YOURSAY ‘Their income will be slashed during the puasa period with the ban.’

 

Ex-mufti: Not wrong for Muslims to sell food earlier

Casey: I'm touched and impressed by what former Perlis mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin has to say about the directive that Muslim-owned food outlets cannot sell food to Muslims before 3pm during fasting month.

 

A small group of us were having a chat with a friend of mine, who is a very senior and respected lawyer, a Malay and a true Muslim. It was around 3pm in the afternoon, hot and humid, as we were seated in the terrace of his club.

 

The senior lawyer signaled for the waiter and offered everyone cool refreshing drinks; while he, on the other hand, observed his fast. Two of us politely declined, while the other two, 'dying' from thirst, gladly accepted.

 

But I could see that the lips of our kind host were dry from his fast. I've known this gem of a gentleman for a long time. To me, he is the prototype of a good Muslim - learned, kind, understanding.           

 

Justathougt: My understanding of fasting is to undergo penance and atone for one's misdeeds (including political misdeeds and corruption) and other sins before the Almighty.

 

It is an earnest attempt to turn over a new leaf. In my Christian faith, fasting is not an act for public demonstration or trying to make a statement, but an act of self denial and mortification.

 

I believe if one only avoids eating or drinking in public but not in private, one does not escape the all-seeing and all-knowing Almighty. The old pakcik who came to tend our garden twice a month fasted quietly during puasa month and still did his full load of work.

 

My whole family held him in high regard, and so his religion. Sadly, I have found the Umno version of Islam very confusing and worrying.

 

ACR: “I don’t know why they are being overly strict. They have to explain the rationale behind (the directive). It is not as if we are more religious if we enforce it."

 

Well said, Asri. As to why this is the case, it is nothing short of one-upmanship to prove the ruling government is more Islamic.

 

Aries46: Fasting need not be practiced with excessive zeal or applied with forced enforcement that would more likely defeat the actual purpose of fasting.

 

Abstaining from food for a period of time is commonly observed in many religions as a form of penance or purification of the body and mind.

 

Nowadays certain aspects of fasting is even advocated by fitness gurus and dieticians as a means of detoxification. What is important is for the adherent to understand why he undertakes the discipline and observe it in good faith in order to reap its full benefits.

 

In most instances. the rigours of strict fasting is discouraged in children and the sick for obvious reasons while some are advised to observed it with intake of fluids such as fruit juices.

 

Irrespective of whether the fast is done for religious or health reasons, it would be fruitless if it is done by force or under threats. To reap the full benefits of any kind of fast, it must be done with full acceptance of both the body and mind. Not fear.            

 

Hope: Asri is right on the spot about the country have many "weird" laws. With many people like Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Jamil Khir Baharom, we definitely will have many more weird laws coming.

 

Most of this weird laws do not make Muslims and Islam look good. Remember "we are laughing at you" statement by American Muslim scholar Reza Aslan?

 

Visu: It is a wonder how Muslims allow shallow-thinking Islamists to continue doing things that actually infringe on the rights of individual.

 

Having supported the Umno government, the Muslim entrepreneur who had remained silent as he reaped the benefits of being a Muslim would soon find himself the target.

 

Slowly but surely the fundamentalists would foolishly chip away our rights and leave us with a Taliban-like state.

 

Yahoo: Be realistic, if a Muslim wants to eat, he or she has no problem getting the food and eat behind closed doors. Do food outlets include those small mamak stalls that sell roti canai in the morning?

 

They are sure going to have a bleak Hari Raya because their income would be slashed during the puasa period.

 

Gen2: In Malaysia, every Muslim man who helps unmarried ladies to shift house is presumed to be committing 'khalwat' . Every Muslim who buys food before 3pm is presumed to be not fasting. Every Muslim who hangs around a 4D shop is presumed to be gambling.

 

In Islam, it is a sin to make negative presumptions about somebody but in Malaysia, if you commit all the above, you are presumed guilty unless proven otherwise.

 

Islam is an easy religion to follow. It is the priest class and self-appointed moral police that makes Islam look tedious.

 

100% Malaysian: The religion itself has no wrong, it is the people that abuse the teachings and abuse power to distract believers from its original meaning. I wonder how Muslims practice Islam during the days of the Malacca empire?

 

Are we going forward to develop a much more civilised nation, or are we moving backward? Muslim friends, speak up. Protect this religion from misunderstanding, as many is now having the wrong understanding about you and the teachings of this good religion.

 

Anonymous #59879079: All fast food outlets are international franchises and their operations here are owned by well-connected business people. Does Umno dare take on these people? Instead, they just bully the helpless makciks and pakciks.

 

Beh Tahan: When we have such bodoh ministers, the country cannot progress and the poor (small stall holders) becomes poorer and the rich (fast-food outlets) gets richer.

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