Ramadan 2022

With the 2nd of April, the fasting month of Ramadan has started for Muslims. Worshipers all over the world make use of this month in order to get closer to God. Indeed, fasting during Ramadan (sawm) is very important to Muslims as it is part of the five pillars of the religion next to the five daily prayers (salat), almsgiving (zakat), pilgrimage to the holy site of Mecca (hajj) and the belief of the unicity of God and Prophet Muhammad as his messenger (shahada). The word sawm translates to “refrain” and has a broader meaning than the obligation to fast. It is true that Muslims do not eat and drink from dawn to sunset during Ramadan. However, Muslims are called to practice self-restraint and refrain from immoral behavior. Therefore, at the same level as drinking or eating, bad intentions, bad actions, and the use of curse words, can break the daily fasting of a believer. Moreover, it is a period where families gather to spend time together. Muslims are invited to use this holy month to ask God for forgiveness for past sins, self-reflect on their religiosity and gather at the mosques after sunset.

Cultural Diversity and Sustainable Development for Peace (CD4Peace), as an organization that stands for cultural diversity, takes the opportunity to celebrate the beginning of the month of Ramadan. Moreover, the team wishes Muslims all over the world a good month to self-reflect, engage in good deeds and take the time to meditate.