By Hasan Kamoonpuri -
What do we learn from the month-long fasting? The month of Ramadhan offers a practical opportunity to innumerable lessons. It is a kind of programming for us to identify and remain on the Straight Path of righteousness that calls for goods deeds and thoughts in all our life.
Even if no one is around, people do not eat anything because they know that Allah sees and hears everyone all the time. Allah alone is sufficient as a witness in all our affairs. Allah alone is sufficient as a disposer of affairs in human life. In Allah alone everyone must repose his trust. All things return to Allah.
Those who follow their desires rather than the commandments of Allah, as outlined in the Quran, are losers. Although believers supplicate for goodness, both in this world and in the life hereafter, it is unwise to attach oneself with the worldly life’s desires.
Ramadhan gives us opportunities to share food, drinks and kind words with others. Charity, a key element of Islam, is a way of bringing justice to society. Islam has, therefore, made charity, zakat (poor due) obligatory and binding upon all Muslims. In addition, Sadaqah (alms for the needy any time) is important on all happy or sad occasions.
All human beings, according to Islam, have been created by one and the same God, and for this reason they belong to one great brotherhood. All being descendants of the same progenitor, Adam and Eve, they should naturally be each other’s well-wishers. They must willingly come to one another’s assistance, like members of the same large family.
Islam has, therefore, laid the greatest of emphasis on the support of destitute, disabled and oppressed members of society. It is a sacred duty of the wealthy to give part of their possessions to fulfil the needs of the deprived sections of the community.
A society can flourish only when its members do not spend all their wealth on the satisfaction of their own desires but reserve a portion of it for parents, relatives, neighbours, the poor and the incapacitated.
As the saying goes: Charity begins at home. A true believer is thus always prepared, after meeting the needs of his family, to assist other people in need of his help.
Another very powerful lesson that we learn during Ramadhan is that developing and deepening unity is most important. Equally important is the need to identify and thwart divisive forces in society.
In every part of the world where Muslims live there is hope about the future. Today, the Muslim world has a bright future ahead of it. This bears testimony to the promises made by God. And surely Allah will help him who helps Him. Surely Allah is Strong, Mighty. (Quran, 22: 40) God Almighty says: And We desired to bestow a favour upon those who were deemed weak in the land, and to make them the leaders, and to make them the heirs. (Quran 28:5) These are God's promises. There is also another Quranic verse: And Allah has full control over His affair, but most people know not. (Quran 12:21]
These promises which have been made by God will gradually turn into reality. A Quranic verse says: That abode of the Hereafter, We assign it to those who have no desire to exalt themselves in the earth nor to make mischief. And the good end is for those who keep their duty. (Quran 28: 83). The good end is for those who are pious and do not overstep the limits set by God. Allah says: Surely We have given thee abundance of good. So pray to thy Lord and sacrifice. Surely thy enemy is cut off (from good). (Quran 108)