As-salamu alaykum,
I extend best wishes to all of Guyana, particularly our Muslim brothers and sisters, as we embark on the Holy Month of Ramadan.
Ramadan holds a profound significance in the Islamic faith. It is a month of reflection, prayer, and self-discipline. During this holy month, Muslims engage in fasting, dedicating themselves to acts of charity, spirituality, and self-improvement. It is a time for deep introspection, fostering empathy, strengthening the bonds of family and friendship, and showing compassion and concern for those facing difficult circumstances.
This year, however, our hearts are heavy with concern at the unimaginable suffering being endured by our brothers and sisters in Gaza. The relentless onslaught they face, tantamount to genocide, is a grave violation of human rights. The assault on the defenseless people of Gaza constitutes a modern-day crime against humanity.
Ramadan is a month for showing and expressing solidarity. It is a time when the bonds of compassion and empathy are strengthened, and individuals come together to support one another in our spiritual journey. It is equally a time for us to stand beside those who are suffering and to extend our hands and hearts in support and solidarity with them.
For it is written in the Holy Quran [2:177]:
Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but [true] righteousness is [in] one who believes in Allah (God) , the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets and gives wealth, in spite of love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveller, those who ask [for help]…. [and who] establishes prayer and gives zakah; [those who] fulfill their promise when they promise; and [those who] are patient in poverty and hardship… Those are the ones who have been true, and it is those who are the righteous.
During this Holy Month of Ramadan, I urge all of Guyana to remember, in their prayers and supplications, all those suffering because of conflict, including the people of Haiti. Let us dedicate a portion of our fasting and prayers to all their plights, praying fervently for their safety and well-being. Let us stand in solidarity with them, advocating for an immediate ceasefire and an end to the violence that has inflicted such immense suffering on innocent lives.
To our Muslim brothers and sisters, I extend my heartfelt best wishes for a blessed Ramadan. May this month be filled with spiritual growth, peace and tranquillity. May your prayers be answered, and your sacrifices be accepted by the Most Merciful!
May the spirit of Ramadan inspire us to work towards a better, more just world for all.
Ramadan Mubarak!