During this year’s Ramadan, I think a lot about our sisters and brothers in Gaza.
THINKING OF GAZA: My heart bleeds for all the people in Gaza now, writes actor Iman Meskini. Photo: Private Tuesday 2 April at 11:25
IMAN MESKINI, actor
In a world that is in constant motion, where time is short and pauses are rare, Ramadan comes as a reminder of the importance of slowing down, reflecting and connecting with one’s spiritual inner self.
For Muslims around the world, Ramadan is not only a month of fasting from dawn to dusk, but also a time of fellowship and charity.
This year, Ramadan is from March 10 to April 9.
I always used to say that ramadan Ramadan is the Islamic fasting month. During Ramadan, one must not eat or drink from dawn to sunset, after the Maghrib prayer. The evening meal taken after sunset, when the fast is broken, is called iftar.comes when you need it most.
Over time, this has become a month I look forward to all year, and feel it is leaving us again far too quickly.
Many people probably think that the month is only about abstaining from food and drink, but fasting is just as much about making an effort to limit negative emotions such as jealousy, anger and negativity.
I am also keen to avoid swearing, complaining, conflicts and gossip during the fast.
Personally, fasting is a form of self-discipline, where I learn to control my physical and mental impulses.
Ramadan is a month that encourages peace, love, gratitude and tranquility.
Imans Meskini’s “Ramadan dictionary”:
Ramadan Mubarak: means “Blessed Ramadan”, and is a greeting commonly used to wish someone a good Ramadan.
Iftar: The meal that breaks the fast at sunset.
Suhoor: The meal taken before sunrise, before the fast begins for the day.
Tarawih: Extra prayers performed in the evening during Ramadan, usually after the Isha prayer.
Zakat al-Fitr: A charity fee paid by Muslims during Ramadan to help the less fortunate celebrate Eid al-Fitr.
Eid al-Fitr: The Islamic feast that marks the end of the Ramadan fast.
Lailat al-Qadr: The “Night of Power” or “Night of Destiny”, considered the most blessed night in Ramadan.
Charity: Voluntary charity gift given during Ramadan and otherwise.
Sea view
This time, however, the arrival of Ramadan is marked by great concern and sorrow for our Palestinian brothers and sisters in Gaza.
This year I want to call for action, prayer and solidarity with our brothers and sisters who are suffering in Gaza and the West Bank.
For millions of Palestinians in Gaza, every day is a struggle for survival.
They have already fasted involuntarily for several months as a result of the brutal war, and now the situation is even more desperate, and many are struggling to get food for iftar, the meal that breaks the fast at sunset.
“There is no celebration of Ramadan here. We fast for 14 hours, but after the fast we have no food,” Mohammed Ahmed Jaber Qudaih (30) told VG.
IN RUINS: Two children have received a pot of food from a charity. The photo was taken at Rafah, in the very south of the Gaza Strip. Photo: SAID KHATIB / AFP / NTB
Over 1.5 million Palestinians live in Rafah after being forced to flee – close to each other in an area the size of Nesodden outside Oslo, or Åsane in Bergen.
And over 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip since Israel declared war on Hamas after the October 7 attack, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health.
There are no words to describe this injustice.
My heart bleeds for all the people in Gaza now.
MANY MISSING: A small boy looks on as Palestinians search for missing people under the ruins of the destroyed house of the Al Hajj family after an Israeli airstrike, in the Al Nusairat refugee camp in the south of the Gaza Strip, March 19, 2024. Photo: MOHAMMED SABER / EPA / NTB
As Muslims it is our duty to stand together in solidarity with the oppressed, to raise our voices against injustice and to act to bring hope and relief to those who are suffering.
As we pray and fast during this month, we must also remember the Palestinian people in our prayers and actions.
Ramadan can be a time for inner peace and getting in deeper touch with yourself, but it can also be a time for action and making a difference in the world.
Let us use this month to show compassion and solidarity, to pray for peace and justice for all people.
And to fight for a free Palestine, regardless of whether you are Muslim or not.
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