Most people around the world think of Ramadan as just a regular month during which Muslims do some rituals, some pretty tough ones, and then happily celebrate the end of it. Although it may all sound correct, one must know that there’s much more into Ramadan that even Muslims can’t wholly fathom and are yet to discover it themselves. Ramadan is not just simply avoiding food and water for a few hours, and to think of it as a month of mere hardship won’t do it any justice.
Of course the most prominent aspect of Ramadan is the fasting. Not that other religions don’t have it, but in Muslim world it just goes far beyond eating nothing from dawn to dusk. For them it is a sign, a sign reminiscent of the poor, those who literally have nothing to eat and don’t even know if they’re going to make it through the night. Poverty and hunger are two things that prevail in Muslim world due to the environmental, economical and of course political conditions Islamic countries face today. Huge conventions to raise money for the poor, mass adoptions of unsupported children, gathering vital commodities for the poor and many other activities of this kind are the things that Muslims do in Ramadan and one can’t ignore the important role of fasting in igniting this fiery feeling of caring for one another.
Now, If you think fasting is all Ramadan has to offer, you’re just looking at the cover. Everything is different in Ramadan, even the way people treat each other. Most families just find the love again and forget everything that used to keep them apart. Many unpleasant memories are forgotten and many friendships are renewed. Some people even start new relationships, establish new friendships with others, once they find out that they, too, are fasting and share a lot regarding beliefs. Ramadan is just a perfect way of socializing in a sense.
To make it even more interesting, crime rates drop dramatically during Ramadan. A safer community to live in is one thing every single individual prays for nowadays and in Ramadan it’s just a dream that comes true. Any sort of crime, be it murder, stealing, kidnapping or even your regular street fighting just fade away in the wake of what seems to be a universal feeling of friendliness and closeness towards other people, even those you don’t know.
Whatever it is, as I mentioned earlier, you’ll just get to know Ramadan as much as you can understand it. 30 days of all the good feelings, makes you want to be a better person, especially when you see all the love and respect that Muslims express for this month and the way they at least try to change who they are for a minimum of 30 days, and who knows, maybe even a lifetime.
