Although the constitution has never recognised Bangladesh as a Muslim country, the Muslim majority of the population always takes pride in calling it so. Backed by the majority, the Muslim community generally overrules the other non-Muslim portion. And thus comes the month of Ramadan with a festive mood.
Now, think of this common scenario -- you’re sitting in a car with food in your hands, and it is the holy month of Ramadan. You look around to make sure no one’s watching just so that you can savour that one juicy bite. Following that comes the sense of triumph when it successfully reaches your mouth without anyone noticing.
How many of us have been in that situation? Eating in public is considered a blasphemy during the sacred month. If you are a Muslim, you are expected to fast irrespective of what your reasons to not do so may be. If you are not a Muslim, you will still receive stares. And obviously, no one wishes to be a prey of judgment.
So, along with the holy month comes all sorts of awkwardness and tension. There is a list of “dos and don’ts” which everyone must follow. But why is that so? How is this month any different from the others for individuals who are not Muslim? Deliberately or not, we are creating an uneasy environment for them.
In our constitutionally secular country, at least 85% of the population is Muslim. However, only a handful of them are strict followers of Islam. But with the month of Ramadan comes a flood of piousness all over the country. People start to pay more attention towards their religion. Now, that’s a good thing isn’t it? But instead of being encouraged, they are often criticised.
“Covering your head just for this month is not okay. Please don’t.” This is a thought that occurs in many of our heads. If someone is trying to do something positive, even if it’s something transitory, let’s not discourage them. Calling them hypocrites won’t do anyone any good.
During this holy month, women are often judged for trying to cover themselves up. And they are judged for not doing so. A girl has to think twice about her clothes before she goes outside. During this month, odious men get free VIP permits to comment out loud on women’s dresses: “Roja-romjaner dine ki porse?” (What is she wearing during the month of Ramadan?) Hello! No one asked you to look if you are trying so hard to be pious. Even some of the elderly take pleasure in criticising women on what they are wearing.
One can’t expect others to change the way they dress just because he or she is fasting. What does one’s virtue have to do with someone else’s attire? If we accuse people for not having respect for the holy month, we must remember that by doing so we are also not showing respect towards their morals, their beliefs, and the reasons behind their actions.
Have your headphones on? You will be judged. So, take them off. “Pray, call for Allah’s help!” You will have guidance pouring in from all around you, and they’ll probably sound more like commands. Every step you take will be judged. You will be talked about negatively if you start paying extra attention to your religion, so even that is not an option. So what are we supposed to do?
Recently, people have been commenting on how the number of people showing up for Friday Jumma prayers has drastically increased. The new supplicants were, without hesitation, instantly labeled as hypocrites. But who are we to criticise their actions? This month is supposed to bring out the best in us. We can do much better than this.
Ramadan is the month of peace, of understanding. We must be cautious about what we say because even if we mean well, our sharp remarks might draw people away from the path of religion instead of helping them onto the right track. We should also be considerate about people of other faiths and make them feel more at ease during this month. We shouldn’t try to make anyone who is not fasting feel uncomfortable. That is not what Islam teaches us.
To bring about any real change, we must first change ourselves. If you are criticising someone, then know that Islam certainly doesn’t approve of that. Everyone has a reason for what they do and what they say. Maybe if we think from a different perspective before we judge someone, we can all be better human beings. And thus, better Muslims.
