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October 20, 2004
Break Fast Furore
It has been only six days into bulan Ramadhan and I can't stand it anymore. For the uninitiated, bulan Ramadhan is the month when all Muslims have to fast from 6 am to 7 pm, but the period varies according to different areas and regions. I don't hold any grudges against my Malay friends or, as a whole, the Malay community in Shah Alam by virtue of their piety towards abiding one of the 6 Rukun Iman: to abstain from food and drinks during the month of Ramadhan. In fact, I'm proud, for the first time of my entire life, to be among the Malay community and experience the void of gastronomical pleasure for 12 hours per day. That notion, at least, outlived the first day of this holy month.
I thought: Yeah, it's quite alright, you know, to fast together with my friends. It's kinda fun also, not to mention a way to keep fit and an alternative to live as those poor souls in the poorest part of Africa and Middle East, bless them. All in all, it adds up being more beneficial than harm done.
That's the second day.
You know, it's relatively easy to keep a sanguine outlook about fasting for a day or two, but it's quite a different matter altogether when you are facing the prospect of going hungry for a month! Heck, now I'm feverishly crossing out the days on my calendar, counting every hour and minute to the end of this whole holy cause. For the past few days, I have been surviving on bread and biscuits that were recently stashed full after a fruitful trip back home. But how can anyone be so insensitive to eat and drink in front of friends who are ever-so piously concentrating on fulfilling their religious obligations? No, that would be more sinful than what the worst sinner has ever sinned. So, with a sense of guilt, I resorted to fill my stomach in empty classrooms, out of anyone's sight.
However, I realised that it's just my own wild imagination of non-Muslims being reprimanded or bludgeoned for disrespecting the holy cause that made me uneasy. I was told frankly by one of my Malay friend that they mind a little when we eat during the fasting period, but they have learnt how to compromise. They know that we, the non-Muslims, are not a willing party in this whole thing and they don't blame us even a bit. And I found out not all mamak stalls, shops and cafeterias are closed during noontime. Some of them, one being AmeerAli which is near my hostel, specially put up the business to cater for our needs. I'm truly grateful for that.
In the meantime, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the weather will stay cloudy like that today and no one falls ill because of heatstroke, thirst or just plain hunger.
1 hour and 22 minutes to go... Happy Break Fasting to all!
Posted by peixin at October 20, 2004 05:38 PM
Comments
Hang in there, bro... a few more weeks to go
Posted by: zx at October 21, 2004 06:52 PM
fish n chips.. spaghetti.. mushroom soup.. kuey tiow.. chai tao kueh.. sunkueh.. angkukueh.. bali ais.. tausuan... yummy.. *slurps slurps munch munch*
Posted by: MunKit at October 21, 2004 10:59 PM
bakkutteh.. black pepper chicken chop.. o chien.. ipoh hor fun.. white coffee.. penang laksa.. nasi lemak rendang ayam.. oreo biscuit.. kitkat.. ferrero roche.. maggi goreng.. roti sardin.. sashimi.. tempura.. udon.. teppanyaki.. sukiyaki.. tosai.. *yummm yumm*..
Posted by: MunKit at October 23, 2004 03:36 PM
Heya pal. same problem here! even in far away land...
remember me?
Posted by: Durian at November 4, 2004 06:56 PM