Keep Calm & Enjoy Ramadan

Wherever I look I feel overwhelmed by bitter, anger and sadness at the same time.

I could write about the stalemate in which Tunisia is stuck without any constitution on the table and the political and economic chaos we are in.

I could also talk about the very worrying question of women in Egypt and question also the coup (or not) that occurred few days ago and call for a release of Morsi still in jailed for no reason.

I would not mention the hopeless Syrian situation even if there not a day without bearing in mind the fate of thousands of refugees and killed in what was centuries ago the beating heart of a flourishing Arab and Muslim civilization.

I decided not to talk about the unjust Prawer Plan that happened against the Bedouins in the Naqab or give my reflections about the so-called resumption of pourparlers between Abbas and Bibi and point out the absence of an important actor from the Gaza strip.

I made up my mind. Yes I won’t talk about all those important situations. Of course I care about those issues.

I decided for once to talk about the life out there; about our daily life.

My day, like millions of Muslims in the MENA region today is more about Ramadhan, families, gathering and spirituality.

We are actually in the Ramadhan month, which is a really special moment for all the Muslims worldwide.

I wanted to share with you what Islam is for me probably because I am fed up  with hearing about Salafism, Islamism and all the issues that crop up whenever you talk about the third monotheism.

My daily Islam is like the great majority of Muslims today about endeavoring a difficult and long fast everyday to think and ponder over what hunger really means. My jihad is about feeling the have not conditions of life and thinking about inequalities that are still increasing in a more globalized and developed world.

Ramadhan teaches us to share and to care about our brothers and sisters in humanity out there who daily don’t have enough to eat and provide for the most basic need.

Ramadhan gives me the opportunity to take a step back from habits and daily life and its activities to look at my world with new perspectives.

Ramadhan and Islam for me are about reconnecting with the whole humanity and particularly the voiceless and those who have nothing. Bearing in Mind that we are one and that we have to struggle day after day to make this world better for each and one of us.

Samia Hathroubi, Tunisia

YaLa Young Leaders