A month that reminds us of our responsibilities

At a moment when so many people around the world are suffering, Ramadan reminds us of our common obligations to pursue justice and peace and to uphold the dignity of every human being, regardless of faith or background. While it is true that Ramadan is a time when families and friends gather and meals are shared, Ramadan is also a time of intense devotion and reflection.

I think that sometimes people tend to forget that Ramadan is more than just a month of refraining from food and drink, it is a time to make a steadfast commitment to living a morally upright life.

Ramadan is that momentous month that is incredibly special and deeply spiritual. The Quran states that the ultimate purpose of the fast is to attain piety. The Arabic word for fasting, sawm, literally means restraint and self-control. Abstinence is a catalyst for self-discipline, for patience, good manners and good speech.

Fasting also inculcates the qualities of empathy and compassion towards those who are less fortunate than ourselves and who may be suffering because of poverty, famine or inequality.

For example, when a fasting person feels the pangs of hunger and thirst, this evokes a sense of solidarity and social responsibility, because it encourages them to be charitable. At the same time, it reminds them of the shared responsibility to treat others the way they themselves wish to be treated.

Compassion requires us to look into our own hearts, discover what gives us pain and refrain from inflicting that pain on anybody else.

The practice of compassion is central to the teachings of Islam, but sadly Islam is often hijacked by those who seek to spread violence and intolerance. Confucius is thought to be the pioneer who formulated what is known as the golden rule: "Do not do to others what you would not like them to do to you."

The important characteristics of compassion and selflessness are scarce today. This is, perhaps, a consequence of the rampaging materialism that may have taken over our lives and compels us to succumb to the desires of our soul, plunging us into a state of spiritual deprivation. It is unfortunate that in our postmodern society we tend to overlook the fact that our actions have consequences and the liberties we enjoy come with responsibilities towards others.

This month is quintessentially about refining the character and taming the soul by purifying it from bad characteristics such as arrogance, selfishness, dishonesty and intolerance and increasing it with praiseworthy and good characteristics. Islam is inclusive in dealing with the human being. There is profound emphasis on the soul, because it governs the actions of the body.

For some people, faith is a remote and abstract entity though, and does not necessarily have any bearing on the outer character. However, the Quran consistently describes true believers as those having faith and performing righteous actions. Hence, adhering to the five pillars of Islam and having faith should be interwoven with outward morality. Morality is a core principle of Islam and needs to be perfected on a two-fold level.

On an individual level, we can do this by striving to adopt certain universal principles such as sincerity, honesty, justice and compassion into our daily lives. On a communal level we can try to interact with other people in a positive manner, such as showing kindness and justice to all people, regardless of race or religion.

Ramadan reminds us of the basic principles that bind people of different faiths together: peace, justice and equality; it also reminds us of our shared responsibility of treating others as we wish to be treated. This spirit of responsibility, peace and compassion is desperately needed in today’s challenging and fearful world and hence, this spirit must be relentlessly upheld in the months and years to come.

Sajda Khan is a British writer and academic