* Commentary by Mustafa K. Anuar

THE holy month of Ramadan has come to an end as Muslims the world over usher in the first day of Shawal with the celebration of Eid.

Ramadan, as we know, is a month in which Muslims physically abstain from taking food and drinking, among other things.

Yet it’s more than that. It is when Muslims are expected to pursue spiritual advancement, seek Allah’s pleasures, make sacrifices and engage in self-reflection.

Through fasting, Muslims are to also exercise patience, and have compassion and empathy for fellow beings, particularly the poor and the needy.

Hence, the end of Ramadan is marked by the celebration of the Eid as it signifies the attainment of the above objectives in varying degrees.

In Malaysia, a few days before Hari Raya, as the Eid is commonly known here, would see many Muslims hurrying to tidy up their homes, shop for new clothes and also prepare food for family reunion and visits of relatives and friends.

The balik kampung syndrome, part of which is exemplified by the massive traffic jams on the highways, contributes to the spirit of celebration.

However, such celebratory mood seems to have been crushed in a community of Rohingya refugees in a village in Penang.

Quoting the United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees (UNHCR), news portal Malaysiakini reported that the community of 50 people was forcibly evicted by locals a week before the Eid, from homes they have lived in for 10 years.

We wonder what demon possessed those who executed the eviction, knowing fully well that the Rohingya residents are also looking forward to celebrating the Eid, just like any other respectable fellow Muslims would.

Even if there is really a valid reason for the eviction, does compassion and empathy not play a part in preventing it from happening prior to the Eid?

Instead of preparing for the celebration, the Rohingya residents, made up of children, parents and grandparents, have found themselves busily packing their belongings and looking for a place to live.

Have the lessons from Ramadan, as mentioned above, lost on those who evicted the refugees?

To be sure, the Rohingya fled their homes in Myanmar to avoid persecution – and not to face yet another form of ignominy elsewhere, presumably in the hands of fellow Muslims.

There appears to be a trace of xenophobia and prejudice in the people who carried out the eviction.

Such a taint, which is also found in the way certain government officials mistreat refugees such as the Rohingya, must be cleansed in the spirit of Ramadan.

Of course, this does not mean that such inhumane action is kosher outside of the holy month of Ramadan because it is indeed abhorrent even if it occurs on other occasions or situations.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim called on Muslims nationwide to make the “final sprint” before the end of Ramadan by performing acts of worship as well as good deeds.

Concerned Malaysians, particularly Muslims, should take this advice in their stride and help the needy.

Let not the shadow of inhumanity and desecration of human dignity be cast over the otherwise joyous moments of the Eid. – April 22, 2023.