HERE ARE WHAT MALAYSIANS THINK ABOUT EATING IN FRONT OF FASTING MUSLIMS DURING RAMADAN

(Malaysian Digest) – “It is not non-Muslims’ job to remove our ‘nafsu’ (desires) during this Ramadan”

On the first week of Ramadan, Kelantan mufti Datuk Mohamad Shukri Mohamad apart from urging non-Muslims to dress conservatively throughout the fasting month of Ramadan, he further advised them to refrain from “eating and drinking in front of Muslims during the fasting month.”

The Kelantan mufti’s statement is not something new. Last year Perak mufti Tan Seri Harussani Zakaria told an English news portal that non-Muslims should “respect” Muslims with dressing appropriately mirrorring the remarks made by a Muslim teacher at a Kedah school who had told non-Muslims students not to drink in front of Muslim students during Ramadan.

I am a Malay Muslim myself and I feel embarrassed when my fellow Malay brothers and sisters demand “respect” from Malaysians of other ethnicity especially during this holy month of Ramadan.

From what is reported in the news, it almost seem like the Malay race is a group of people who like to make demands from their non-Malay fellow countrymen.

Why would our non-Muslims friends have to adjust their life because we have to fast during this month? Asking them to eat in seclusion is like denying their rights to eat in public.

During this month too, we come across non-Muslims asking this very question “is it ok for me to eat in front of you?” or would you mind if eat?”

Malaysian Digest decided to approach regular Malaysians to ask what they think about demanding “respect” by not eating and drinking in front Muslims who are fasting.

“Perhaps Some Of Us Have Forgotten That Respect Is Earned Not Demanded”

Perhaps some of us have forgotten that respect is earned not demanded.

Not all Muslims think that we should demand ‘respect’ from non-Muslims especially during Ramadan. Some even think demanding it is quite ridiculous.

“I think the whole thing of demanding respect from non-Muslims is quite ridiculous,” Adam Haiqal, a 27-year old lawyer who works in Putrajaya told Malaysian Digest.

“Perhaps some of us have forgotten that respect is earned not demanded.

“I think the Kelantan mufti should not make such a statement in the first place. It is their right to dress however they want and to eat and drink in public. We, Muslims are the one who are fasting.

“It is not non-Muslims’ job to remove our ‘nafsu’ (desires) during this Ramadan,” he said.

“I can’t believe your faith is so weak,” said Fazura

Adam further added Muslims who are not fasting are the ones that need to show respect to other Muslims who are fasting.

“I find it disrespectful for healthy Muslims choosing not to fast. They have fulfilled all the criterias that make them obligatory to fast. Yet they do not. These are the ones that need to show some respect by actually fasting.

Plus, he also think that it is rude to ask non-Muslims to stop eating in front of Muslims and pose a question if we do the same thing if we eat in front of poor and needy people.

“If they ask non-Muslims to not eating in front of us, should we, Muslims stop eating when we see poor people in front of us?

“If we demand respect from others around us, so for who are fasting for really? To show to the world that you are fasting or for God?” he opined.

Adam recounted some of his non-Muslims colleagues asked whether he would mind if they eat in front of them.

“I told them that I don’t mind at all if they want to eat anything in front of me. Sometimes I feel I am causing them discomfort by fasting in front of them because they would feel bad eating in front of me,” he said.

Voicing the same opinion as Adam, Farah Adilah thought it is unnecessary for Muslims to demand “respect” from non-Muslims.

Farah: “If you think you cannot handle looking at non-Muslims eating in front of you, you could either walk away or ask them nicely to eat somewhere else”

“Think of it this way, Muslims demand or ask respect from non Muslims to not eat in front of Muslims during Ramadan but we never hear the Hindus or Buddhists ask or demand Muslims not to eat beef in front of them.

“Why do we need to ask them to respect us during Ramadan? For us it is the month of Ramadan, a month for us to devote ourselves doing good deeds and being closer to God. But for them, it’s just like any other months in the calendar. Hence they should carry on with their life without some religious authorities telling them what to do and wear,” she states her viewpoint. with conviction.

When was asked if any of her non-Muslim friends or colleagues have asked her whether she would mind if they eat in front of her, she said she wouldn’t mind at all.

“I would not mind at all if they want to eat in front of me. I even follow them during lunch time. It’s about will power,” said the 28-year-old who works in Kuala Lumpur.

“I believe our Muslim brothers and sisters’ faith are strong and would not let a glass of cold water in front of them affect their will to fast.

“If they do break, then they need to contemplate why they fast in the first place. Now I’m not saying that I’m a perfect Muslim. I’m far from it.

“If you think you cannot handle looking at non-Muslims eating in front of you, you could either walk away or ask them nicely to eat somewhere else,” Farah suggested.

“Orang Puasa La. Hormat Sikit” – Non-Muslims Share Their Experiences

We have seen what our Muslims friends have to say about demanding ‘respect’. Let us hear what non-Muslims think about eating and drinking in front of their Muslims’ friends.

“So far I haven’t had any experience where a Muslim asks me to respect him or her during Ramadan.

“I still do not understand why non-Muslims cannot eat in front of Muslims. Asking us not to eat in public is like denying our rights to eat, which is funny and ridiculous,” said 26-year-old banker named Eric.

“Since there are obviously some Muslims who seem to think that we should not eat in front of them, the very act of eating then makes me feel uncomfortable or even to take a drink around my Muslim friends. Sometimes I feel that I am committing a sinful act,” he mused about his own actions.

