Impression about The Holy Month of Ramadhan [Archives:2000/48/Last Page]
November 27 2000
Krzysztof Suprowicz
Ambassador of the Republic of Poland
I was asked what did I know and what did I think about the Holy Month of Ramadhan? Well, it is a good question to be put to a person, a European, who spent well over ten years in the Muslim World. I wish I could give a simple answer but this does not exist because, as per my experience, the Holy Month of RAmadhan looks quite different and at the same time so much alike in all those many Arab countries that I had a chance to visit. Different are the people and their immediate environment, their living standards, even clothes they wear. Different are dialects they speak, expressions in their eyes, their wishes and smiles on their faces. But definitely, the same is their complete and unconditional devotion to their common religious tradition, so demanding and yet so inspiring and refreshing.
Yes, the Holy Month of Ramadhan is very unique in its unifying strength which brings people toether again and makes them realize that they all are servants of the Almighty. Ramadhan is very special also because it is the month of bodily chastity, reunifying both the poor and the wealthy in a equally demanding effort: O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may become righteous. These are the words of God (the Holy Quran, chapter 2, v. 184).
How often we forget to be righteous and fair not only with the others, but also with ourselves?! How often we forget about th necessity to live and act in full conformity with the rules of God! Well, to my understanding, the Holy Month of RAmadhan is there to remind to all the Muslims that as humans they are all equal, both in their duties towards the God and towards each other. It is the Month of recovery of the spiritual as well as bodily balance, the Month of expiation and purification. But foremost, the way I understand it, it is the Month of true compassion and sincere forgiveness since Ramadhan is the Month or Rebirth.
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