Funny things you find during Ramadhan (in Indonesia)
Here are some stuff I find pathetically funny that happens every year when Ramadhan comes.
Bars, massage parlour, gym etc has to be closed, at least couple of days before and after Ramadhan
It says that in order to respect people that fast, these places has to be closed for couple of days because it is close to sin and ‘invites temptation’. Now, isn’t the purpose of fasting is to resist temptation? If there is no temptation, what is the value of fasting? What really gets me is gym. I visited the gym a day before Ramadhan and it’s closed! What does gym has to do anything with sin? Is it too tempting to see people wearing gym attires?
White materials covering the open food court or restaurant windows
Is this so that those who fast won’t get tempted, or for those who doesn’t fast to not feel embarrased because they are eating?
My building at BEJ (Jakarta Stock Exchange) has Starbucks and they are covered with the white material around. But you can still smell the coffee, and the people on the upper floor can still see down. They should’ve just built a tent inside BEJ so that Starbucks would be completely covered.
Offices, especially government offices close earlier
It’s not like offices starts earlier because people have breakfast at 4:00am so that they still work 8 hours a day. Why does fasters (people who fasts, is this a word?) have to have special treatment? But it is ritual, so that they can break the fast together with the family. That’s probably ok, it’s tolerance. Just frustrating when we have to deal with the government office because they start late (they already start late in normal months) and end earlier. Basically, just enough time to read newspaper.
Padang restaurants are closed
Why? They allow you to take away though, but why? What if I want to eat Padang food during lunch? Again, to not tempt people who are fasting? But they are opened during sahur, so maybe that’s ok..I just feel frustrated when I crave for Padang food during Ramadhan. So I have to fight my temptation.
People read the Qur’an and tries to finish it in a month
In bahasa, it is called ‘khatam’. It took the prophet 23 years to receive the Qur’an, what makes these people think that they can understand it in a month? If you just read the arabic without even understanding the meaning of it, what’s the point? And why only for a month, why not do it everyday?
People cover themselves
Look at the TV, the celebrities that used to wear tank tops wear something covered. That’s hypocracy. One of my family members was even looking for a ‘moslem swimsuit’. Wha…t?? This is an oxymoron.
..and more from our government
Check this site about the North Sumatra MUI about regulations during Ramadhan: http://www.indonesiamatters.com/1391/sex-cinemas/
This means that after a month, they can show porn movies, people can smoke on busses, and do sinful businesses?
Oh, by this time, I’m about to laugh my lungs out….
This entry was posted on September 28, 2007 at 5:23 pm and is filed under Food for Thought, Islam, Muslim, On the light side... with tags bars, brothels, fasting, Islam, Muslim, Qur'an, Ramadhan, saum. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
September 28, 2007 at 10:26 pm
“This means that after a month, they can show porn movies, people can smoke on busses, and do sinful businesses?”
Obviously no, but since Indonesia is a secular country, the government will not close such establishments all year long. Also, secularism had created a lot of abangan (non-practicing Muslims) who don’t care about their religious obligations and what are sinful and not. Since devout Muslims can’t expect the ideal conditions all year long given the circumstances, the LEAST they can expect is that the people and the government respect the holiness of Ramadhan and refrain from committing sin for a month.
Actually, in Islam, if we know that certain people are committing sin and we do nothing about it, then we are considered sinful as well. If good Muslims can’t stop those sinners all year long (hence receiving sin too), at least during the Ramadhan they can focus on their obligations to God and not worry about what those sinners are up to. I know it’s not the ideal arrangement because it only lasted for a month, but can we change it into the ideal condition (all year round piety)? Can you help make it happen? Let’s stop merely criticizing and actually start helping.
September 29, 2007 at 12:58 pm
Jaka, I love all your comments (at least in this topic and in the Ramadan and shaum).
May I know your blog?
I’m still learning Islam and it seems that you could answer questions that i have in my mind. Besides, if you have a blog i think it would be an interesting one.
PS: pardon my bad English ~~~
September 29, 2007 at 4:23 pm
Had a chat with a guy who used to work in Libya and here is how they go through Ramadhan:
They break their fast, eat and drink some light food. Say prayers. Then eat dinner again, until Isya. Then do the Tarawih. Then eat again (lots of courses of meals) from 9:30 pm until midnight. Then start eating again for Sahur around 3:00 am up to Subuh (or Imsak). In the office, they are dead sleepy. Cannot function nor think because of sleep depriviated. They gain weight during Ramadhan (of course, because they sleep after a big feast). It seems like they are turning day to night, and night to day.
