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Tag: fasting

  • Malaysian Muslims Seem To Have Very Weak Faith

    Malaysian Muslims Seem To Have Very Weak Faith

    I have been fasting in full every Ramadan for many years now and I admit, I do feel hungry and thirsty during the day and it isn’t totally comfortable all of the time.

    But of course, like anything you do, if you put your mind to it and persevere, it eventually stops being a problem.

    You get used to fasting and it actually makes your body feel good. But I won’t be talking here about the benefits of fasting on your health and well being.

    What I do want to talk about is the fact that there are so many weak Muslims in Malaysia who can’t take fasting. I’m usually not one to judge, but well, this time I am going to!

    We have a teacher in a school who asks his non-Muslim students to go to the toilet to drink during Ramadan, just so Muslim students won’t see them drinking.

    It is ridiculous how some school canteens are instructed to close during the fasting month because it would mean non-Muslim students eating in view of Muslim students.

    This issue of non-Muslims having to go out of their way, in the name of being respectful to those who are fasting, crops up every time Ramadan comes around.

    I don’t understand how this is respect. All I can conclude from this is that some Malaysian Muslims are just too weak, and when they see someone drink water, their will to fast disappears.

    I have many non-Muslim friends and I accompany them for lunch or even just for a drink at the mamak, even when I’m fasting, just so we can hang out and have a chat.

    I see them eat and drink but I don’t get tempted. Sometimes, they tease me too and pretend to order for me a glass of teh ais and we all have a good laugh. But I still fast. No problems.

    This fasting month, although only a week has gone by, I’ve even been accompanying my wife for lunch at restaurants whenever we are out and about.

    She is in the final trimester of her second pregnancy and she needs the food and nutrition. So she doesn’t fast. We sit and chat as she has her meal and I still fast. No problems.

    I’m not trying to say that I’m a perfect Muslim here. No way. I am far from that. What I am trying to say is that some Malaysian Muslims need to take a step back and look at their faith.

    Fasting is an‘ibadah’and it is suppose to be challenging (although not torture!). And aren’t challenges suppose to make your faith and fast count for even more?

    So technically, Malaysian Muslims should welcome people to eat and drink in front of them, and then resist, so they can collect more‘pahala’, right? Funny, isn’t it?

    But no. Malaysian Muslims are just too weak. They fast but they can’t take it when they catch a glimpse of someone eating or drinking. Their faith starts to waver.

    They can’t even take it when when non-Muslims use the word ‘Allah’ because they start getting confused and all with their own faith. Malaysian Muslims. What a weak bunch they are.

     

    Source: http://english.astroawani.com

  • Customer Service Star: Sahur Punya Pasal, McDeliver With Taxi!

    Customer Service Star: Sahur Punya Pasal, McDeliver With Taxi!

    We order our food at 3am plus.. they deliver so called late .. cause we have to eat before we fast in islam we call it “sahur” meaning to fill up ur stomach before the fasting day start..

    we were loitering around outside in a group of 30 worker and.. arnd 4am plus came a taxi.. someone crack a joke.. says that our mac came by taxi.. so we just laugh..

    when the taxi stop.. it was really the mac delivery..

    Taxi McDelivery 1

     

    so we laugh out loud.. we ask wat happend to ur bike.. they say.. order too much so they have to travel by cab..

    so kuddos to the outlet who make the fast decision for us who wanna “sahur” ..

    even though a bit late bt the effort counts…

     

    Casper

    [Reader Contribution]

  • Malaysian Muslim Man: Non-Muslims Should Not Have To Adjust To Accomodate Muslims’ Fast

    Malaysian Muslim Man: Non-Muslims Should Not Have To Adjust To Accomodate Muslims’ Fast

    This is exactly the spot where my daughter’s tutor sits when he comes to tutor her.

    He is a pious Christian. His free times are spent on missionary works. And when he is at my house, he has to sit under those frames.

    Did he complain that I was trying to convert him? Or that those Arabic names for Allah and Muhammad would lead him astray from his faith? Or that they would “rosakkan aQidah saya?”

    Did he ever request that his sitting be changed? Or that those frames be moved away or at least be covered by a batik sarong?

    Did he ask me to “respect” his faith? Or not to “insult” him or his faith?

    Well, he never did. Not even a word about those.

    That raises a question. Why is it that many Muslims in Mesia nowadays demand to be “respected” just because they are fasting? Why the need to close school canteens during Ramadhan? Why must non-Malay pupils be asked to drink behind closed doors and even in the toilet? Just because our kids are learning how to fast? Well, aren’t the non-Malay kids as well?

    I don’t care whether the minum-air-kencing statement was a joke. That misses the point.

    The point is why must non-Malay adjust their life to facilitate us, Muslims Melayoos, to fast?

    If that was necessary, why don’t we ask our non-Malay brothers and sisters not to study too hard so that we the Melayoos could at least get respectable marks during exams compared to them? Ask them to “respect” our inability to get good exams results? (I am not saying ALL of us are unable lah…so please don’t get emo with me here).

    Or ask them not to work too hard so that they don’t make too much more money than us.

    I call it self-pity.

    Which is, a pity, really.

