selamat berpuasa

yes it the ramadan month begins today and from today all muslim will start fasting.

do you know it is said that the good acquired through fast can be destroyed by these five things:

– the telling of a lie
– slander
– denouncing someone behind his back
– a false oath
– greed or covetousness

so ramadan is not only a month to fast from food but fast from being offensive!

as a non muslim, i look forward to the ramadan month… you know why? food! yeah during the ramadan month, it seems that many food stalls will spring up, especially by the roadside. and seems i do enjoy malay food, sometimes i like to patronise these stalls and buy some nasi or kueh-kueh.

and talking about food stalls, reminds me of the hotels or fancy restaurant that comes up with ‘buka puasa feast’ or something like that. don’t you think the hotels/restaurants are taking advantage of the ramadan month to promote their food and draw people to patronise? another thing is, it sounds so ironic to me that (no offence to the muslims please) after a whole day of fasting, one then suddenly when breaking fast, stuff oneself silly with a big feast in a big fancy restaurant. the meaning of fasting would be lost then.

btw, do you know we catholics too actually have a month (40 days to be exact) of fasting, call lent? but of course the big difference is our fasting is not compulsory at all. it is up to the individual, and i must admit, me who love food and eating, does not fast all all during lent. nope. never. but i do cut down on my food intake (when it suits me!). anyway the month of lent is not for fasting only, but also for prayers and almsgiving, just like the month of ramadan.

well, to all my muslim friends, selamat berbuka puasa to you… and try not to eat too much when you break fast, ya… otherwise you’ll see yourself putting on weight instead of losing because of the fast.