Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calander, is the holiest month for muslim community. In this month, every muslim aims to be pious, moral and disciplined. During Ramadan, muslims’ piety gets stronger and they keep themselves away from all evils and immoral deeds.The holy month is truly a month of blessings and earnings for everyone. Muslims tend to wait for Ramadan to arrive before a month or two.
There are many types of people who take advantages of this blessed month and keep themselves busy to earn as much as possible.
Most people are involved in worshiping Allah the Almighty, reciting the Quran, giving alms and charity to the needy and serving others in various ways in order to attain virtue and prepare for the hereafter life. In Ramadan, the reward for good deeds increases by 70%, islamically. People try their best to get maximum rewards form Allah the Almighty in this month.
Similarly, there are others who take the month of Ramadan as the month of “Loot maar”. This category of people own the markets in particular. When the holy month begins, inflation peaks as the demand for food products increases, giving profiteers the opportunity to earn more.
It has been reported that in the month of Ramadan, the prices of edible products rise by 40%. Even though Islam teaches us justice tempered with human kindness but profiteers cross the limits for the sake of earning more. Hence, Ramadan is the month of earning for profiteers.
Another evil that gains momentum during the month of Ramadan is begging. In this duration, one can find every street and bazaar jam-packed with healthy youths stretching hands for money.
Before a day or two, I witnessed a young healthy man asking for money in the name Allah.
When he came to me, I retorted, “Isn’t it better to earn your living using legal means? You are blessed with everything, you have your hands, feet which an handicapped person doesn’t.” He did not say anything and left.
I am always drived bewildered when I witness healthy persons in begging. It is not he who begs on a daily basis, but countless others too. These beggers flock to Turbat and other parts of Balochistan from interior Sindh province during the summer month.
Despite knowing that begging is harshly condemned not only by society but also in Islamic point of view, yet people find it an easy way of earning.
Even the school-aged children are forced by parents to beg as kids get more money since people feel pity when a child stretches hands.
Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) narrated, “It is better for everyone of you to carry a bundle of wood on your back and sell than to beg of someone whether he gives or refuses”.
The aforementioned quotation of the Prophet expounds how begging for an healthy person is strictly prohibited in Islam. Sadly, people still do not pay heed to this.
In a nutshell, the government should put an eagle-eye on the markets to ensure a strong check on prices so that they get to be affordable to lower and middle class of society_ specially in this holy month of Ramadan.
The concerned authorities must take serious actions against profiteers who exceed the rates of products to earn a greater amount. Because due to them the poor public suffers from severe troubles.
Secondly, society should discourage the begging culture by denying to give money to the healthy beggers who are able to earn a living themselves. As a responsible citizen of society every individual should play their role to put an end to these social evils.
