Social justice in the holy month of Ramadan.. Will solidarity become a sustainable path?

The issue of poverty occupies a central position on the international development agenda, because it represents a direct challenge to achieving social justice within all societies. This is the issue crystallized by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as the first goal:Eradicate poverty.

The reason for the position that the issue of poverty and the social gaps that accompany it occupies is that international estimates indicate that hundreds of millions of people around the world still live below the poverty line, and these global gaps pose continuing challenges to governments, societies and individuals alike.

Here, social justice emerges as one of the main paths capable of addressing poverty and its gaps. In turn, it ensures a more balanced distribution of resources and opportunities, by following patterns of responsible societal behavior and implementing comprehensive human solidarity and solidarity mechanisms.

In conjunction with the days of the holy month of Ramadan, solidarity practices are renewed in remarkable ways, from zakat and charity to civil initiatives. This gives this blessed month a social and economic dimension that allows reading the impact of solidarity and social justice – according to the essence of the true religion – in reducing poverty.

Therefore, a question of great importance arises about the impact of the Holy Month in achieving social justice among members of society, in addition to its economic repercussions, the role of public policies in deepening its positive effects, and how to benefit from this seasonal momentum, then transform it from a circumstantial response into a sustainable development path that supports achieving the first goal – eradicating poverty – throughout the year.

Social justice and manifestations of solidarity in Ramadan

What is seen during the month of Ramadan every year is that there is a clear increase in the volume of zakat, alms, and initiatives to feed those who are fasting, in addition to the intense activity of civil society organizations and volunteers. These practices lead to the redistribution of part of the resources from the able groups to the most needy families, thus reducing the burden of living and reducing the consumption gap during the holy month.

All of this has a clear impact that is evident in community movement, which is one of the most prominent aspects of social justice. Because it allows limited-income groups to obtain a degree of support, a degree that reduces indicators of imbalanced distribution of resources within society.

This solidarity has dimensions other than those of providing food and financial support. Because it enhances the feeling of belonging and participation among members of society, and through it the efforts of all institutions are intertwined in a broad network of solidarity. This interaction embodies social justice in its practical form by sharing responsibility and reducing the gaps between different groups. So that its concept – that is, the concept of social justice – becomes a daily practice present in societal reality.

Social and economic impacts

In addition to the charitable dimension, Ramadan carries a tangible economic impact that extends to multiple sectors. The increase in demand for food and consumer goods is clearly evident in the movement of markets and internal trade, and leads to increased production and distribution. It also prompts some establishments to temporarily expand their activity to meet the increasing demand, and a number of seasonal workers and supply chains related to food trade also benefit from this movement.

However, this activity is sometimes linked – in one way or another – to consumption patterns that exceed the limits of actual need, which highlights the importance of directing spending towards rational consumption that supports local production and reduces waste in a month that brings goodness to all!

In the same context, we find that the expansion of donation campaigns and the intensification of the activity of civil society organizations contribute to directing financial and in-kind resources to the most needy groups, which reduces pressure on the budgets of low-income families, especially in environments where poverty rates are high or are affected by price fluctuations.

This interaction between economic activity and charitable work builds a practical dimension to the concept of social justice, as market mechanisms intersect with solidarity networks to secure the minimum basic needs, but this movement remains linked to a specific time frame; Which makes its economic impact vulnerable to decline when the season ends. The reason for this is that temporary job opportunities do not necessarily turn into sustainable sources of income, and food support does not address the causes of economic fragility. Thus, a question arises here about how to employ this societal and economic energy in building more sustainable tools. In order to contribute to addressing the roots of poverty and promoting social justice throughout the year.

From seasonal work to a sustainable path

Transforming the Ramadan momentum into a continuous path requires reorganizing charitable work on a more regular basis. This could also include directing a portion of donations to economic empowerment programs, such as supporting small projects or vocational training, in a way that enhances the ability of families to generate stable income. Creating accurate databases for eligible groups increases the efficiency of distribution and reduces duplication.

At the individual level, the impact of the donation can go beyond the limits of immediate support through more sustainable practical steps, including:

• Allocate a portion of zakat or charity to support a small project that generates continuous income for a family in need.
• Contributing to education or vocational training for young people from low-income families; To enable them to have decent job opportunities.
• Participate in initiatives that provide periodic support instead of one-time assistance.
• Converting in-kind aid into production tools, such as simple equipment or work supplies.

This shift in the pattern of giving enhances social justice in the month of Ramadan and elsewhere by moving from temporary aid to economic empowerment. Linking zakat and charity initiatives to social protection programs also contributes to enhancing the sustainability of positive societal impact, when aid becomes part of an integrated system that supports social justice throughout the year.

The role of public policies in consolidating social justice

In this symbiotic manner between Ramadan and the essence of sustainability, the state plays a pivotal role in transforming societal initiatives into more consistent and sustainable policies. Because integrating charitable work efforts within social protection networks, providing clear regulatory frameworks, and strengthening partnerships with the private sector; All of these are steps that support the transition of efforts from the individual nature to the institutional nature.

In addition to the above, we find that investing in information and evaluation systems allows measuring the true impact of solidarity initiatives, and enhances the path of directing resources to those most in need. Then social justice becomes the result of integrated roles between society and the state.

In conclusion, the holy month of Ramadan reveals the ability of society’s values to support social justice by redistributing resources and promoting comprehensive solidarity. However, sustainable impact requires moving from seasonal initiatives to an integrated system that contributes to reducing poverty on an ongoing basis, in line with the first goal of development goals.

For its part,The Earth Guards Foundationsees that transforming Ramadan solidarity into a sustainable institutional framework represents an opportunity to enhance social justice through tools based on planning, governance and coordination between various actors, thus establishing a more stable development path in the long term.