Ramadan: Strengthening Social Welfare, Security, and National Unity

(Message on the Ramadan)

Keypoints: 

• Social Support: Aid and services for the poor, orphans, widows, and vulnerable families.
• Economic Oversight: Measures to prevent hoarding, inflation, and market exploitation.
• Security Provision: Maintaining public safety to ensure peaceful worship and daily life.
• Martyrs’ Welfare: Transparent fund to provide education and livelihoods for families of fallen soldiers.
• Peace and Governance: Initiatives promoting reconciliation, unity, and a peaceful society.
• Moral and Religious Guidance: Collaboration with Ulema and media to strengthen ethics and social cohesion.

In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful.

Honorable Compatriots,

On the occasion of the arrival of the blessed month of Ramadan, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to you all. Ramadan offers every believer a profound opportunity to purify the heart and soul from sin and to draw closer to the Creator.

The Sociology of Compassion and Social Safety Nets

This is also the month of empathy and solidarity with the needy. It is a time when we can follow the Sunnah of our Great Prophet (PBUH), whose hand of generosity opened wider during Ramadan than at any other time. I call upon the affluent and the wealthy, whom Almighty Allah has blessed with His bounties, to seek out the orphans, widows, the afflicted, the destitute, and low-income families. We must not allow them to feel isolated or deprived in the face of life’s hardships. Let us remember that while we fast for one month a year, there are those who, due to the compulsion of poverty, are effectively fasting all year round.

The month of Ramadan is a season of grace and blessings. In this month, extending a hand to a fellow Muslim is not merely a duty; it is a means of perfecting one’s worship. Consequently, every individual and institution should participate in charitable acts to the extent of their capacity. The Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs, Martyrs, and the Disabled, along with other agencies, must support impoverished families within the limits of their resources. Furthermore, national traders, economic and production firms, and benevolent wealthy citizens should extend a hand of assistance and love to their underprivileged compatriots based on the principle of Islamic brotherhood. Simultaneously, it is imperative to prevent the inflation of essential goods. Relevant authorities are tasked with the legal and judicial prosecution of those engaging in hoarding and market manipulation.

Moral Reform and the Role of Intellectual Institutions

Ramadan is a school where we learn the lessons of ethics and spirituality. Our esteemed Ulema, utilizing this precious opportunity through mosques and media discourses, can propagate religious values and moral teachings to bridge social divides. Our society must become a “Bunyanun Marsus”—a solidified structure and an unwavering wall—as described in the Prophetic Hadith.

Fastings is intended for the purification of the self and the strengthening of virtuous character (Akhlaq-e-Hasana). It is unworthy of us to engage in extravagance, wastefulness, or ill-tempered speech during this holy month. Rather, let us strive to be exemplars of refined conduct and commendable behavior. I thank our media outlets for aligning their programming with the spiritual atmosphere of Ramadan, and I urge them to further disseminate information regarding Islamic civilization and the progress of Muslims worldwide.

Territorial Integrity and the Sacrifice of the Defense Forces

I express my profound gratitude to the valiant soldiers and all members of the security forces who, as always, remain at their posts and on patrol to safeguard our security, allowing our people to engage in worship and work with peace of mind. Out of love for our dear Afghanistan, I ask every member of the defense forces to strive for the unity and brotherhood between the Nation and the State, to observe their principles, and to avoid unnecessary violence, thereby further strengthening public trust.

In this regard, I am pleased to announce that 90 million Afghanis have been secured to initiate a Fund for the families of the martyrs of the Armed Forces. This initiative commences with the start of Ramadan. We are committed to ensuring that this foundation operates with total transparency and a systematic approach, so that the widows and children of our martyrs can be assured of their education and livelihoods.

The Opportunity Cost of War: Poverty vs. Conflict

Every segment of society must be influenced by this spirit of transformation. Our charities and alms should be directed toward paths that create fundamental change—particularly toward the families of martyrs, so that the descendants of those who sacrificed their lives for the freedom and prosperity of this land are saved from deprivation.

The current imposed wars prevent us from directly confronting the primary enemy of this nation: poverty and deprivation. The resources currently expended on countering warmongers could have been utilized for poverty alleviation, reconstruction, and expansive development. However, the current conflict perpetuates poverty, damages the healthcare sector, and confronts Good Governance with numerous constraints and challenges.

The Dual Path: Peace and Justice

By heeding the call of the Ulema, we have been and remain prepared to welcome every step toward peace and reconciliation. We have never desired for a single drop of blood to be shed on this soil. Once again, in this holy month, we reaffirm our commitment to peace-seeking and the provision of a peaceful life for all citizens.

However, those who respond to the "Call of Peace" with the "Scream of War," who disregard the sanctity of this holy month, who reject the invitation of the country’s religious scholars, and who embitter the lives of our suffering people—they shall find no escape. Just as they cannot evade the prayers of grieving mothers and afflicted orphans, they shall have no refuge from the wrath of our devoted soldiers and officers, who stand fully prepared to punish the rebels and warmongers.

Long live Afghanistan!