     

    Source: Azhar Harun

  • Why A Devout Catholic Is Fasting During Ramadan

    Why A Devout Catholic Is Fasting During Ramadan

    As the executive director of Interfaith Worker Justice, a national organization that builds power with workers through faith-rooted organizing and advocacy, my faith and values are what ground me and call me to do this work. I’m Catholic and feel deeply connected to my faith, which has been a constant presence in my life, and is the core to who I am.

    I know that the joy, hope and love I feel within my faith is no different from the joy, hope and love others experience within their own faith tradition. I feel this way because we share a set of common core values, such as respect, dignity, dedication, sacrifice and love.

    It is because of these shared values that I’ve decided to join my Muslim friends as they fast from sunup to sundown during this holy month of Ramadan. I also join them in embracing the blessings one receives during such an important time of fasting, charity, prayer and introspection.

    Fasting during Ramadan is not just about fasting from food but also from the things that can take us away from being our best selves, such as gossip, insults, lies, negativity & disrespect for others. Ramadan helps us look inward by challenging and encouraging us to be better people, by being more conscious and aware of our place in the world and how we relate to those around us.

    In my Catholic tradition I have fasted many times and have seen the benefits of choosing to go without in order to focus on what’s inside. Fasting helps make space for other things to come into greater focus, such as a deeper connection with those less fortunate, a greater emphasis on my relationship with God and being more disciplined about the choices I make.

    Similarly, fasting during Ramadan is as much about filling ourselves with prayer, empathy and love as it is about fasting from the things that separate us from our true nature. It is through Ramadan’s intentional sacrifice of food that we are fed an abundant spiritual buffet.

    Ramadan also gives us an opportunity to be more charitable to others. But it’s more than just about giving alms to the poor — it’s about broadening our awareness and understanding of the systems that make and keep them poor. More importantly, it is about deepening our connection with those less fortunate.

    We practice real empathy and compassion by reaching out and seeking to understand why people struggle, and acting on it. “Why are they hungry?” “Why are they homeless?” By asking these questions we also challenge ourselves to think of what we can do: “How can I do the most good for the most people?” “How do I impact the real problem and make ongoing change happen?”

    Fasting and Prayer

    As someone once told me; “Fasting without prayer is just going hungry.” How true! Many Muslims pray fives times a day, and especially during Ramadan. Prayer feeds the soul and helps sustain the meaning behind the fast.

    Several years ago, I was walking through the Minneapolis airport and saw a young airport worker go into a corner and pull out a small rug to pray. He wasn’t trying to draw attention to himself, but he caught my eye anyway. I was moved by his act of devotion, discipline and love. I then asked myself, “Why don’t I do that?” “Is my faith enough of a priority that I go out of my way to pray to make room for it?” Inspired by the young Muslim man’s public display of faith and prayer, I began to pray the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy at 3 p.m everyday, regardless of where I was. Now I also include my morning prayers, Rosary and evening prayers each day. The young man’s powerful example has inspired and challenged me to deepen my own faith and be a better Catholic.

    It is through sharing experiences and practices that we discover we have more in common than we have differences. One of the many values that we have in common is a shared sense of respect for workers and the value of the work they produce. Across faith traditions, the teachings are clear: respect workers and treat them fairly, as we would want to be treated, or even better. Kind of sounds like a golden rule doesn’t it? For good reason, as we all do better when we all do better.

    So as I begin Ramadan in honor of the values that it represents, I am filled with humility and gratitude for this blessed opportunity to deepen my relationship with God and those around me. It will give me chance to turn down the noise and focus on what’s most important in my life and once again, help me to be a better Catholic.

     

    Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

  • Answers To Common Questions About Ramadan And Hari Raya

    Answers To Common Questions About Ramadan And Hari Raya

    “Really? Cannot eat at all?”

    It’s a common question asked of myself and my fellow fasting family and friends by non-Muslims during this period.

    Muslims the world over fast for the whole month of Ramadan, the ninth month in the Islamic calendar.

    In Singapore, Ramadan started on the evening of Wednesday, June 17, with Muslims going through their first full day of fasting on Thursday.

    The next question is usually: “But can drink water, right?”

    While it is often the same questions asked on an annual basis, it’s better to ask than stay quiet.

    In the interest of clearing up a few things once and for all for my non-fasting friends, here are the answers to some of your fasting month questions.

    Why do you fast?

    Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam – anyone who is of age (generally determined by reaching puberty), and is not ill or in a situation which makes it difficult for them to complete their fast (eg strenuous work), must fast.

    For Muslims, fasting during the month of Ramadan is not just about abstaining from food and drink.

    It’s also about abstaining from other things from sun rise to sundown – such as smoking and sex.

    We are encouraged to stay away from all kinds of temptation.

     

    But drinking water is okay, right?

    No, really, we can’t!

    Not water, or tea, or milk, nothing.

    Yes, in this weather, this means you can get really parched, but the idea is to tahan (take it) until about 7 in the evening, when we’re able to eat and drink again during the iftar, or breaking of fast.


    Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong joining congregants of the newly upgraded Mujahidin Mosque in Commonwealth for a break fast, or iftar, session in 2014. ST FILE PHOTO

     

    So you can eat in the evening. When do you stop eating then?

    We generally stop eating and drinking at imsak​, which is about 10 minutes before the break of dawn, a practice of the Prophet Muhammad.

    We are encouraged to wake up in the early mornings – around 4 to 5am in Singapore – to eat something before imsak – this morning meal is called sahur.

    For some, it’s a couple of dates. For others, it can be a full meal of rice and other dishes.

    We eat again at sundown, which coincides with the time of the Maghrib prayer, one of the five prayers Muslims do every day.

     

    What happens if you accidentally eat or drink something during the day?

    It can happen, simply out of habit. This has happened to most Muslims I know. If it’s unintentional, we keep fasting.

     

    What happens if you feel dizzy, or ill? 

    Only those who are well enough to fast should do so. You are permitted to break your fast if you are unwell.

     

    So, do you have to “pay back” for the days you didn’t fast?

    Yes, we should pay back the missed days as soon as possible.

    It doesn’t have to be continuous but before the next Ramadan comes around.

    If one is unable to repay, or unable to fast for years, then he or she can pay fidyah​, a sum of money calculated using the number of days missed that will be donated to the poor.

     

    So do NSmen have to fast?

    Yes, if they are not ill. A guidebook from the voluntary welfare organisation Perdaus encourages fasting NSmen to drink lots of water and eat in the morning before sunup to help them through the day.

     

    Uh, should I not eat or drink in front of you?

    That’s entirely up to you! Food smells are certainly much more distracting on an empty stomach, so it would be nice if you didn’t.

    But dealing with temptation is a strong theme for us Muslims during Ramadhan. Just, you know, don’t tempt us on purpose, lah​.


    BH FILE PHOTO

    How about those countries where the sun sets at night, or sometimes not at all during the summer months?!

    I had the same question when I was a kid. Do they, like, never eat at all?

    They do but their fast is longer.

    Now that it’s summer and days can be very, very long in the northern hemisphere.

    Muslims in places like Reykjavik, Iceland, may fast for up to 21 hours a day, reports Quartz.

    However, some scholars say that for health reasons, Muslims in such places could follow the “morning to evening” timings for fasting.

     

    So, after Ramadan ends, you celebrate Hari Raya, which is Muslim New Year, right? 

    Actually, Hari Raya Puasa, or Aidilfitri, means ‘festival of breaking of fast’ in Arabic.

    We celebrate it right after Ramadan ends, during the next month in the Islamic calendar, Syawal.

    Muslims are not permitted to fast on Hari Raya Puasa.

    In Singapore and in some other countries, the celebrations continue for a month, with friends and family visiting each others’ houses in traditional garb, presenting both children and elders with ‘green packets’, and serving traditional Malay kuih, or cookies.

    It is all-encompassing as non-Muslims are invited over, too!


    BH FILE PHOTO

    Unlike Chinese custom, the younger members of the family generally stop receiving green packets after they’ve started working. Eating dishes like ketupat, rendang and ayam masak merah, however, is permitted no matter how old you are.

    Oh, and we do have a “Muslim New Year”, or more accurately Islamic New Year.

    It falls on the first day of the first month in the Islamic calendar, called Muharram. Our next New Year will be from sunset on Oct 13 to sunset of Oct 14.

     

    There’s another Hari Raya on my calendar. What’s the difference?

    That would be Hari Raya Haji, which marks the end of the annual Hajj, where millions of Muslims travel to Mecca to perform the pilgrimage.

    On this day, those who are able are meant to sacrifice, or korban​, a goat, a cow or a sheep, with the meat being meant for your family, neighbours and the poor.

    No, you don’t have to go to butchery school! Your neighbourhood mosque will likely be able to conduct the sacrifice on your behalf. Some Muslims opt to pay for animals to be sacrificed in other, usually poorer countries, so the meat can be distributed to the needy there.

    The korban commemorates the prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael (the Quran doesn’t exactly say which son, but we believe it’s Ishmael, while Jews and Christians believe it’s Isaac).

    Don’t worry, the story has a happy ending – at the last minute, the sacrifice is stopped and Ibrahim (or Abraham as he is otherwise known)  is told by God that the deed has been fulfilled, as Ishmael has been replaced by a “great sacrifice”.

     

    Okay, why do both Hari Rayas keep occurring earlier every year? 

    Because we get more and more eager to celebrate?

    No. The real answer is that the dates are determined by the Islamic calendar, which has 12 months, but just 354 days.

    The months are shorter as they follow the lunar cycle – the first day of the month starts when the first crescent is spotted. That’s how the beginning of Ramadhan is determined as well.

    (The Islamic calendar is fully lunar, while the Chinese calendar is lunar-solar … that’s why Chinese New Year doesn’t move around as much as Hari Raya does.)

    Also, this is why some years you get a public holiday bonanza, with Hari Raya Puasa falling in the same week as Chinese New Year from 1996 to 1998, and Hari Raya Haji (Eid-ul Adha) falling two days after Christmas in 2007.

    Hopefully these answer the basics.

     

    Source: www.tnp.sg