The month of Ramadan returns once more — a time set aside for fasting, reflection, and sharing. This sacred period calls us to renew our commitment to faith, goodness, truth, and justice for every human being on this planet.
The practice of fasting is not new. While Muslims are commanded to fast during Ramadan, earlier communities and faith traditions also observed fasting to draw closer to God. Islam thus continues a long-standing spiritual discipline found among Jews, Christians, and even followers of more ancient traditions such as Hinduism and Buddhism, all of which include fasting as a means of purification and devotion. The Qur’an declares this divine continuity in verse 2:183 “O Believers (Mo’men), fasting has been mandated for previous generations for a certain number of days so that one may become responsible (taqwa).”
For Muslims, Ramadan is therefore not merely a cultural tradition but a divine obligation — one of the Five Pillars of Islam that anchor faith and practice. Alongside the testimony of faith (Shahada), the five daily prayers (Salat), the pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj), and the annual sharing of wealth through Zakat, fasting represents a sacred covenant between the Creator and His creation, encompassing all beings, both animate and inanimate. This profound connection is implied at the end of verse 2:183 of the Qur’an, where Allah commands fasting “so that you may attain taqwa,” a state of moral awareness, self-restraint, and spiritual responsibility that is more than faith in and submission to God. Ramadan, then, becomes not only an act of discipline but a spiritual journey toward deeper faith, humility, and moral consciousness.
In previous writings and discussions, I have emphasized that taqwa signifies a conscious formal commitment to God and to fellow human beings. Taqwa embodies a moral sense of duty, a call to do good and to act responsibly. The true purpose of taqwa is to elevate human life and society, creating the conditions in which truth and justice prevail. Linguistically, taqwa originates from the root letters waw–qaf–ya, meaning to preserve or safeguard the essence of existence. When understood in this light, the link between taqwa and religious practice becomes clearer: our rituals are designed to cultivate this inner sense of responsibility, a theme repeated throughout the Qur’an. For instance, divine revelation is described as a guide for those who possess taqwa (2:3), and that the best provision one can strive for is not material wealth but taqwa itself (2:197).
The three key traditional aspects of Ramadan fasting are:
- Fasting from dawn to dusk which involves the intentional restraint from food, drink, and other physical pleasures. This sacred practice helps us (i) cultivate patience, resilience, and self-discipline; (ii) experience the pangs of hunger to foster empathy for those less fortunate; and (iii) give the body time to heal and rejuvenate.
- Deepening our devotion to God through nightly prayers and by reading and reflecting upon the Qur’an — the final Divine Revelation that forms the core foundation of our universal faith and purpose in life.
- Fulfilling Zakat, the obligatory sharing of one’s wealth to support and uplift others in society.
The first two practices are primarily personal, yet they are enriched by the communal spirit of gathering for prayer, sharing meals, and strengthening social bonds. The third practice, Zakat, another pillar of faith embedded in Ramadan, embodies the true outward expression of fasting — gratitude for our blessings, care for the deprived, and collective investment in education, economic well-being, and justice. Though the ritual aspects of Ramadan are well observed, Zakat today often remains unsupervised and left to individual discretion, falling short of its deep ethical and strategic role. A more detailed discussion on Zakat will follow in our February editorial.
Thus, Ramadan serves as an extended training ground for holistic growth — spiritual, physical, and social. It teaches us to become mindful of our bodies through balanced nutrition and self-renewal; to share in the pain of hunger that has challenged generations, as seen today in Gaza, South Sudan, and our own communities across the world; to deepen our understanding of the Qur’an and implement its teachings in daily life; to renew our devotion to God through extra acts of worship that rebuild fading personal and communal connections; and to mobilize resources through Zakat for social projects rooted in education, infrastructure, justice, and truth. In doing so, each human being can strive toward their full potential as both a person of faith and a steward of God’s creation.
In the story of Adam and Eve, God affirms the divine intention to establish human beings as Khalifa, stewards or agents, on earth. This role is not limited to those who merely submit in faith but extends to those who actively commit to preserving, advancing, and sustaining all of creation, both animate and inanimate. It calls for more than belief or ritual observance, it demands purposeful action to nurture and protect the planet and its inhabitants. In this light, fasting during Ramadan transcends ritual practice and tradition, embodying humanity’s larger responsibility as caretakers of God’s creation — including both living beings and elements of the natural world such as rock, water, and wind.
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