah’s blessings until they lose them. How many poor people cannot find a morsel to eat? How many yearn for fruits but cannot afford them?

This emphasizes the importance of preserving Allah’s blessings and showing gratitude to the Giver, while avoiding wastage that serves no benefit.

May Allah bless the Prophet Muhammad and give him peace, and his Family and Companions.

[Shaykh] Anas al-Musa

Shaykh Anas al-Musa, born in Hama, Syria, in 1974, is an erudite scholar of notable repute. He graduated from the Engineering Institute in Damascus, where he specialized in General Construction, and Al-Azhar University, Faculty of Usul al-Din, where he specialized in Hadith.

He studied under prominent scholars in Damascus, including Shaykh Abdul Rahman al-Shaghouri and Shaykh Adib al-Kallas, among others. Shaykh Anas has memorized the Quran and is proficient in the ten Mutawatir recitations, having studied under Shaykh Bakri al-Tarabishi and Shaykh Mowfaq ‘Ayun. He also graduated from the Iraqi Hadith School.

He has taught numerous Islamic subjects at Shari‘a institutes in Syria and Turkey. Shaykh Anas has served as an Imam and preacher for over 15 years and is a teacher of the Quran in its various readings and narrations.

Currently, he works as a teacher at SeekersGuidance and is responsible for academic guidance there. He has completed his Master’s degree in Hadith and is now pursuing his Ph.D. in the same field. Shaykh Anas al-Musa is married and resides in Istanbul.