Reduax: Ramadan Kareem, lets keep it that way

Wishing everyone Ramadan Kareem.

Just to set a few facts straight for y'all who are still new to this place in this time of year.

Fasting Ramadan is when Muslims don't eat or drink from dawn till dusk

Not just that: Its an examination of self discipline to cleanse one's mind, body and soul from anything that satisfies the urges (in general). It is to teach people that there are others out there who are not as fortunate as yourself, and who don't even have the privilege of basic needs such as food, water or shelter.

So in Ramadan, its not right to extravagantly indulge on food and drink. During fasting, one is to hold urges like smoking, lust, anger, lying, random impulses such as the urge to beat the living daylights out of someone because he is a moron-on-wheels, the urge to slap the driver of the car next to you because he is a seasoned nose-explorer, the urge to shove your foot up the next door neighbor’s rear-end for being not so neighborly, the urge to honk sporadically at the White Nissan Sunny that’s hogging the far left lane at 45 kmph... and stuff like that.

When you see/experience any of the things above, and you will, just move away and move on …

Going to a Ramadan Tent is a daily religious ritual that all Muslims should follow.

Wrong again; Sadly, many Muslims today go to more Ramadan Tents than they do to mosques. They spend more money on Shisha and snack food during this month, than they ever did in donations, Zakat or charity in their entire life time. That's just wrong.

Do yourself a favor, after you pay the check for a sohor night in one of those so called Ramadan Tents, ask yourself: How many families cab this money -that you just paid for 2 shishas and 1 tea-, feed through out Ramadan?

Fasting in Ramadan means Muslims do little or no work at all.

During Prophit Mohammed (PBUH) time, Muslims went to war in Ramadan. There is nothing more divine and self disciplining than to struggle through the daily hardship of going to work to make ends meet while sustaining self-control.

Those fasting laborers who spend over 12hrs a day working under the scorching sun, experience the true bliss of this holy month more than anyone else.

Don't use Ramadan as an excuse for not doing work, guess what, some argue that you actually break your fast this way.

Ramadan means staying all night watching Arabic TV soaps and other forms of entertainment.

It also means staying all night contemplating, meditating and asking God for forgiveness for all the crap you've been doing all year long. Ramadan is a great opportunity to get closer to God, go through what/who you did wrong, and reach out to old friends and family you haven't spoken to in ages and so forth..

Iftar HAS to be a scrumptious 12 course meal

LOADS of food is wasted during Ramadan. I agree, no one said not to enjoy having a good Iftar meal; just bare in mind that while you do, there are many people like you in Iraq, Palestinian refugee camps, some parts of Africa and many other places where an Iftar meal during Ramadan is no different than any other time of the year: 1 tiny serving a day, if ever available.

Non-fasting people shouldn’t eat in front of Muslims

Like myself, many Muslims don’t mind it when non-fasting people eat or drink around them. Nevertheless, and out of consideration and common courtesy if you do not fast, and end up being surrounded by fasting colleagues - you may wanna ask for permission if you can eat/drink/smoke/wear see-thru cloths/low cut tops/mini skirts/hip huggers with thongs sticking out and so forth.

Ramadan Kareem to all ..

Note: This post was published a few years back. I am republishing it as per several reader requests.