Aya & Yusuf: Waste Not

Aya & Yusuf: Waste Not is an Islamic animated video for children aged 4 to 9 in which a drought on the farm teaches the twins Aya and Yusuf to use just the right amount of water and food, and never to waste.

It has not rained for a long time. Everything is dry, the plants are shrivelling, and if the rain does not come soon there may be no plants or trees left. Mama and Baba explain what a drought is, and why the family must not waste water. But even without a drought, they say, it is important not to waste: water is precious to every living thing, and the rule is to eat and drink freely, but never waste.

Then they show the twins how. When watering plants, pour just enough to make the soil feel wet: too little and the plants dry up, too much and they can grow mould. When pouring a drink for yourself or the animals, give as much as is needed. When bathing, showering or brushing teeth, use just enough water to get clean. And at mealtimes, take not too much and not too little: just the right amount.

Food scraps are not wasted either. Some go to the animals, and the rest are mixed with soil, dry leaves, grass and bits of wood to make compost, which helps the garden grow stronger. Just as the twins wonder how plants can grow with no water, the rain begins to fall.

At bedtime, the twins even agree not to sleep too little or too much. The episode ends with their prayer and a verse of the Qur'an on screen, about spending in just balance.

• Surah Al-A'raf 7:31: Eat and drink, but do not waste. Mama and Baba give the twins this rule.
• Surah Al-Furqan 25:67: Those who, when they spend, are neither wasteful nor stingy, but keep a just balance between the two. The episode ends with this verse on screen.