By Alpha Amadu Jalloh, Author Monopoly of Happiness: Unveiling Sierra Leone’s Social Imbalance
As we celebrate yet another end of Ramadan and use the words “Ramadan Mubarak,” one must take a moment to reflect. Have we truly met the requirements necessary to achieve the blessings of Ramadan? We do not fast because a system of government requires us to do so but rather for the sake of Allah (Subhana wa Ta’ala), as prescribed for those before us. The Holy Quran reminds us:
“O you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may attain Taqwa (piety).” (Quran 2:183)
Yet, as we examine our society, we must ask ourselves: Has our fasting truly brought us closer to Taqwa, or has it merely become another occasion for the political elite to exploit the masses? In Sierra Leone, Ramadan has increasingly been transformed into a season of provocation rather than one of charity, exposing the deep chasm between the rich and the poor. The very essence of giving, which should be done humbly and sincerely, is now a public display of wealth used to buy political loyalty and control the impoverished masses.
Across the country, politicians scramble to distribute food, rice, and other necessities to Muslims who have been permanently impoverished by the same system these politicians uphold. From the president to the first lady, from government ministers to aspiring candidates in the SLPP, APC, and other parties, they parade their wealth under the guise of generosity. But this is not true charity; it is coercion wrapped in handouts. It is a calculated strategy to control a population that has been deliberately kept in poverty.
These so-called charitable acts are nothing but a theatrical display, an illusion of benevolence that serves to mask the reality of economic and social oppression. In a country blessed with abundant natural resources—diamonds, gold, rutile, bauxite, and fertile lands—how can it be that so many people remain dependent on handouts for their basic sustenance? The answer is clear: The system is designed to maintain the status quo, where the rich flaunt their wealth while the poor are kept in a perpetual state of deprivation.
Islam teaches us that charity (Sadaqah) should be given with sincerity and humility. The Quran says,
“If you disclose your Sadaqah (charitable giving), it is good; but if you conceal it and give it to the poor, that is better for you.” (Quran 2:271)
Yet, in Sierra Leone, the so-called charity given during Ramadan is anything but discreet. It is loud, boastful, and calculated for maximum political gain. The rich distribute food packages with grand announcements, cameras flashing, and their names plastered everywhere. The true essence of charity is lost, replaced by an egotistical display meant to secure votes and maintain power.
The irony is that after Ramadan, this so-called charity disappears. The politicians retreat to their lavish lifestyles, and the poor are left to struggle for another eleven months, until the next Ramadan, when the cycle of humiliation begins anew. By then, the number of poor people will have increased, while the wealth of the elite will have grown even larger, amassed from the very resources that should have uplifted everyone.
What is particularly demeaning is the way Sierra Leone has been turned into a nation of beggars. People who should be self-sufficient are forced to rely on handouts from those in power. It is an insult to our dignity, an intentional strategy to suppress the population and keep them dependent on political elites.
How unfortunate it is that our own brothers and sisters, who should be working to build a just society, instead exploit the poverty of the masses for their own gain. They act as though they own everything in the country while the rest of the population is left with nothing but struggle and suffering.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) warned against arrogance and the flaunting of wealth, reminding us:
“The best of people are those who are most beneficial to others.” (Hadith, Al-Mu’jam al-Awsat)
Yet, those who claim to be “helping” during Ramadan are, in reality, using their wealth to control and humiliate the people rather than truly uplifting them. The handouts given during Ramadan are not acts of kindness; they are tools of oppression, keeping the people in a cycle of dependence and powerlessness.
Sierra Leoneans must wake up to the reality that survival through handouts is neither sustainable nor dignified. We must rethink our approach and refuse to be manipulated by those who use Ramadan as a means of political coercion. True development and progress will not come from seasonal distributions of food; it will come from systemic change, from creating opportunities that empower people to sustain themselves.
We must demand accountability from those in power. Why should a nation rich in resources have its people reduced to beggars? Why should the wealth of the country be concentrated in the hands of a few while the majority suffer? This is not the way of Islam, nor is it the way of justice.
As Ramadan ends and we move forward, let us remember that true charity is about creating lasting change, not about temporary relief that reinforces inequality. Let us build a society where everyone can stand on their own feet, where Ramadan is celebrated in its true spirit of piety and generosity, not as a season of political mockery and provocation.
To my brothers and sisters in Sierra Leone, I say “Eid Mubarak.” May Allah bless you with a future where politicians do not hover around us like flies, seeking to exploit our suffering for their own gain. May we rise above the cycle of poverty imposed upon us and work towards a nation where dignity and self-sufficiency replace dependency and humiliation.
Let this Ramadan be the last where we allow ourselves to be pawns in the game of the rich and powerful. Let us strive for a better Sierra Leone, where charity is given with sincerity, where resources are used for the benefit of all, and where the words “Ramadan Mubarak” truly reflect the blessings of this holy month. Insha’Allah!
