Increasing Social Care in the Month of Ramadan

By: Insaf Muarif Gunawan, Journalist of MINA

All Muslims yearn for the holy month of Ramdan, the month blessed by Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala.

There are many virtues in it, among them is the month in which each reward is multiplied with large folds up to ten, one hundred, seven hundred up to His will.

Therefore, let us really take advantage of this month of Ramadan to collect as much reward as possible as provisions in the hereafter. Even if we are diligent in worshiping with solid faith in the month of Ramadan because of Allah, the special wabil by carrying out night prayer Ramadhan (tarawih), then we will come out without sin like a baby born of its mother.

As the Prophet Sallahu Alaihi Wasalam said:

مَنْ قَامَ رَمَضَانَ إِيمَانًا وَاحْتِسَابًا خَرَجَ مِنْ ذُنُوبِهِ كَيَوْمِ وَلَدَتْهُ أُمُّهُ

Meaning: “Whoever establishes (night prayer) in the month of Ramadan with faith and hope that Allah will be pleased will come out of his sins as the day he was born”. (Narrated by An-Nasa’i from Abdurrahman bin ‘Auf Radhiyallahu’ Anhu).

Muslims do not only focus on individual worship, but on community. As the goal of fasting which is the main characteristic of this month, which is increasing piety. So that it is expected to be able to transform into social piety, one of which is through increasing the social care of a Muslim.

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Essentially, fasting in Ramadan is self-control and enhancing the tradition of sharing and building social care. In Islamic teachings it is known that one of the names associated with the month of Ramadan is Syahrul Jud, which is the month of giving. Apart from being known as Syahrul Muwassah, it is the month of generous hands and the month of providing help to those in need.

I’m the month of Ramadan, Allah gives opportunities to Muslims to increase social solidarity, voluntarily provide assistance to those in greater need, which is based on piety and manifested with selfless human values.

Ramadan can create a culture of mutual cooperation and joy in sharing. Ramadan is a tarbiyah for charity, an effective school for greeting those less fortunate.

Especially, Indonesia has faced disasters in various areas such as the earthquake in West Sulawesi, floods in South Kalimantan, Manado, and several areas on the island of Java, the eruption of Mount Semeru, and the threat of the coronavirus which is still spreading.

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The situation put pressure on the Indonesian people who were affected by the disaster. So, to build social awareness in order to invite the whole community to work hand in hand to help provide real solutions.

All elements of the nation are moving to save their compatriots who are facing tests in the form of natural disasters that claim lives.

Thus, the form of faith is paying attention to and loving his voice, as mentioned in the hadith:

لاَيُؤْمِنُ أَحَدُكُمْ حَتَّى يُحِبَّ ِلأَخِيْهِ مَايُحِبُّ لِنَفْسِهِ

Meaning: “It does not include believing someone among you, so that he loves his brother as he loves himself”. (Bukhari, Muslim, Ahmad, and Nasa’i from Anas Radhiyallahu ‘Anhu).

The individualistic attitude is an attitude of selfishness, not having sensitivity to what other people feel. According to Islam, as conveyed in the above hadith, the individualist attitude is a group of people whose faith is imperfect.

The hadith above also illustrates that Islam really values brotherhood in its true sense. Brotherhood that comes from conscience, which is basically faith and nothing else. So that it really is a pure and holy brotherhood. A brotherhood that will last as much as his faith in Allah.