Fasting in the month of Ramadan is the fourth pillar among the five pillars of Islam and Muslims look forward to it because of the blessings in acts of worship in it, among others.
However one feature that strikes more and more is the rush to ‘feed’ the needy, neighbours and relatives because of the immense reward.
Some do this through cooked food packaged with water and taken to mosques or along the road for passersby to collect. Some buy water every day and give it out, still some give dates.
While many concentrate on the people close by, some take the food to schools, especially where the under privileged are and other such institutions where they need food.
And even children are not left out, they too want to give. I recall one boy of around six years old many years ago. He insisted that his parents buy him dates every day for him to give out, so the dates would be washed and put on a tray and taken round the house for everyone to take and then take it outside for passersby or the nearby mosque. That is the spirit of feeding in Ramadan.
However people are cautioned on food wastage whereby they cook more than they can eat. They cook many dishes and may not even go round to tasting some and instead of giving out the rest, store it or maybe there is nobody to give out to in their area, the food ends up in a dustbin. And without learning from today, the same thing would happen tomorrow.
In any case one beautiful thing is that instead of going it alone, many now use social media group platforms to raise money by contributing among themselves and distribute in cash and kind to other people.
So instead of spreading falsehood and breeding acrimony between religions, political interests and ethnic groups this way the groups are being put to good use by promoting humanitarian cause.
And it is amazing how people donate generously often wanting to remain anonymous. This shows that many people are ready to offer help but may not have the platform to push them. And the small donors are also not intimidated by the huge amount the big donors give, after all you can only give out of what you have. For example somebody may give N50, 000 and you can only afford to give N1, 000, so you go ahead and give it. After all, it is for the sake of Allah.
Ramadan makes the rich to remember the poor by the hunger and thirst and feel that some people actually live almost always like this because of poverty, so they are touched to help them with money or food stuff.
One question we however always ask is why is it that we cannot sustain this spirit of giving after Ramadan? And this is not only in this case, even the humbleness, the filling of mosques with worshippers and the stopping of committing forbidden things usually go away with Ramadan ending.
We are advised to continue with the good behaviour we exhibit, the generosity with which we offer help and the acts of worship we perform with passion.
Let me emphasis on the act of giving. If it is sustained even to the barest minimum it would go a long way in alleviating the suffering of many people. It would encourage peaceful co-existence, reduce envy and promote love and security.
If you are wealthy and don’t help people around you, they may see things that may harm you like your house may be attacked in your absence and they would refuse to help.
But if you help them they would protect you and your house if it comes to that.
Therefore may we continue to give in the spirit of Ramadan as we do so selflessly, bringing the best in us.