Another interesting thing in Ramadhan: when you hear adzan, it is a call for prayer. In this case, adzan magrib. I had a fast breaking gathering yesterday and came a bit late (because I was not fasting). Everybody was eating dinner (not light meal to just break the fast, but real, solid meal with meat and chicken and rice). It was about 10 minutes after the adzan, and I asked them, whether they have already said their prayers. None of them have. “I’m eating first, then pray later”, one said. While, during the normal days, when you hear the adzan, you directly hit the water for wudlu and say your prayers. During Ramadhan, you fill in your tummy first, then face God. Interesting. One of them was eating like a pig, it was pretty disgusting to watch.
Just some observations that makes me smile. Rituals.
September 29, 2007 at 9:45 pm
Parvita,
As a Muslim, I am disappointed to hear you disparaging Islam like this. The only reason I can think of is that you are not properly performing Islam. Proper performance of Islam, including reading the Koran, Scholat, and fasting will purify you. No longer will you feel the temptation to date the Bule, to be a feminist, and to defile the teachings of the prophet with this infidel-inspiring backbiting.
Parvita,
I call upon you to truly embrace your heritage as a Muslim woman. I feel it is my duty as your senior to help you. Woman has some abilities man does not have; otherwise she would not be woman. But in the matter of self-discipline, woman needs man. Without man, woman would just be shop, shop, shop, gossip, gossip, spending money without thinking of morality or ethics. Our job is to teach woman morality.
At the very least, have the decency to cover your Aurat during Ramadan. Even if you don’t wear a Burka, you could at least cover your hair.
Oke ?
October 1, 2007 at 4:45 pm
Interesting…
I haven’t been in Indonesia during Ramadhan for the past 10 years, so this is what we’ve become to… I see.
First of all, I believe the right to practice a religion is protected by the constitution, and so is the act to behave accordingly. During the month of Ramadhan, it is completely fine to ask other to be respectful to those who fast. But the line is crossed when it becomes an enforceable law. It is human’s right to eat. It maybe a Muslim’s duty to fast, but it’s not anyone else’s.
Also I don’t understand why beneficial places like gyms should be closed? Is it because of the clothes? The thing is, people who ban gyms are most likely the same people who don’t go to one (same as many other cases of censorships; they’re censored because they don’t want it), so why ban places like gyms? Besides, no one wear gym attires on the street.
God, I hope Indonesia won’t turn into another police state… The state should always be separated from the church (in this case MUI).
@Jaka: What’s so sinful in eating?
@Achmad Sudarsono: You are the reason why we never develop. Just so you know, almost all human disasters in the world are done by males. And wasn’t it your mother who looked after you and took care of you? I can’t believe you have the guts to say without men, women will only gossip and shop. That’s an insult to God’s beautiful creature.
October 2, 2007 at 7:26 am
This saying is very popular among moslems. I assume this comes from one of the haditz. It sounds good and noble, but it contradicts the Qur’an. May I add (and humbly correct a bit) on what is quoted above.
Qur’an explains that one is only responsible for their own sin. We don’t carry other people’s sin. (this is one of the fundamental difference between the Christians and Moslems, where Christians believes that Jesus carried his people’s sin by sacrificing himself).
35:18: Dan orang yang berdosa tidak akan memikul dosa orang lain. Dan jika seseorang yang berat dosanya memanggil (orang lain) untuk memikul dosanya itu tiadalah akan dipikulkan untuknya sedikitpun meskipun (yang dipanggilnya itu) kaum kerabatnya. Sesungguhnya yang dapat kamu beri peringatan hanya orang-orang yang takut kepada azab Tuhannya (sekalipun) mereka tidak melihatNya dan mereka mendirikan sembahyang. Dan barangsiapa yang mensucikan dirinya, sesungguhnya ia mensucikan diri untuk kebaikan dirinya sendiri. Dan kepada Allahlah kembali(mu). (And a burdened soul cannot bear the burden of another and if one weighed down by burden should cry for (another to carry) its burden, not aught of it shall be carried, even though he be near of kin. You warn only those who fear their Lord in secret and keep up prayer; and whoever purifies himself, he purifies himself only for (the good of) his own soul; and to Allah is the eventual coming.)
