As the spring breeze brushes against us amidst the urban hustle, a different kind of preparation has begun—signaling that the special month of restraint and sacrifice, Ramadan, is returning to us soon. The days are fading fast from the calendar, and this message of arrival reminds us that it is time to slow down the wheels of our mechanical lives and look deeply at the people around us. In this modern metropolis, while we are engrossed in planning colorful arrangements for Sehri and Iftar, the people living on the pavements or under overbridges nearby receive this month as a message of a difficult ordeal. To these rootless people, restraint does not merely mean abstaining from food during the day; rather, their entire life is a reflection of a persistent struggle against deprivation and hunger.
Ramadan essentially comes to teach us the intense pain of hunger that a helpless child lying in the dust of the street or an elderly person sitting at a crossroads endures silently every day. When we arrange a variety of flavors on our Iftar tables and indulge in a festival of waste, the silent cries of the thirsty people staring from the street corners confront our civic luxury with a heavy sense of accountability. These coming days are not just a formality of enduring physical hardship; they are a massive social opportunity to extend a hand of empathy, where we can bring a smile to a hungry face with our surplus food or the money spent on luxuries.
To build a humane society, we must learn to internalize the pain of others, and this special month is the best time to practice the glory of sacrifice. It is often seen that an unhealthy competition begins among us regarding market shopping, which indirectly increases commodity prices and hits these low-income and transient people the hardest. Yet, during this time, we were supposed to be much more flexible and kind toward others so that no one in this busy city sheds tears in solitude for a sip of water or a morsel of food. A person’s true worth shines only when the hungry person next door is assured of at least one full meal and a glimmer of relief is seen in their eyes.
The people of the streets are not objects of our pity; they are an inseparable part of our society toward whom we have many social and moral responsibilities. If we reduce unnecessary luxuries and hand over a quality food packet to a hungry person with that money, only then will our personal achievements reach fulfillment. Often, we believe in ostentatious charity, which actually hurts the self-respect of helpless people; true humanity, however, is to stand by someone in need in a selfless way without seeking publicity.
In the coming days, when the entire city is immersed in tranquility, it is our collective civic duty to ensure that no human being suffers from the pangs of hunger in a dark alley or under the open sky. Hunger has no specific identity, and poverty has no specific color, because the sting of an empty stomach is equally painful and unbearable for all human beings. If we become aware from our respective positions and take responsibility for the food of at least one family or one person for the entire month, the sighs of hungry people will no longer be heard in this city.
The true joy of sacrifice lies in giving, and this joy is meaningful only when it reaches the lowest strata of society equally. Our pledge this time should be that we will not waste food in any way and will deliver our surplus food to those who are struggling hard for a single meal every day. Life has given us much, but this achievement will only find meaning when we learn to distribute it and wipe away the tears of others. When a flicker of satisfied smile is seen on the pale face of that destitute person lying on the pavement during Iftar, only then will we know that our humane essence has awakened.
Let us not limit this Ramadan to a mere festival but set a new example of social responsibility where every human being becomes a sanctuary for one another. Only by satisfying human hunger can extreme inequality be removed from society, and through this, an ideal state or social system is built. May these coming days bring the true lesson of sacrifice to all our lives, and may our beloved land become beautiful through the provision of food for every hungry person. In the procession of people we see daily on the city streets, we must create an environment where no one lags behind due to hunger and can eat at least one meal with dignity. May every sunset bring not just thirst, but a heart full of satisfaction for every hungry soul—with that hope, may our journey forward be more humane and sensitive.
This month, dedicated to the service of humanity, teaches us how to abandon self-centeredness and join the greater good. In the current global context, poverty alleviation is not just the job of a specific institution; rather, as conscious citizens, our individual small efforts can change the fate of these rootless people. Let hunger end, let smiles bloom on every gloomy face, and let our future days shine in the glory of sacrifice. Ultimately, it is desired that the hungry heart finds a touch of love, a new assurance of survival, and the most beautiful, meaningful dream of tomorrow.
