Grand Mufti Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh has called on the authorities responsible for the upkeep of picnic areas to install special waste containers designed to collect and preserve the food left over by picnickers for use by people who barely have anything to eat.

“The leftovers could be a health hazard as they rot, polluting the environment,” he said.

Delivering the Friday sermon at Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque, the grand mufti said: “Allah has given us so many blessings to be thankful for. But we should avoid extravagance and the wastage of these blessings, especially at a time when so many people are badly in need of the basic necessities of food and clothing.”

He said Muslims should not pride themselves in having large feasts and later, throwing the leftover food out in the streets. “This is a grave sin in the sight of Allah,” he said.

Al-Asheikh cautioned youngsters against harming nature parks when they picnic, and being rowdy or drifting cars or using foul language in the presence of other picnicking families. “This is not the way of a good Muslim,” he said.