jordan pulse -

By Hani Al-Dabbas
Economics is not merely the exchange of goods; it is a relationship grounded in awareness. It reflects human nature when confronted with need, the limits of desire, and the meaning of sufficiency.
During Ramadan, the population does not change, salaries do not rise exceptionally, and annual consumption volumes do not fundamentally increase. Yet the rhythm shifts. Desires intensify, purchasing accelerates, and demand rises above its usual level, as if time itself has compressed—turning a full year into thirty concentrated days.
What occurs economically is not necessarily a shortage, but a repositioning of demand. We do not always consume more in total; we consume faster. In compressing time, we place pressure on the market. A temporary imbalance emerges between supply—which naturally moves gradually—and demand—which accelerates under psychological motivation. Prices then respond, not because goods have disappeared, but because the rhythm has been disrupted.
However, the issue runs deeper than a mathematical equation. The market is as much a moral entity as it is an economic one. Every price set is a decision, and every decision carries an underlying perception of fairness, profit, and limits.
In certain seasons, the difference becomes clear between those who see trade as a social responsibility and those who view it merely as an opportunity to maximize margins. Profit itself is not the problem—it is the lifeblood of economic activity. But when detached from conscience, it can become a tool that pressures the most vulnerable.
Ethical crises do not surface in times of comfort; they emerge in moments of need. When some recognize that demand is emotional and that fear drives people to stockpile, prices may rise based on the fragility of the moment rather than actual cost. The market then becomes a mirror of a deeper imbalance in collective awareness, where a spiritual occasion transforms into a peak season of consumption.
At the same time, consumers bear their share of responsibility. Excess is not merely an individual act; it fuels inflationary pressure. Every purchase beyond necessity sends a signal that demand is willing to pay more. Thus, a self-reinforcing cycle emerges: fear generates demand, demand justifies higher prices, and higher prices deepen fear.
At its core, Ramadan is a call to self-restraint before market restraint—to redefine sufficiency and restore the value of moderation. If economics is a science of balance, ethics is the condition that sustains it. When that condition weakens, numbers inflate.
The market does not possess an independent conscience; its conscience is the sum of ours—our values, our desires, and our consumer behavior. When values rise, prices stabilize. When selfishness prevails, balance falters.
Ultimately, the real question is not why prices rise, but why desires exceed needs—and why internal restraint fades precisely when a spiritual season calls for its highest expression.