Post Ramadan Reflections: American Imperialism or Impishness? By Imam Nadim Sulaiman Ali

[Bilal Mahmud المكافح المخلص]

Post Ramadan Reflections: American Imperialism or Impishness? By Imam Nadim Sulaiman Ali

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Especially Merciful. 🌙

We are now passed the blessed days of Ramadan, a time when the world does not just change spiritually — it changes morally. During Ramadan, hearts soften, consciences awaken, and the difference between right and wrong becomes clearer. The question we must ask ourselves is this: Has the world become more just — or have powerful nations simply become more clever in hiding injustice?

When we speak about global power today, we cannot avoid speaking about the United States. For decades, it has presented itself as the guardian of freedom and democracy. Yet, when you look closely, many ordinary people around the world do not see freedom. They see interference, pressure, economic control, and military power used to shape weaker nations according to American interests.

Ramadan is the month of truth. It is the month in which Allah teaches us to discipline the body so that the soul can see clearly. When we fast, we feel hunger — and that hunger makes us aware of the suffering of others. When we restrain our speech, we learn to speak only what is just. And when we reflect, we begin to ask serious questions: Who benefits from the suffering of the weak? Who profits when entire nations remain poor, unstable, and dependent?

Some people call it “foreign policy.” Others call it “global leadership.” But many ordinary people call it something else: imperialism.

Imperialism is not always about armies marching into a country. Sometimes it is more subtle. It appears through economic sanctions that make medicine unaffordable. It appears through political pressure that forces smaller nations to obey larger ones. It appears through the media, which decides whose suffering matters and whose suffering can be ignored. And when we observe this during Ramadan, it should disturb our hearts.

Because Ramadan is not only about fasting from food. It is about fasting from injustice. It is about refusing to support oppression, even when that oppression comes from powerful nations.

During this month, Muslims all over the world wake up before dawn, stand in prayer, and ask Allah for justice. But justice does not come only through prayer; it also comes through courage. The Prophet (peace be upon him) taught that the best struggle is to speak a word of truth in front of power. That teaching is not meant only for scholars or leaders. It is meant for ordinary people — teachers, workers, students, parents, and community members.

We are living in a time when the world has become smaller than ever. What happens in one country affects millions in another. Technology allows us to see suffering in real time. We can see the tears of a mother thousands of miles away. We can see the destruction of homes, the fear of children, the injustice faced by entire communities. And once we see it, we cannot pretend that we do not know.

That is why Ramadan is not only a spiritual experience — it is also a moral awakening. 🌍

Many people in the United States believe they are powerless. They think foreign policy is decided far away from them, and that their voices do not matter. But history teaches us something very different. Change has always come when ordinary people refused to stay silent. When common people spoke out against injustice — whether it was slavery, segregation, or war — the world changed.

So the question becomes: What does Ramadan require from us today?

First, it requires honesty. We must be honest enough to admit that power can corrupt even nations that claim to stand for freedom. No country is above moral accountability. Not a superpower. Not a wealthy nation. Not a military power. Every nation will answer to Allah, just as every individual will answer to Allah.

Second, Ramadan requires courage. It is easy to remain silent when injustice benefits us. It is easy to look away when the suffering is far away. But fasting teaches us sacrifice. If we can sacrifice food and drink for the sake of Allah, then surely we can sacrifice our comfort for the sake of truth.

Third, Ramadan requires unity. One of the greatest strengths of imperial power is division. When ordinary people are divided by race, by class, by politics, and by fear, they cannot stand together against injustice. But Ramadan unites people. Rich and poor fast the same way. Different cultures break their fast at the same time. People who might otherwise never speak to one another sit together at the same table. That unity is powerful — and it frightens those who benefit from division.

This is why speaking out matters. Not speaking with hatred. Not speaking with anger. But speaking with clarity and justice. When ordinary people say, “We want peace, not domination,” that voice carries weight. When people say, “We stand with the oppressed, no matter where they live,” that voice becomes powerful. And when that voice grows during Ramadan, it becomes a moral force that cannot easily be ignored.

We must also remember something important: imperialism does not only damage the people being oppressed — it also damages the people doing the oppressing. When a nation becomes accustomed to controlling others, it loses its moral direction. It becomes arrogant. It becomes insensitive to suffering. And eventually, it begins to harm its own citizens through inequality, injustice, and division. So speaking out against imperialism is not hatred of a country; it is concern for humanity.

Ramadan reminds us that real power does not come from weapons, wealth, or influence. Real power comes from justice. Real power comes from truth. Real power comes from faith. 💫

So as we fast, let us ask ourselves some difficult questions:

Are we willing to stand with the oppressed even when it is unpopular?
Are we willing to speak the truth even when it makes us uncomfortable?
Are we willing to use our voices, our prayers, and our actions to challenge injustice wherever it exists?

Because the world has changed during Ramadan — but the change must begin inside us first.

Let this month not pass as just another season of hunger and prayer. Let it become a month of awakening. Let it become a month in which ordinary people rediscover their moral strength. Let it become a month in which the powerless realize that they are not powerless at all.

If millions of people can stand together in prayer every night during Ramadan, then millions of people can also stand together for justice.

And perhaps then, the world will begin to change — not because of governments, not because of power, but because ordinary people decided that silence was no longer acceptable.

May Allah make us people of truth, people of courage, and people of justice.
May He accept our fasting, our prayers, and our struggle to stand with the oppressed.

Ameen. 🌙

[Bilal Mahmud المكافح المخلص]

Kofi Bilal Mahmud Eid AlFitr 1443 A.H.

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