Venkat Raman
Auckland, March 13, 2024
We have the pleasure of greeting our Muslim brothers, sisters, children and followers of Islam ‘Ramadan Mubarak,’ as the Holy Month of Ramadan begins today (March 13) in New Zealand.
The beginning of the Holy Month varies between countries depending on the sighting of the Moon. A notification issued by the Wellington-based Federation of the Islamic Associations of New Zealand (FIANZ) said that Wednesday, March 13, 2024, will be the first day of Ramadan.
The Halal Committee which issued the notification congratulated the Muslim community on the advent of the Holy Month and said, “May the coming days of Ramadan bring us spiritual upliftment, peace and tranquillity, unity, prosperity and infinite blessings of Alla Azza Wa Jall. We should also simultaneously engage ourselves in Istigfaar and prayers abundantly, be kind and make dua for each other,” the notification said.
Minister’s thoughts on the Holy Month
Ethnic Communities Minister Melissa Lee said in her Message Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, renewed devotion, perseverance, generosity, and forgiveness.
“It is a time to strengthen our bonds and appreciate the diversity and harmony we share as a nation. As we embrace the blessings of this Holy Month, we pause to remember,” she said.
Ms Lee that Ramadan 2024 coincides with the fifth Remembrance of the Christchurch terrorist attacks, which claimed the lives of 51 innocent people and changed the lives of many more.
“I extend my deepest condolences to the bereaved families and others affected by this tragedy. I praise the courage and compassion you showed in the aftermath of the tragedy and the resilience and strength you have demonstrated ever since. I want also to acknowledge the humanitarian situation in the Middle East. My thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by the ongoing challenges. I hope you feel the support of your fellow New Zealanders,” she said.
Ms Lee was pleased that UNESCO recently designated Iftar (the daily ritual of breaking fast during the Holy Month of Ramadan) as ‘an intangible cultural heritage.’
“This acknowledgement celebrates the significance of this communal meal during Ramadan.
I have memories of Ramadan in Malaysia, where streets and homes were decorated and the Iftar served as a symbol of cohesion and generosity, uniting Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Our Muslim Kiwis are integral members of our diverse community,” she said.
Ms Lee said that her Ministry has a strong relationship with the Muslim community and organisations in New Zealand.
“The Ethnic Communities Development Fund supports many Muslim community initiatives and celebrations that are making a real impact and enhancing the sense of belonging. Let us take this opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to understanding, compassion, and unity across all communities in New Zealand and beyond,” she said.
NZ Police Ramadan Video | Instagram
Gratitude to God
Ramadan celebrates God’s Mercy and His Guiding Light in the Holy Quran which leads human life towards the path of good and virtue and protects the human soul from evil and vice.
Muslims show their gratitude to God for this guidance by abstaining from eating, drinking and sexual intimacy during Ramadan, as a way of coming closer to God and developing a deep inner awareness of God’s presence in life.
This internal mechanism of feeling God’s presence leads the soul to do right even under life’s most difficult situations. It protects the soul against wrongdoing even when it is the easier or more tempting path to take.
The Holy Quran switches to a most intimate relationship between God and servant immediately following the passage on fasting in Ramadan (Al-Baqarah 2:183-185).
“When My servants ask you about Me, I am close indeed; I hearken to the prayer of the supplicant when one calls on Me; so, let them hearken to Me, and let them believe in Me, that they may go the right way.” (Al-Baqarah 2:186).
When the soul enters into a station of gratitude and submission to its Lord, through fasting, there is a recognition that life has been given by God as a gift and trust to be used for good works that reflect God’s mercy, compassion, love, generosity and so on.
According to the Holy Quran, the natural inclination of our souls is to submit to God’s Will by having sincere belief in One God and doing righteous acts of worship (Ar-Rum 30:30).
As such, the very concept of sin, in the Islamic tradition, is known as an act of oppression against one’s own soul for forcing it into a state that is antithetical to its very nature and created purpose (Aal `Imran 3:117, among many other verses).
When a soul persists in sinning, it becomes a slave to its own lower desires, a prisoner of its own passions (Al-Furqan 25:43). Fasting, then, seeks to free the soul from these shackles by suppressing the lower self of desire and raising the God-conscious soul of giving that naturally aspires towards good.
By depriving the soul of life’s basic necessities for some hours, one can teach the soul self-restraint from such evils as anger, revenge, lying, stealing and sexual immorality.
Special Prayers
Muslims are also encouraged to significantly increase their worship of God during this month, and therefore special prayers are offered in every Mosque well into the night, with most Mosques packed with worshippers. As such, Ramadan always brings with it a strong communal atmosphere and ties between the community are strengthened greatly as a result.
Ramadan is a celebration of God’s guidance to humanity, through the Quran, which is a guide for doing good and a warning against evil. To bring the soul into harmony with the Quranic ideals of belief and virtue, fasting is prescribed as a way for individuals to come closer to God and to lift their souls to new heights of piety.
In doing so, the entire human body can transform itself into an agent of positive moral and social change that seeks to replace miserliness with generosity, anger with patience, revenge with love, and war with peace—in effect, replacing good with evil in the world.
A saying by God transmitted through Prophet Mohammed, known as a hadith qudsi, best explains the transformation that takes place in an individual through good acts, which in part are inspired by fasting.
“And the most beloved thing with which My servant comes nearer to Me is what I have enjoined upon him, and My servant keeps on coming closer to Me through performing extra righteous deeds till I love him. When I love him, I become the hearing with which he hears, seeing with which he sees, hands with he acts, and legs with which he walks; and if he asks of Me, I give him, and if he asks My protection, I protect him.”
