A CIVILIZATION SYMPHONY OF RAMADAN

Have we ever thought that is it only the humans who enthusiastically welcome, experience, and practice the months of Ramadan? In my opinion, it is not. It is not only humans, but all creatures that enthusiastically welcome, experience, celebrate and practice with the same excitement the Ramadan months which are the gifts of Islam and which are times of grace, blessing, wisdom and brotherhood.

Ramadan is a symphony in which all creatures in the universe talk with each other "in their own way"; they begin to talk, participate in the same "cosmic dance" and music creating a symphony of a great love and union. This is a symphony in which all creatures are aware of the existence, scent, and color of one another; they realize their actuality which they have been unable to realize until Ramadan. They gravitate towards their Creator in their own language - a symphony of sacred love, freedom and enthusiasm.

In Ramadan human beings can understand that they are free, they can exist, remember other humans and creatures, speak the "same language" with them, share their problems; they understand that their problems are dealt with, that they receive the grace, wisdom and love of Allah. They can only understand that this divine symphony is actually "staged" in a magnificent way when they are committed to Allah.

Ramadan presents a great symphony in which humans and all other creatures immediately take action; they are filled with joy, enthusiasm, love and excitement. They become one with the Creator and become free by submitting only to Him.

Not only the life and the course of the life of a person who fasts, but also the relationship, communication and interaction that they form with other humans, nature, and objects ontologically change to a certain extent.

Ramadan intervenes with the coordinates of life and redefines them in our lives in accordance with its own rules. The relationship that we have established with the world and humans immediately changes: we begin to perceive space and time in different forms. It is like sacredness springs from the earth.

We feel that we have become one with the earth, nature, air and with all the believers, whether they are rich or poor. We, while fasting, breathe and smell the earth, nature and air in a different way and we understand its existence and enter a transcendental platform by attaining angel-like characteristics.

As the time for Iftar approaches, this new form of relationship which we have established with the water, with nature and with people enables us to experience all the colors and scents of the rainbow. The smells from the kitchens, the Quran being chanted from the television, the candid conversations and the sweet and colorful smells of the Ramadan pita bread brought from the bakers change our relationships with nature, air and the people. Thus, we literally live, smell and feel the air, earth and nature; in other words we are aware of the reality.

Fasting is a unique season of meaning, love, enthusiasm and brotherhood that enables people to control their egos, desires, appetites and urges without the enforcement of others and thus frees them, causing them to discover their characteristics, opportunities and weaknesses as human beings; it makes them constantly judge their desires while fasting and eventually purifies and matures people in all respects, giving them the opportunity to see humanity and all the other creatures from a different perspective.

And this is the real symphony: The civilizational symphony of Ramadan.

Only in Ramadan, which resurrects the season of the power of the heart in place of the season of physical power, can people perceive and actually live the dignity, value and meaning of faith, brotherhood, affection, solidarity, peace, heart, love, enthusiasm, spirit, conquest, inspiration, beneficence and the basis of Islam.

Ramadan is a civilization formed by Islam that belongs only to Islam, presenting moderation and the middle way with a symphony of unique meaning, enthusiasm and brotherhood.

May this symphony salute those who candidly live, breathe and listen to the civilization of Ramadan that is enlivened by this very symphony! And may these winds of meaning, love, enthusiasm, brotherhood, solidarity, peace and prosperity which are spread by that divine communication web, connecting the hearts of all believers, surround, embrace and encapsulate all of humanity.