“I remember when an Opposition leader said there is a mistaken belief that it is non-Muslims’ duty to remove all temptation from Muslims,” said Eric who was referring to a statement by Sarawak PKR leader Baru Bian last year refuting a statement by Perak mufti urging non-Muslims to dress modestly in public as it would cause Muslims to commit a sin upon seeing exposed skin such as a thigh.

Another non-Muslim friend that we talked to had an experience where he was rudely interrupted when having his snack at his table.

“This happened two weeks ago. I was having biscuits and a cup of milo when this guy came at my table and said “orang puasa la. Hormat sikit” (People are fasting. Show some respect) in a loud voice.

“My other colleagues did not mind about me eating at all. I don’t know why he acted that way. Perhaps his iman (faith) is not strong,” Nathan ventured to ask.

“After that whenever I want to eat, I’ll eat at the pantry area. One of my colleagues said it is fine to eat at my table, but I said to her never mind because I don’t want to cause discomforts among them,” he explained his decision.

Nathan said it is the same thing every year where some Muslims demand respect from non-Muslims by not eating in front of them. Sometimes he wonders if he is committing an offence by eating in front of Muslims, especially with media reports citing advise from various religious authorities.

Malaysians who are non-Muslims are not alone in facing this dilemma as many workplaces across the world are also mulling over this potential faux pas in professional etiquette in the face of growing awareness of \Muslims’ religious obligations worldwide.

A worker from Germany had posted this very question to a professional workplace forum workplace.stackexchange.com about being confused over how to react to fasting colleagues.

“I often feel hungry and have snacks at my desk. Today, I realized that Ramadan has begun and my colleague who sits beside me is fasting. So I quietly kept my snacks back. I felt it might seem rude and uncaring.

“How should I deal with it? I don’t want to offend anybody. I am working in Germany,” an executive who used the tag ‘learner’ posted during the Ramadan month.

The answers the forum posting got in return speaks volumes.

“I love that you care so much that you even think about this. As a vegetarian I get the same questions asked regularly whether it would be rude if the other person eats meat. Honestly, I am always a bit baffled about this, because it is (as is following Ramadan) my personal choice, not theirs,” a reply from dirkke was posted a day after.

Another comment offered another perspective on how we should always be respectful of other people’s belief systems.

“While you certainly don’t have to change your eating habits to cater other people at work, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to be sensitive and save the steak to eat right in front of a vegan or eat a pork in front of a religious Jew or Muslim. Some things you don’t have to do but doing them will still help you gain the respect of others back,” Benjamin Gruenbaum answered.

Basically, it all comes down to mutual tolerance and respect, to be accorded both ways.

“If We Crumble At The Sight Of Others Eating Then We Should Reflect And Ask Why Do We Fast In The First Place”

While many Malaysian Muslims might hesitate to voice out their personal view that is directly contradicting the various pronouncements made by religious bodies in the country, Malaysian Facebook user, Mujahidin Zulkifli had no problem sharing his true feelings.

He posted the following commentary earlier this month, asking viewers to please “share away if you want, no need to ask permission. I don’t fear any backlash from any hypocrites”.

In the viral Facebook post, he outlined his reasons why he thinks that non-Muslims could help Muslims to gain more ‘pahala’ (spiritual reward) by eating in front of them.

“Non-Muslims to help Muslims gain more pahala by eating in front of us and not try to be politically correct or so-called “respecting Ramadan” by hiding food from us.

“Seriously, according to our teachings, we would get more pahala if we embrace the challenge and test of seeing others eat,” he wrote on his Facebook status.

He further wrote we would fast no matter what and that if we crumble at the sight of others eating then we should reflect and ask why do we fast in the first place.

“If it’s not purely for the love for God, we won’t get pahala doing it anyway so makanlah,” he said.

He opined that Muslims should join their non-Muslim colleagues during breakfast and lunch while remaining in their fast.

“Why miss out on all the interesting conversations taking place at the makan session? Great ideas are usually churned out of those sessions among friends and business partners so why let Ramadan stop us from doing the same thing we do daily.

“We can’t eat but surely we are strong enough to fast and enjoy the conversations,” said Mujahidin.

He also urged Muslims not to scold, warn or advice non-Muslims to ‘respect Ramadan’ because we certainly did not bother when it was Lent, Thaipusam or whenever others are fasting.

There are 7 billion people in the world. And a full 22% of them — 1.6 billion — are fasting from sunup to sundown. Every day. For an entire month, CNN highlighted in a Ramadan etiquette guide for non-Muslims earlier this month.

Muslim religious authorities issuing advisories to non-Muslims and irate Muslims who tell off non-Muslims eating in public aside, I believe Malaysians in general just want to behave in a caring and considerate manner to their fellow human beings.

Naturally, the foremost question on non-Muslims minds would be “Is there anything I should be doing so that I don’t come across as insensitive to my fasting friends?”

The short answer, is ‘No’. However, at the end of the day, it all comes done to tolerance and being considerate, regardless of whether you are a Muslim or non-Muslim.

Did you know that in some Muslim countries, it is a crime to eat and drink in public during the day of Ramadan, even if you are not Muslim.

However we do not expect non-Muslims around us to radically change their behaviour to accommodate our religious fast during Ramadan.

If you share an office with someone fasting, try to remember not to offer them a bite or a sip of what you are eating or drinking, because trust me, some of us find it hard to remember that we’re fasting and might absentmindedly accept and eat that extra yummy looking nasi lemak with ayam rempah .

But if you do, it’s OK! Unless you are doing it on purpose – like come on! Why on earth would you be so rude?

Ramadan Kareem and Selamat Hari Raya everyone!