The meaning of Ramadhan

Each year I am left to answer this question. Although the answers have vaguely different forms, the primary essence of it remains: to purify oneself, submit wholly to Allah s.w.t, and to understand the meaning of having nothing.

More than often, Ramadhan has been said again and again as a holy month, a month to be respected by all Muslims. There's even a once-popular song (& still a popular song to me) that goes

"...bulan Ramadhan bulan cabaran, bukan bulan untuk menunggu perayaan..."
And I translate it as, "this fasting month (Ramadhan) is a challenging month, it is not a month awaiting celebration (Hari Raya Aidilfitri/Puasa)".

As it seemed, hordes of people welcomes this month with celebratory. The mosque will be full and chocked within the first week. Then subsequently, they will converge to one place for shopping and the likes. It is not wrong, but at the same time it doesn't feel right also.

I look at the massive amount of food cooked everyday and I get shocked too. It seems everybody is better off someone else's. It became like a race of who is the better cook with the better menu. The pure harmless thought of sharing with neighbours somehow have twisted the edge of the knife hasn't it?

Whilst I seek, I never have found the answer to the same question thrown to us every Islamic year. All I know is that I do my very best, within the circumstances that I have and within my limited abilities, to fulfil our obligations that were asked of us by Allah s.w.t.

May this be the bestest Ramadhan we all have. And may we be blessed to witness another Ramadhan again next year. Amin...


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