Ramadhan Kareem to all of you. Fasting in Ramadan develops in a person the real spirit of social belonging, of unity and brotherhood, and of equality before Allah SWT. This spirit is the natural product of the fact that when people fast they feel that they are joining the whole Muslim Ummah in observing the same duty, in the same manner, at the same time, for the same motives, and for the same end.
Fasting is an institution for the improvement of moral and spiritual character of human being. The purpose of the fast is to help develop self-restraint, self-purification, God-consciousness, compassion, the spirit of caring and sharing, the love of humanity and the love of Allah SWT.
Fasting trains us in patience, unselfishness, and gratitude. When we fast we feel the pains of deprivation and hunger, and learn how to endure it patiently. The meaning of this powerful experience in a social and humanitarian context is that we are much quicker than anybody else in sympathizing with the oppressed and needy around the world, and responding to their needs.
"It is the month to visit the poor, the sick, and the needy to share their sorrows. It is the month where the food, sustenance and the earnings of a believing Muslim increases and they are blessed," says the Final Prophet of Allah SWT, Muhammad (peace be upon him), a man who was known for his noble humanitarian causes, for social justice, and for being the first to respond to others' needs, despite the fact that he himself lived a very simple and humble life.
It is only during such a trying time as Ramadan that we can reflect on the condition of those in this world who may not be as fortunate as us. All of us do a lot of charity during this month and provide Zakat and Alms to those who are needy; I urge all of you to sacrifice a part of your Zakat and Sadaqat for FIMA relief in its projects like FIMA Save-Vision, Save-Smile, Save-Dignity and many others especially those are facing hardships in Syria, Palestine, and many other places around the world.
IMASA Scientific meeting (18th-23rd September 2013) is approaching near. I am sure all of the IMAs have made preparation for travel and initial registration and communication with the conference and FIMA secretartiat. The IMASA team of devoted and enthusiastic workers are working day and night to make this event a great success. If you have not yet planned and desire to attend this historic meeting please immediately contact IMASA representative Dr. Ashraf Jedaar at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for details. We look forward to seeing you in Cape Town.
Dr. Parvaiz Malik
President FIMA 2009-2013
