Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, has stated the purpose of Ramadan goes beyond the denial of food and drink to a more significant aspect of asserting good moral values founded on Islamic principles.
Ramadan, he said, serves as a period of reflection on personal deeds and an opportunity for Muslims to forgive each other and tidy their relationships for the appeasement of the Creator and the betterment of society.
Delivering a statement on the significance of the Holy Month of Ramadan on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday March 21, Murtala Mohammed noted that Ramadan comes with a motive to discipline the mind and body through abstaining from food, drink and sexual intercourse from dawn to dusk.
This, he said, prompts Muslims to realize and reflect on the luxuries of life and hence learning to be grateful for the mercies of Allah the Creator.
Ramadan 2023 is expected to begin on Thursday, March 23, 2023 (according to Saudi Arabia) and will end on Thursday, April 20, 2023 with Eid al Fitr 2023 expected to be celebrated on Friday, April 21, 2023.
These dates are, however, tentative and subject to the sighting of the moon.
Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam that is observed by Muslims in the ninth month of the Islamic calender during which Muslims fast for 30 days with the intention of bettering themselves in the principles of faith and with the goal to change their characters and their societies for good.
According to Hon. Murtala, Ramadan comes with several benefits including psychological as it offers Muslims an opportunity to reflect on the blessings of Allah and how to pass on the proceeds of these blessings to people who otherwise may be in need.
He indicated that besides spiritual cleansing, fasting allows the body to detoxify the digestive system as Muslims abstain from drinking and eating for at least a day.
He said this returns the body to its blank state, supporting a consistently healthy lifestyle.
The Tamale Central legislator indicated that Ghana has demonstrated excellent qualities in respect of religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence with all the major religions cooperating peacefully with each other with very minimal difficulty.
He said, “The 1992 Constitution of this country frowns upon religious discrimination and provides for individuals’ freedom to manifest and practice their religion without difficulty.”
“It is against this background that I make a clarion call on various heads of academic institutions especially our second cycle institutions to continue to tolerate and create a congenial atmosphere for young Muslim students to safely observe this year’s Ramadan without any form of glitches or disturbances,” he stated.
Contributing to the statement, Majority leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu stated Ramadan is a period of peace, holding together, giving charity, prayer, and sharing.
He urged Muslims to pray for the peace, stability, and unity of the country and for divine intervention for Allah to take the nation out of the current difficulty it finds itself.
The leader reminded Muslims not to dedicate themselves to payers only during Ramadan and then recline to the old bad ways after the fasting month expires but to ensure the period becomes a watershed moment for turning over a new leaf.
Deputy Minority leader, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, in his contribution, noted that the tenets of Ramadan are truly what the Ghanaian society needs as the period is for peace and prayer.
According to him, the period of Ramadan is also similar to that of the Christian faith which is exemplified by the fasting of Jesus of Christ.
He appealed to non-Muslim members to join their colleagues and also partake in fasting for its health benefit as it is an easy way to melt belly and waist fat that will leave them more healthy.
The Deputy Minority leader urged Ghanaians, in general, to support the Muslim community as they fast and pray not only for themselves but also for the betterment of Ghana.