THE holy month of Ramadan has dawned upon us again. Ramadan is special to me as it always brings me back to the time when I was a student at a local public university.
I stayed in a hostel dorm and I remember an occasion when I had to go over to my Muslim coursemate’s room to rush an assignment for class. We worked late into the wee hours of the morning and at one point my coursemate told me to stop as it was time for “Sahur”.
I honestly did not know what “Sahur” was at the time and only found out after my coursemate explained to me that it was the early morning meal before fasting starts. What tugged at my heartstrings was that all the other Muslim inhabitants of the dorm told me to join them for “Sahur”, sharing with me the packed food they had bought earlier.
They made me feel the warmth of a family when I was far from home. In fact on hindsight, they were the only family I had at the hostel at that time. So, I find myself reminiscing the times when I was with the only family I knew back in my hostel.
It didn’t matter if we practised different religions. The “Sahur” experience, in my opinion, amplified the Malaysian values of moderation, peace, respect, and above all unity. It turned friendship to kinship and the forging of a lifelong unbreakable bond.
The Covid-19 pandemic has changed things this time around. Merrymaking may be toned down or muted and this is evident as some states are not allowing Ramadan bazaars while some are allowed to operate under strict standard operating procedures.
However, do not let your festive spirit be hampered. I call on everyone to let the holy month of Ramadan to serve as a guide for all of us to do more good and to help each other.
We are after all a brotherhood of men, and it is our sense of togetherness and unity that will see us through these trying times.
Yeap Ming Liong
Associate Captain
(Malaysian Civil Defence Force)
