 |
|
 |
|
The universality of fasting
Writer: Sharyn Shufiyan
Published: Fri, 03 Aug 2012 It’s that time of the year again when Muslims test their patience, refrain from worldly desires, and increase their piety.
The ninth month, Ramadan, is the holy month for Muslims and rewards for good deeds and piety are multiplied. Sceptically speaking, for Muslims who have been “bad” throughout the year, Ramadan is a great time to catch up by scoring bonus points. Hence, if you’re slightly alarmed that your normally outgoing Muslim friends are suddenly super pious, don’t fret; chances are they will revert back to normal once the moon wanes. It’s safe to say that Ramadan bazaars are everyone’s favourite, both for Muslims and non-Muslims. Urban neighbourhoods are littered with these bazaars. On the first day of fasting, I was at a bazaar in Taman Tun Dr. Ismail queuing up for some putu piring, when a passer-by remarked, “Eh, Bangla yang buat! (Eh, a Bangla is making it!)”. I almost took offence to such crudeness. After all, putu piring probably originated from that part of the world in the first place. But I guess that’s just it; no one “owns” anything and these bazaars are not just for and by Malay Muslims. At these bazaars, we are spoilt for choices and because it is advised to be patient and to refrain from cursing during Ramadan, most people would not mind the long queues and packed streets. The environment is quite festive as people go to stall by stall checking out any food that they fancy. Sometimes we get too excited over the choices that we tend to buy too much. We would buy enough to feed a whole village if we can. It is interesting that food waste is the highest during Ramadan, when the very spirit of Ramadan is about controlling urges and to be thankful and appreciative for what we have. It’s not just about blind holiness. Non-Muslims would probably wonder why anyone would subject oneself to such misery, to abstain particularly from food and water for a whole day, the whole month. It’s really not that bad. Most Muslims are trained since young to observe the fasting month. Plus, the idea of fasting is not an Islamic one; it is a common practice for many religions. Jews do it for Yom Kippur, when they fast for a day and pray for forgiveness. It is very similar to Ramadan; both Muslims and Jews seek atonement and repentance on this day/month. Christians observe Lent for six weeks leading to Easter. During Lent, Christians either fast or give up certain luxuries as a form of penitence. Hindus fast on many occasions; one of them is during Maha Sivaratri, a festival celebrating Lord Shiva. People also fast as part of a dieting regime or to make a point, like Gandhi. I’d like to think fasting as more than just a religious obligation. Fasting reminds us of restraint and of moderation. It reminds us that our bodies are highly durable and that we can get by with just a little. They say we can go for seven to eight weeks without food and eight to 14 days without water, so what’s a day? It reminds us that we have been treating our bodies quite poorly by over indulgence. Fasting slows us down and gives us time to reflect. It allows us to have control over our urges. It makes us realise that most of the things we want, we don’t need. It’s not just about abstaining from eating and drinking, but also to be moderate in your ways, to not depend on the material, to think of others. These lessons are universal themes that anyone can ascribe to. Put it simply, it teaches us to be a better human being. And I don’t necessarily mean that being pious equals being better. Although people fast because it is what’s required of their religions, I wonder how many actually belief in the spirit of fasting. Religion just makes it more systematic; prescribing specific days and guidelines to how to do it, but I think the lessons of fasting should be incorporated into our daily lives. There’s no point in abstinence if you abstain only for a month, or a day, or 40 days when you revert back to how you usually behave before the religious obligation. There’s no point in abstaining from food for 12 hours when you stuff your face at night. There’s no point in being patient when you’re quick to lose your temper after Ramadan. There’s no point in paying zakat if that’s the only charity you do for the whole year. Ramadan is a great month to observe; it’s fun, vibrant, and communal. But sometimes I feel the spirit of Ramadan is lost within hypocrisy and superficiality, and that’s a shame.
Also by Sharyn Shufiyan: It’s all in the lyrics
WHEN you listen to a song, what is it about that song that would hold your attention for four minutes? Syncretism of cultural beliefs
WHEN different groups of people exist in the same environment, integration often takes place. Will love or faith prevail?
WILL love or faith prevail? That is the premise of “Nadirah”, a play written by Alfian Sa’at and directed by Jo Kukathas staged recently at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre. Pluralism is not a bad thing!
Last month, my partner and I checked out our friends’ ongoing community arts project, Have a Holy-Day! in Brickfields. Like first class busybodies, we hung around for about an hour or so and snapped some pictures as proof that we were there. Response to the Responses of Suara Cicit Tunku Abdul Rahman
Sharyn Shufiyan takes a detour from talking about current affairs to talking about her current affair. The imaginary boundary
Work takes me to Sabah and Sarawak quite often lately, home to two of the longest rivers in Malaysia. Naked or nude?
What is the difference between being naked and being nude? Do they both mean the same thing, to be without clothes, to let it “all hang loose”? Raving about Rave
Rave isn’t really my scene but I will enjoy a good night out anytime. A Thai in our midst
"It was way back in 1956, at a time when the then Malaya was on the verge of gaining independence that the idea of building a sizable Buddhist temple close to the federal capital of Kuala Lumpur was first conceived. The temple was also to reflect the status of Buddhism as one of the major religions in the country, and also serve as a symbol of the long standing close relationship that existed between Thailand and Malaya.” Reaching new heights
Walking into the concourse of Batu Caves, one is greeted by majestic structures of Hindu deities, temples and swarms of pigeons flapping just inches above your head. Macaques blend into the landscape amongst worshippers and tourists, making their way up the 272 steps to the Temple Cave. Please flush after use
November 19th was World Toilet Day! What better way to celebrate World Toilet Day than to address our toilet habits? Aren’t we all dirty minded?
Taking shelter from the rain, I walked into a Chinese coffee shop occupied by uncles playing mahjong. In small towns like Kuang, an outsider stands out like a sore thumb. At one point while I was on the phone, the uncles stopped playing and stared at me. “They thought you are a police,” said Uncle Chong, who came to sit next to me. Picking on the right hemisphere
I’m the worst early riser, ever. But on that particular Saturday, I was actually looking forward to it. The plan was for us to gather in front of SK Sentul Utama. Walking up to the school, I could see the field marshals wearing cute tentacles on their heads, checking in other enthusiasts and assigning them into groups. A play of lights
As we turned the corner, bright lights greeted us from a distance. With the dark of the night in the background, shades of red, blue, green and white burst into view. We were entering a neon forest. Leaving and arriving: The non-place
A Caucasian couple with a toddler on tow walked out of the arrival hall. As the parents’ attention was focused on a row of men holding up name placards, the toddler, lying face down, dragged himself along the marble floor, as if licking it, then got up and mischievously scurried away. Making use of the great outdoors
When I first heard of Broga, I thought it was in Spain or Latin America. It didn’t sound local to my ear. Located on the border of Selangor and Negeri Sembilan, it is believed that Broga earned its name from Buragas, a mystical beast that lives in the forest. |
|
Selangor Times
 |
|
 |
