The holy month of Ramadan, cherished by Muslims worldwide, unfortunately often evokes a sense of apprehension and caution in Israel and other democratic nations. It's a time when security readiness is heightened, preemptive dialogues with Arab Muslim leadership are conducted and warnings are issued.
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This distorted reality saddens me deeply each year as a proud Muslim Israeli Arab. Let me shed light on this egregious misrepresentation: Ramadan is a month of introspection, spiritual cleansing, fasting and connection between individuals and their creator. It's a time when Muslims around the globe are encouraged to increase acts of goodness, kindness and love. It teaches us humility, modesty, empathy, compassion and charity.
The tragic irony of Ramadan lies in the terrible and monstrous actions of those who desecrate its sanctity. They distort its values and beliefs, clutching onto the Holy Quran while perverting its teachings.
Ramadan marks the month when the Holy Quran was revealed to Prophet Muhammad by the Angel Gabriel. It's incumbent upon every Muslim worldwide to honor this occasion and celebrate Ramadan with joy, dignity, rich opening feasts and embracing familial atmosphere. However, in Israel, Ramadan has become something dangerous and oppressive, which is not in line with the essence of Islam.
Embedded within the Quran are timeless values of human love and compassion. Especially during these harrowing days, following the horrific massacre on October 7 – a massacre perpetrated by human monsters, profaning the sacred and invoking the Quran – it's crucial to remember that the Quran serves as a guide toward bettering humanity.
Our Quran vehemently opposes murder, rape, slaughter, beheading, burning, humiliation and abduction. It mourns the killings committed by fundamentalist Islamists who do not represent any god. These abhorrent individuals are not children of God; they are the ones who blaspheme against God, against the Prophet, defiling and shaming Islam.
The Ramadan knocking at our door is a month of love. It's exceptionally challenging to speak of love and peace during times of war – the blood of the innocent slain in their beds cries out from the ground, and the screams of the hostages echo from dark and dismal dungeons. During Ramadan, the responsibility of every Muslim worldwide – and particularly in Israel – is to restore the lost and tarnished honor of this month of peace, to repair the damages inflicted by the blasphemers.
Our God loves human beings. Our Prophet shows compassion toward all creatures. Our Quran is a testament to justice and morality. We, the children of the enlightened Muslim world, will overcome the Muslim blasphemers who desecrate the holy month of Ramadan and the sacred Quran.
- Naeem Zoabi is a school principal and lecturer. He ran as part of the Likud list for the Knesset in the 2021 elections.