Comments on: Religion is Personal (Or Eating in Public During Ramadan) http://www.kabobfest.com/2009/09/religion-is-personal-or-eating-in-public-during-ramadan.html The irreverent, activist, often-inappropriate Arab-American (and others) blog. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 05:30:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Mary in Morocco http://www.kabobfest.com/2009/09/religion-is-personal-or-eating-in-public-during-ramadan.html/comment-page-1#comment-105296 Mary in Morocco Wed, 11 Aug 2010 10:43:07 +0000 http://www.kabobfest.com/?p=5754#comment-105296 I think the key here is "in public." Don't forget that women are not permitted to fast at their time of the month, yet you don't see those women eating in PUBLIC. All the people who are eating for permitted reasons are doing so in PRIVATE. I once asked some women I worked with, who I knew were not fasting because of their time of the month why they did not eat in the office lunchroom with the foreign workers who were eating. They said it was because if they were seen eating, that the men would know they are having their time of the month, and they didn't really like men co-workers knowing about that! I think the key here is "in public." Don't forget that women are not permitted to fast at their time of the month, yet you don't see those women eating in PUBLIC. All the people who are eating for permitted reasons are doing so in PRIVATE. I once asked some women I worked with, who I knew were not fasting because of their time of the month why they did not eat in the office lunchroom with the foreign workers who were eating. They said it was because if they were seen eating, that the men would know they are having their time of the month, and they didn't really like men co-workers knowing about that!

]]> By: Kamilia http://www.kabobfest.com/2009/09/religion-is-personal-or-eating-in-public-during-ramadan.html/comment-page-1#comment-94060 Kamilia Tue, 22 Sep 2009 18:32:37 +0000 http://www.kabobfest.com/?p=5754#comment-94060 Thanks for posting this, Jillian. It made me think of Egypt. Police there started to arrest and jail public eaters/drinkers/smokers this past Ramadan. Egyptian ID cards show the holder's religion. However, non-Muslim Egyptians are subject to punishment as well. I wonder what happens in the case of Egyptian Muslims who technically aren't supposed to or can't fast, but what does it matter? What about people that just choose not to? Fasting is an individual choice and should not be turned into a public frenzy of persecuting "non-believers". "Al din yousran laissa 3usran." No matter what the religion, fasting should be a personal matter and not a public display of how difficult practicing faith can be. As I see it, these fasting laws don't make these countries any more pious. Thanks for posting this, Jillian. It made me think of Egypt. Police there started to arrest and jail public eaters/drinkers/smokers this past Ramadan. Egyptian ID cards show the holder's religion. However, non-Muslim Egyptians are subject to punishment as well.

I wonder what happens in the case of Egyptian Muslims who technically aren't supposed to or can't fast, but what does it matter? What about people that just choose not to? Fasting is an individual choice and should not be turned into a public frenzy of persecuting "non-believers".

"Al din yousran laissa 3usran." No matter what the religion, fasting should be a personal matter and not a public display of how difficult practicing faith can be. As I see it, these fasting laws don't make these countries any more pious.

]]> By: kinzi http://www.kabobfest.com/2009/09/religion-is-personal-or-eating-in-public-during-ramadan.html/comment-page-1#comment-93958 kinzi Sat, 19 Sep 2009 06:57:44 +0000 http://www.kabobfest.com/?p=5754#comment-93958 I respect the laws of the land here, and am careful not to eat and drink (or even bake delicious things for the smell temptation) so as not to tempt my host country residents. BUT, there is extra blessing given to those who resist temptation. I think the whole idea of making religious identity a matter of state enforcement troubling. I respect the laws of the land here, and am careful not to eat and drink (or even bake delicious things for the smell temptation) so as not to tempt my host country residents.

BUT, there is extra blessing given to those who resist temptation.

I think the whole idea of making religious identity a matter of state enforcement troubling.

]]> By: eagle007blogger http://www.kabobfest.com/2009/09/religion-is-personal-or-eating-in-public-during-ramadan.html/comment-page-1#comment-93952 eagle007blogger Sat, 19 Sep 2009 03:50:11 +0000 http://www.kabobfest.com/?p=5754#comment-93952 <b>religion is a personal matter and not an issue of the state</b> <i>a step forward for personal freedoms</i> I completely agree with this post. religion is a personal matter and not an issue of the state

a step forward for personal freedoms

I completely agree with this post.

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