Dean of FIDK: Fasting can hones empathy and train ourselves to act fair

SC Mosque, UIN News Online – Fasting is not merely an obligatory ritual for all Muslims, nor is it just holding back hunger and thirst from morning to evening. By fasting, we are trained to empathize and do justice to others.

This was said by Dean of FIDK UIN Jakarta Suparto during his kultum Ramadan, Tuesday (05/21/2019) at Al-Jamiah Mosque, campus I of UIN Jakarta. In his lecture, Suparto emphasized that by fasting, humans are trained to be able to refrain from acts of wrongdoing.

“Fasting leads us to do justice to others. Fair in the sense of putting, giving something in its place or size and doing something according to its morality,” he said.

Moreover, Suparto added, fasting is also able to erode human pride. Where, if you look at what is felt by people who are fasting, in the form of thirst and hunger, then it can foster a sense of empathy and concern for others.

“By fasting, we become aware of what our brothers and sisters are still lacking, especially food. Therefore, we should share with others,” he added.

Suparto continued, lecturers, employees and students should try to do justice. Discipline, the balance between rights and obligations, study hard not only requires satisfying value, it is a fair line that must be applied in our lives as Muslims in the UIN Jakarta.

“Hopefully all of us will be able to become human beings who always empathize with our surroundings,” he concludes. (usa)