I think we can suggest or remind those who are still afraid of God, who are ‘khilaf’, but not force them. It’s up to them, they are responsible for themselves, vice versa. For the kafiir, their eyes and ears are closed anyways so why bother [2:6].
6:52. Dan janganlah kamu mengusir orang-orang yang menyeru Tuhannya di pagi dan petang hari, sedang mereka menghendaki keridhaanNya. Kamu tidak memikul tanggung jawab sedikitpun terhadap perbuatan mereka dan merekapun tidak memikul tanggung jawab sedikitpun terhadap perbuatanmu, yang menyebabkan kamu (berhak) mengusir mereka, (sehingga kamu termasuk orang-orang yang zalim)
(Repel not those who call upon their Lord at morn and evening, seeking His Countenance. Thou art not accountable for them in aught, nor are they accountable for thee in aught, that thou shouldst repel them and be of the wrong-doers.)
The way some moslems think that they are responsible for other people to ‘be good’ creates radicalisms and it is dangerous. All we can do is to suggest, remind to those who still have fear towards God. And the rest is upon them. Islam is all about freedom.
October 2, 2007 at 7:56 am
why do comments like: “Actually, in Islam, if we know that certain people are committing sin and we do nothing about it, then we are considered sinful as well.” scare me so much??????
Sin, like beauty, is in the eyes of the beholder. An attempt to impose a religious dogma by force it simply a religious dictatorship.
If we haveto force people to follow your religion even if they dont want to, then there is a problem with the religion, not the people.
October 4, 2007 at 12:30 pm
@ ika: I’m sorry but I’m rather new to the blogosphere, hence I don’t have my own blog yet at this moment. If you have questions that you wish to discuss, my e-mail address is: jaka.man101@gmail.com. I’ll be happy to answer any question that you might have if I can, within my limited knowledge, insya Allah.
BTW, I’m still learning Islam too, because I think that we can never learn too much about Islam and it’s impossible to know everything there is to know about Islam. Yet Allah SWT always tells us to persevere in finding knowledge, both in term of science and religious understanding.
@ Intox: What so sinful in eating? It’s sinful because Allah SWT had prescribed fasting during Ramadhan for Muslims, which includes not eating and drinking during the day. Did you know that certain food are haram not merely because it’s bad for us, but because He forbade us from eating it?
The same goes in the case of Ramadhan when we refrain from eating halal food during the day, let alone haram food. That is an act of faith, which is performing what He had prescribed and abstaining from what he had prohibited. We fast during the day in Ramadhan without paying regard of whether the food is halal or not, but because we want to follow His commandments.
October 4, 2007 at 1:44 pm
No wonder why Islam is the most hypocrite religion in the whole Earth. After Ramadhan, I know Muslims there, especially radical Muslims will become pigs again by raging war against infidels. What a poor country, Indonesia. Indonesia will become next Myanmar by their Human Rights violations. Indonesia Muslim men/boys are famous women discriminator and Indonesian Muslim men are famous stupid, moron and dogs in the World. Only Muslim Indonesian males, especially radical Muslim Indonesian males are the dogs and pigs in the Earth. “Kami semua tidak mau tunduk! This is our outrage motto against pigs in the Earth, especially in Indonesia, where that country will become more underdevelop and more become moron, due to the majority of the people there are pigs. 80% of Indonesia’s total populations are pigs, no wonder why Indonesia is famous to be the ugliest in the whole Earth.
October 4, 2007 at 2:58 pm
“This saying is very popular among moslems. I assume this comes from one of the haditz. It sounds good and noble, but it contradicts the Qur’an.”
Actually, it didn’t contradict the Qur’an, as I will explain later. Besides, how can Muhammad’s (s.a.w) words and actions contradict the Qur’an? You’re not suggesting that Muhammad (s.a.w) is a hypocrit for behaving differently than what the Qur’an taught, are you?
“Qur’an explains that one is only responsible for their own sin. We don’t carry other people’s sin. (this is one of the fundamental difference between the Christians and Moslems, where Christians believes that Jesus carried his people’s sin by sacrificing himself).”
