Ramadan KareemFasting people distinguished [Archives:2005/887/Culture]
AABY MOHAMMED AL-HAKIMI
[email protected]
FOR THE YEMEN TIMES
Imagine how a fasting person would be behaving throughout the prescribed fasting hours! As you know, fasting is abstaining from eating, drinking, smoking and sexual intercourse.
Furious and spitting fire:
People who are addicted to smoking will be more furious. Some do not go to work aiming to avoid trouble-making in the environment that surrounds him. In fact, they prefer to sleep all the day long or to be isolated.
Oh Allah, I am fasting:
During fasting, one has to abstain from shouting, backbiting, gazing at women. A fasting person has to restrain tongue and to think of Allah. In case anybody abuses or wants to quarrel with them, he/she should calm down and say: “I am fasting. I am fasting.” This does not indicate any sort of threat or menace.
Showing level of faith:
Fasting people may carry their Holy Quraan versions anywhere they go. Some may get engaged in reading or hanging around. Some will have to go to work where lots of situations are experienced by the fasting people and will test how strong or weak believers are. Just then, a fasting person can be well examined and will exactly prove how much obedience he has for Allah and His Messenger Mohammed (peace and blessings be upon him).
All months are alike:
Many employees have their annual holiday in Ramadan. Some, however, insist on working, toiling and producing exactly as they are in the rest of the months of the year.
Fasting models:
Nobody should think of gossiping about others' affairs and arguing, fighting or wrongdoing in general. One wishes to get Allah's forgiveness.
Faithfulness:
All are sharing Allah's blessings descending from Heaven. Moreover, all are enjoying their being offered to be reward-winning believers.
Fasting in vain:
Those who prove to be impatient, fire-spiting and disobedient will make no single profit out of their abstaining from eating and drinking.
Human bombs:
Some fasting people in charge of good positions at work lose temper. Sometimes, you feel that if you came nearer to talk to them, they would burst at you. this clearly appears often in their faces and their red eyes.
Whines and whimpers:
Some people get fired and are given the sack. Some wives get divorced and blood is shed sometimes and many car accidents due to improper application of fasting.
Fasting kids:
Children under the age of ten are trained to fast Ramadan through different ways: 1) a boy/girl is persuaded into fasting half a day and asked to finish his fasting the following day; 2) He/she is directed to fast the whole day and is permitted to eat or drink whenever he/she feels very hungry or thirsty provided that eyes are shut when eating or drinking; 3) He/she is asked to fast one half of Ramadan and the parents get a cotton thread tied around the child's tongue to symbolically maintain their fasting hours till the coming years.
Iftar time:
Before the time of Iftar, some fasting people keep gazing at the breaking meal with their mouths watering until they hear the sound of the Iftar cannon. Smokers are quite preoccupied with cigarette and lighters. Some smokers start smoking as soon as they hear the muazzen (the caller for prayer) trying to prepare the microphone for the calling.
Stick out:
Hakimi: Are you fasting today?
Afnan: Sure. Just see (My neighbor's little daughter sticks her tongue out).
Hakimi: What does that mean?
Afnan: My tongue looks white and this indicates that I am fasting.
Hakimi: Ha..ha..Good. Take care!
Indispensable companion:
What impresses you most is the recitation of the Holy Quraan by fasting people everywhere you go: old and young people from all social classes are reciting verses of the Holy Quraan at offices, shops, hospitals, while driving, atop roofs, etc.
To be continued next issue
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[archive-e:887-v:14-y:2005-d:2005-10-20-p:culture]
