Eat less, share more.
Ramadan teaches us to understand how it feels to be poor and hungry. Many people around the world live in dire poverty, with very little means to overcome the misery they live in. Young children are forced to live under extremely miserable conditions. They have to struggle daily to get food, many have no homes or shelters, and some have to join the workforce to earn for their families. For such children, childhood as a period of carefree days filled with play and laughter is non-existent. Toys, delicious food, new clothes and all the other comforts of life taken for granted by many of us, are all unattainable dreams for them.
It is the duty of those who are fortunate in terms of material wealth, to help the less fortunate in different parts of the world. An important point to remember is that the wealth which human beings enjoy actually belongs to Allah. The Qur’an continuously brings men’s attention to the fact that wealth is only Allah’s, and that man is no more than a proxy of God in supervising it; consequently, man should not disobey God regarding the trust put under his charge. “Allah is the Owner of heavens and the earth: To God belongs the dominion of heavens and the earth” (3: 189). “And it is God Who provides sustenance to all people: Is there a Creator, other than God, to give you sustenance from heaven or earth?” (35: 3).
Ramadan is a month of fast, not a month of feast. It is not about eating, but feeding.
Just as fasting teaches us to sympathize with the poor and the needy, it also teaches us to be grateful for all the blessings of the Almighty we enjoy. The food and wholesome drinks so abundantly available are great blessings of Allah. Because we have them everyday, we do not realize their importance. But when we are forced to restrain ourselves while fasting, we understand the importance of having enough to eat and satisfy the pangs of hunger.
Learning from this Ramadan, together we shall start to eat less, and share more.