You are correct, Parvita. The verses that you quoted (35:18 and 6:52) did mention that we won’t carry other people’s sin. But if we know that certain people are committing sin and we do nothing about it, not even rejecting it in our heart or telling those people it’s wrong, then that can constitute condoning those sinful behaviors. In this situation, it’s not their sin that we would carry, but it’s our own sin we’re carrying for letting sinful people go about their shady businesses.
Islam does not promote individual piety only, Islam does not like an individual who cares only about his/her own business, piety, or salvation on the after life. A pious person who lives around a sinful neighborhood knowingly, realizing that his neighbors are sinners but neither reject it nor do anything about the situation is considered committing sin him/her self, which is a sin of ignorance and being indifferent towards Allah’s SWT commandments.
It’s like when you see your brother doing drugs or your father kept hitting your mother but failed to respond adequately by either intervening personally or calling the authorities, are you not somewhat at fault?
Let’s observe the Qur’an:
5:62 “And you will see many of them striving with one another to hasten in sin and exceeding the limits, and their eating of what is unlawfully acquired; certainly evil is that which they do.”
5:63 “Why do not the learned men and the doctors of law prohibit them from their speaking of what is sinful and their eating of what is unlawfully acquired? Certainly evil is that which they work.”
In that example about the Jews, Allah SWT condemned their learned men and doctors of law for not prohibiting the evils that their common men are doing. If Allah SWT condemn a group of people, then aren’t they guilty of sin?
Another verse that tells us not to remain passive upon seeing sinful acts:
Qur’an 28:54 “These shall be granted their reward twice, because they are steadfast and they repel evil with good and spend out of what We have given them.”
This verse and the previous ones proved that the hadith about enjoining good deeds and repelling evil (amar makruf and nahyi munkar) did not contradict the Qur’an. Allah SWT had condemned the Jews’ learned men and doctors of law for allowing evil to persist in their society, should we follow their example?
“I think we can suggest or remind those who are still afraid of God, who are ‘khilaf’, but not force them. It’s up to them, they are responsible for themselves, vice versa.”
You’re right, Parvita. But what we see in our society these days are either the permissiveness of those who are ignorant and doesn’t care at all about what are sinful and not on one side, and the violence of those radical FPI members on the other. I think the correct approach is something in between, a consistent system of responsible and warm acts of reminding one another.
“The way some moslems think that they are responsible for other people to ‘be good’ creates radicalisms and it is dangerous.”
Not necessarily. Remember Dakwah (preaching)? The responsibility to remind other people to be good will not create radicalism and is not a dangerous thing, as Allah SWT had prescribed us to enjoin good and repel evil.
We can achieve that by performing continuous and sincere Dakwah, among other things. What is dangerous is resorting to violence to solve our problems, as resorting to violence is a dangerous thing to do on any subject at any level, don’t you think?
October 4, 2007 at 3:01 pm
@ Karelin:
Wow, an expert on profanities and insults, are we?
As the saying goes “Garbage in, garbage out”.
October 4, 2007 at 3:23 pm
But this is the fact. This is the sign that you there are afraid off “Truth”! I will not insult like this if you there are not mororn and narrow-mided and no frustration will happen in your country and your people. But not all Muslims are like that what I mention previously. I mentioned only “radical Muslims” such as FPI. Pls can you read my previous comment repeatedly? I’m so sorry that I insult some of your citizen, because of your peoples culture there, especially about Ramadhan. Please don’t be hypocrite! If you hurt futherly, just say against me whatever you want.
October 4, 2007 at 3:47 pm
@ Karelin: OK, point taken.
But I think frustration happens on every country, not just our country.
October 4, 2007 at 3:59 pm
Jaka, on 5:62 and 5:63, I think you should read it from 5:57 to get the whole context. It is about how we should act on people that makes fun of what we believe.
On 28:54, this verse is for people that follow, believe and accept the QUran. Not about a sin not telling.
History, based on the Qur’an, has proven that people has been warned for their disbelief towards God (i.e. the Kafiir) and at the end of the day, they get what they deserve. And none of the prophets bear their sins. Their job is to give the news to the people. Up to the people whether they want to follow or not. How about, reminding ourselves first before preaching?
peace
October 4, 2007 at 5:10 pm
“Jaka, on 5:62 and 5:63, I think you should read it from 5:57 to get the whole context. It is about how we should act on people that makes fun of what we believe.”
