Reflections on Spiritual Practice
There is a sense of exaltation surrounding the observance of the Ramadan fasting rites, felt in every heart. Muslims celebrate the holy month with deep devotion.
Ramadan contains noble teachings of values and ethics, with fasting as its central ritual. A Muslim is called to be a person who radiates empathy for others without confining themselves to religious, racial, ethnic, sectarian differences, or national boundaries.
One who undertakes the fast is expected to consistently spread universal compassion, reduce or eliminate reprehensible conduct, and become a role model in life.
Ramadan is seen as a medium for refining the heart and disciplining the self, for those who wish to upgrade themselves and become virtuous both personally and collectively.
Manifestations of Ramadan fasting
The world is not in a good place. War rages between the Israel–America alliance and Iran, Russia–Ukraine, the arms standoff between Israel and Hamas remains fragile, and tensions between China and Taiwan could flare at any moment. Conflicts and wars remind us as a nation to prepare for the worst.
Indonesia sits at the centre of geopolitics shaped by the United States–China competition in the Asia-Pacific, where dynamics among major powers could spark open conflict and threaten regional stability. The world is changing rapidly. Regional and international situations are not easy to predict.
Moreover, Indonesia is in a region that is among the most dynamic and volatile due to the competition between great powers, namely the United States and China. The South China Sea, the East China Sea, the Korean Peninsula, the Taiwan Strait and the South Pacific are hot spots in the region as they form part of the projection of power by the world’s major powers.
The sequence of events heightens concern and uncertainty in the order of global life. Whether realised or not, Indonesia will be affected. The values of Ramadan must be able to answer the world’s and Indonesia’s issues, as manifestations of ritual fasting.
Fasting teaches restraint and overcoming the base desires. This essential value of Ramadan must be translated into all aspects of national life and statehood.
Indonesian leaders are not steadfast, and are ambitious to sustain power by trampling the constitution. Officials should prioritise citizen-oriented programmes, welfare and prosperity, rather than programmes for groups, parties and families. Succumbing to the greed of power leads to abuse of power, and to the birth of authoritarian tyranny.
By fasting, Muslims are taught how to have social concern for fellow Indonesians. Generosity should be proclaimed in the public sphere. Sensitivity and empathy must be nurtured and applied on a massive scale as manifestations of the teachings of love. This aligns with religious language: “Love the inhabitants of the Earth, and the inhabitants of the heavens will love you.” The teaching underlines a mental attitude of mutual sharpening, kindness, and care in order to foster human harmony.
The humanitarian values contained in Ramadan must continue to be connected to public policy, producing pro-poor programmes. In addition, various heroic programmes for welfare and poverty alleviation must be fully realised. To educate the nation, protect all people and all of Indonesia’s homeland must also be a leadership priority, so that no Indonesian citizen feels neglected or marginalised even in their own country.
Ramadan also depicts the value of peace, both within oneself and in interactions with others. The values of peace and harmony in social interactions among the nation’s people must be maintained. The fragmentation of national cohesion must be avoided, with every component of the nation sharing the same purpose and vision in nationhood: to create a just and prosperous society.
Globally, Indonesia should consistently uphold a world order based on independence, lasting peace and social justice. The arrival of Ramadan is a blessing for humanity.
A Muslim should view Ramadan as a startup month marked by rising trends of personal and social piety—a bullish momentum—because the marathon of Ramadan ends with obedience to God, embodied in endeavours for social welfare and in embedding the noble values of Ramadan on the Emerald of the Equator, our beloved land.
Amen.