Spirit of Ramadan

The holy month of Ramadan is just around the corner. And Muslims around the world are all set to observe this month of fasting by abstaining from eating and drinking from dawn to dusk. Fasting is a mandatory practice for all Muslims except the sick, pregnant or menstruating women, elderly people or those on travel. This month is not only to pray before the Creator but also to cleanse one's soul by limiting worldly pleasures.
This month instils a sense of empathy among the people. It allows us to understand the situation of the less fortunate, to feel and experience the pain of hunger and thirst that our poverty-stricken brothers and sisters feel every day. The usefulness of consuming less is also a lesson of Ramadan. Extending our helping hands to the have-nots is also a key feature of this month. The month also teaches us piety, to be disciplined and have self-control. It also us teaches not to be greedy and immoral. We should consider this month as an opportunity to show our love to the needy.
This month also offers a scope for the affluent people to be generous and charitable towards those who have been hit by the current inflation and price hike. The government should urge the wealthy citizens to contribute to the Zakat fund and use that fund for millions of suffering families. We ourselves should also provide as much help as we can to everyone around us during this month.
Shahjahan Sirazi,
Malibagh, Dhaka,
[email protected]