00:00Thank you very much, Mr. President.
00:04My experience together in visiting and traveling around the country, especially in ASEAN,
00:13I see the achievements, I am proud not only of myself, but also of the country.
00:19So I came among others, at Iftar, and also say Jazakumullahu Khairan Kathiran.
00:25Thank you very much, Mr. President.
00:29Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, I was just following through our earlier Sheikh just now,
00:35in his attempt to expose the meaning and significance of Ramadan.
00:40It is unique in Malaysia because not only the Eid, but the Ramadan,
00:46we invite our non-Muslim neighbors and friends from the ministries.
00:54And this is significant, although some of them pretend to fast and break fast,
01:00but some break fast two times a day.
01:03But this measure of tolerance is meaningful.
01:08You respect the practice of Ramadan, and from the time I was a kid in Penang,
01:15I hardly see my close colleagues, the Chinese and the Indians, eating in front of me.
01:21Somehow or other, they would avoid, they go somewhere distant, to be sure, out of respect.
01:31And this is important to my mind.
01:33And the significance of Ramadan is, of course, essentially,
01:37the spiritual purification, spiritual enlightenment.
01:41There is no question about it.
01:43And the rituals are perfected to make sure that you add on to the normal practice.
01:49That is why Muslim scholars relate Ramadan as a training schedule.
02:10Which means, without exception, Excellencies, Ambassadors, Ulama, Teachers,
02:18they are all compelled to go back to this school of Ramadan,
02:23to make sure that they enhance their spirituality, their practice.
02:31Secondly, of course, the discipline, the integrity.
02:37Because this is one practice that you can pretend to fast, but you don't fast.
02:43So you are finally accountable and answerable to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.
02:47So this sense of discipline among Muslims is to me remarkable,
02:52because you are trained from a very early age,
02:56that when you perform this ibadah, you are answerable to God,
03:00because you can always break fast along the way.
03:07And the third, of course, the social dimension, health-wise,
03:11and also social dimension, the care, the compassion, the ihsan and the rahmah.
03:18Why is it that we can fast and enjoy the luxuries,
03:22at the same time leave our neighbours in the lurch?
03:26That's why I mentioned the term actualization of the ideal.
03:35How the practice, the rituals are meant to be not only personally,
03:44spiritually enlightening or to bring that sense of discipline,
03:50but to have the capacity to affect, change and reform in yourself,
03:57family, society and nation.
04:00May Allah bless us and ensure that our Ramadan gives us that necessary push,
04:06that we must be, after the 30 days of intensive training,
04:12we are expected, Muslims generally, are expected to enhance their capability,
04:19to be a better person, to be more caring,
04:24to understand the essence and meaning of justice.
04:29Well, whether it is being realized is, of course, a major question.
04:34There is, of course, the internal dynamics and debate and discourse among Muslims
04:38for centuries has been that.
04:41We all fast, but sometimes we don't even care for our neighbours not having enough food.
04:46We fast, but we don't have any concern, of course,
04:49not only for the land of Gaza, but at least even among our neighbourhood.
04:55That is the major test.
04:57The meaning and significance of Ramadan, may Allah reward us and bless us
05:04and thank you again for this opportunity and thank you.
05:07I was joking with, not joking, it's a serious note to the foreign minister.
05:11I said, when prime ministers invite, not all ambassadors attend.
05:14But when foreign ministers invite, I see so many present without fail.
05:20You see the strength and influence of a foreign minister and the ministry, of course.
05:25So, thank you again.
05:26Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.
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