It’s been a while since I last write though I’ve been paying for this domain 🤣🫢

Firstly, Salam Ramadan to all.

Tonight marks the third night of Ramadan—MashaAllah, how fast time flies. The month we’ve been praying for over the past few months in Rajab and Sha’ban is finally here. Alhamdulillah thumma alhamdulillah.

This year, as Ramadan begins, I’ve seen even more food-related content leading up to it on our social media.

Year after year, we see content creators sharing all kinds of recipes, and in Singapore, Ramadan bazaars just keep getting bigger.

I don’t mind, really—but it got me thinking… is Ramadan becoming all about food? What happened to “feeling how the less fortunate feel”? We fast all day… just to feast all night? And what happened to our ibadah?

Ramadan is supposed to be a time to control our nafs—whether it’s desire, hunger, or anything else. And while there’s nothing wrong with enjoying the bazaar, let’s not fall into wastage, especially when visiting one.

Nah, personally, I have nothing against going—I go myself and I’m a fan of Ramadan bazaars in JB (esp Perling!) HAHA. And when I do, I buy extra—not to feast all night, but to keep as stock for the next few days of Ramadan. Senanglah, tak payah masak and wouldn’t wanna trouble my wife as well.

That said, I feel that it’s okay to indulge once in a while—as long as it doesn’t distract us from our main goal in Ramadan, which is attaining taqwa. Because at the end of the day, the purpose of fasting is “لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ”—“so that you may attain piety” (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:183).

Maybe a good meal gives us energy for ibadah, or maybe it just makes us sleepy. I guess it depends on how we approach it. Allah knows best.

As we move through Ramadan, let’s take a moment to reflect—what do we truly want out of this month? Do we want to be better? And how?

For me, I’m challenging myself not to overeat, hoping it helps me focus better in ibadah. What about you guys?

May Allah give us the strength this Ramadan, amin.

Wallahu a‘lam.

Abdul Rauuf Maskhazin
3 March 2025