Wares Ali Khan :
Ramzan is the time of fasting, the holy month of fostering care, compassion, love, humanity, and instilling divine qualities inside. It is the time for being featured with the unique virtues of Allah the Almighty. To practice tolerance and patience to tame the unruly Nafs (psyche) during Ramzan is a prime aim.
This is indeed unpleasant that our country is to dramatically absorb the massive shock of consumer goods price-spiking during the month of Ramzan. The unstable and volatile commodity market, illicit run of the dishonest and unscrupulous traders in a bid to monger undue profit, and of course organized trade syndicates turn the market down in respect of the purchasing power of low-income individuals. Here the plights of the middle-class, lower-middle, and lower-class masses reach an intense state of endurance.
The rest of the Muslim world reduces the price range of essential commodities vastly needed in the month of fasting, declares concession over essential goods, lessens the burden of work, and treats subordinates with care and compassion. There is no instance of price-hiking and trade-syndication over everyday pieces of stuff. They treat the holy month of Ramzan as a unique opportunity of being showered with the divine mercy and blessing of Allah the exalted.
The overcrowding around the market bearing a long list of daily goods beyond the tangible need often leads the dishonest traders to mount the price up to the sky-touching. Let it be noted that the tendency of consuming less is one of the marrow spirits of Ramzan. To extend the helping hands toward the suffering and needy community is also a key concern of the 30 days-long fasting. But the truth is- many of us at every turn forget this mystic teaching of Ramzan.
On the eve of the holy month of Ramzan, we the commoners, by and large can hear conventional clamor from the concerned quarters to limit and control the price of daily commodities. But the actual impact of promises they make is hardly found in the market reality. By contrast, making a huge profit is seen as a highly prioritized upshot over the life and livelihood of the people.
One of the core aspects of Islam is to form a brotherhood and generate love in the hearts for fellow Muslim brothers. But this sophisticated urge typically sticks to a flimsy and vested interest of the fistful of people who always desire more than others.
The three variant segments of the month of Ramzan have been designed to provide grand welfare and blessings for the fasting-folk. The first segment which consists of ten days is the time of attaining Rahmat (divine blessings). Henceforth, we should take out the first phase as a favor for showing our love to the individuals living in the society. Then Allah will endow us with His infinite, divine mercy and blessing.
As we know the entire world is undergoing unprecedented circumstances and woeful setbacks. Considering the economic capacity, the socio-economic perspective of the people, unavoidable needs of life, and provision of livelihood- the people of the country are not supposed to be living better this time. About one-fourth of the total population of Bangladesh is marginalized, and almost 80% of the total demography is employed in the informal labor sectors. Most of the people live hand to mouth on a day to day basis. With the ongoing lockdown, the lives and livelihoods of those people have shrunk and economic shocks have emerged as a major issue.
There is a shortage of food and necessary stuff in households of innumerable hard-up individuals. This might prolong the inflicted agony of millions of poverty-stricken marginalized people, and extend their inhuman sufferings also in the month of Ramzan. We should embed our conscience; carry out personal responsibility, and liability to augment the affluence of the low-income groups. We must interrupt the artificially created syndicate of dishonest businessmen. We have to work to make the obligate goods available in the market within the capacity of the people who merely remain content with the fulfillment of their minimal requirement.
By the way, we should limit our surplus consumption appetite. Beyond respective religious beliefs, we all should come up with necessary measures to serve the dirt-poor community in this rugged and tough time of survival. We should accomplish the total well-being of our fellow humans and enhance their happiness. We hope the sacrifice we shall have in the holy month of Ramzan will bring prosperity to this earth and the life after death for us. Let our mindset of month-long fasting bring the highest goodness, tame the beast inside us reconstructing with the right human virtues.
(Mr. Kahn is a teaching professional).
