Skip to main content

Welcome Ramadan:


When the Prophet Ibrahim AS questioned the validity of his fathers Gods he set a sunnah for all those who follow to question temporality.
It’s this very temporality of cultures that make it very logical to question their spiritual utility. I coined this term to pun on the utilitarian culture capitalism breeds.
The capitalist wand does magic when it reduces spirituality to a means of display and economic utility.
A prime example of this magic can be seen in the western version of Christmas sales and decorations. Christians all over the world celebrate Christmas but the culture of celebrating spiritual happiness through increased economic activity is a special gift from Europe and the USA.
The Middle East caught on to the trend set by these demigods of economy long ago and attached spirituality, celebration and happiness to Special Eid and Welcome Ramadan sales.
It can be debated wether attaching economic activity to religiosity and religious rituals increases or decreases their spirituality but the reality tells its own story.
The amount of oppression ,deprivation, suffering and war our times have seen are not news to anyone.
Happiness is sought. Happiness is bought.
Even though the fact remains that it has to be achieved. Yet how many are happy remains to be proven.
Coming to what we consider Ramadan celebrations and how we prepare for it is apparent in how we sanctify the secularity of it all.
Pakistan is still relatively free of this economic fervour but catching on fast.
The personalised designer Ramadan cakes( a whole business now). The special decorations, wall hangings, prayer mats which started as a personalised need to maintain Muslim identity in multicultural societies is now a full blown business with increased focus on the apparent.
Ramadan is an extremely private time for a Muslim. Our fast is so private that it’s ajar is between Allah and the person alone.
This does not at all aim to negate any apparent celebration to mark its presence but ostentatious frivolity and display certainly negates the simplicity and soul nourishing nature of the month.
What does Ramadan mean to you ?
(Please feel free to respectfully disagree, debate ( logically) or share alternate views)
Saima Sher Fazal

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

On the Concept of haya and hijab in Islam.

THE COAL MINE OR THE STAR STUDDED SKY:                                                                                                                        Every deen has an innate character. The character of islam is modesty.” Al Muwatta 47.9 The mania of emancipating the Pakistan woman from the “alleged restraints “of religion and custom seems to increase with every passing day. The solution it seems, for our liberalists is quite easy. Complete denial of everything the least bit religious, be it the most logical and correct mode of behavior but since that is what religion demands, it has to be done away with! Everything which was good and simple is now orthodox and impractical. Modesty is no more considered a virtue with most of the Pakistani gentility. Modest men and women are becoming an endangered species. This fashionable disease of abhorring all that is good, simple and virtuous is spreading at such an alarming rate that even the middle and lower classes are catching i
1 comment
Read more

ON RESPONSIBILITY!

The seemingly inconsequential fly buzzed around incessantly from one nose to another. Some were totally oblivious to its existence, Some bore its buzzing with a somewhat irritated expression while others shooed it away with a wave of their hand. Eventually,  it dived into a teacup. All hell broke loose. “Who let the fly in?”, “What a mess”, “Such a crappy building”, “Who left the window open?” “Who opened the window?”, “Why can’t you put a lid on your cup?”, “Why don’t we have fly screens for these doors and windows?”, “Why don’t we have a fly repellent?” A guy sitting on the far end folded his magazine and squatted the fly as soon as it landed on his desktop. That was ‘The End’ for the fly. (inspired from a real-life scene) We can roughly categorise the two kinds of behaviours/personalities described in the scenario above as ‘reactive’ and ‘proactive’. Out of these two our people fall into the ‘reactive’ category. A nation of reactive individuals who are not willing to tak
Post a Comment
Read more

The truth unveiled!

VALENTINE’S DAY The truth unveiled 'Every deen has an innate character. The character of Islam is modesty.' Al Muwatta 47.9 HOW IT STARTED: Like most Christian festivals, the origin of Valentine’s Day also lies in the pagan Rome. In ancient Rome young men and women used to celebrate this festival where the women would write love letters and throw them in a huge pot. Then the men would choose their partners through lottery and would court (relationship before marriage) the girl whose letter came in their hands. (Webster’s family encyclopedia). According to the encyclopedia this festival has no direct or indirect link to the life of Saint Valentine (269 A.D). To make Christianity more popular and acceptable among the pagan masses, the Christian clergy added this festival to Christianity by celebrating this day as Saint Valentine’s Day. The myths regarding Saint Valentine giving his life for the sake of love and others are all false. WHERE DO WE ST
3 comments
Read more