If we read the verses carefully from 5:57, it’s about Allah’s SWT warning us not to take the people (the Jews in this case) who made fun of what we believe as friends and protectors (leaders). And Allah SWT pointed out in the next verses (including in 5:62 and 5:63) the bad things that they had done. If Allah SWT didn’t like what they had done, surely He didn’t want us to follow their behavior or do such things too. And their permissiveness towards sin is one of those examples, as were mentioned in 5:62-63.
“On 28:54, this verse is for people that follow, believe and accept the QUran. Not about a sin not telling.”
28:54 is actually about a group of the People of the Book who believed the Qur’an when it came to them through Muhammad (s.a.w). The will receive their reward twice, for believing in the Qu’ran and for being devout and persevere in their previous religion, in which they repel evil with good and they always give charity.
“History, based on the Qur’an, has proven that people has been warned for their disbelief towards God (i.e. the Kafiir) and at the end of the day, they get what they deserve. And none of the prophets bear their sins.”
You’re right up to a point, yet all of the prophets didn’t just sit there, they preach to their people with the utmost of their ability, before they leave the fate of the disbelievers to Allah SWT. If they just sit around and do nothing then surely they would’ve sinned as well, but that’s not the case.
I think we must emulate what the prophets have done within the limits our own ability, we need to preach and remind one another to avoid sin and to follow the truth in Islam, and then let them decide whether to follow or not. I don’t think permissiveness is the answer.
“How about, reminding ourselves first before preaching?”
A very good idea.
Wassalaam
October 5, 2007 at 6:36 am
Christianity: bacon sandwiches for breakfast, don’t bother going to church, make fun of Jesus and God (including cartoons etc), never read the bible (in fact throw it in the garbage bin) and question everything about it.
But does it make them bad people? Take a good look at the world and judge…..
October 9, 2007 at 4:43 pm
Religions suck. Religion are the roots of all evil. Not money. Money was dicovered way later. People get blinded by them and do horrible things and justify their actions in the name of the religion. The followers contradict themselves. They fight ‘the others’ and when they are finished, they fight each other. People interpret the ‘holy’ books from language that they don’t even understand nor speak. They (read: men) interpret it to suit their own needs. How could you be so sure that the translation is the actual meaning taken from the Quran?
Muhammad was a human being with his own mistakes, he was a prophet but was still a human being. I actually believe that He wasn’t so full of himself like his followers make him sound to be. I am sure He himself was aware of his own limitations and faults.For all I care Parvita, if you had a dick, and lived several centuries ago, you too could have been a prophet. Like anything else, one needs to be at the right time at the right place.
The point is…the world evolves, people develope, people learn (in some cases, of course they dont!), people start questioning things in front of them.
I dont understand why muslims think so highly about themselves and that they can ’save’ people by forcing others to believe in Islam too. Isnt that an act of sin in itself? to think highly of yourself and to force people?
October 10, 2007 at 2:37 pm
is worthwhile to remember that religion started as a means to explain the unknown questions in life. It was easier to say “God” then to try to fathom Darwin, the Big Bang and molecular definitions of life.
After that less than auspicious start as a “one answer fits all” solution to the unknown, religion quickly changed to being a social control medium. “Thou shalt not murder” became one of the Ten Commandments in Christianity not because God said so, but because it was a good way to stop the population from killing each other.
And so religion became the law, and sadly, the two became enmeshed.
You think Ramadan is unique.
I remember in the UK all the bars being closed on Good Friday. Why? Because Christianity decreed it, just as Islam shuts down Blok M for a month.
My mother still gives up chocolate for “Lent”. A small form of fasting.
My mother wears a hat in church, because it is sinful for a woman to have an uncovered head in Gods house.
November 6, 2007 at 6:22 am
To Karelin, so who’s the narrow-minded now? You should take a look at yourself before judging others. You generalize the whole populations for the acts of the few, and when Jaka tried to remind you, suddenly you said you’re only referring to the radical ones. The word especially has different meaning with only.
And you said 80% of Indonesian total populations are pigs? Geez, what an insult. BTW, we can also grumble about the ugly parts of other religious groups or other country, but insulting like the way you insulted us just show how low you can go, then you’re no different from FPI.
January 16, 2008 at 3:45 pm
Hey emma, look at the Bali bombings, christian attacks and Chinese attacks. Something looks general. FPI are pigs. If I’m not different with FPI, I’m a Muslim now. Religion is just a sick and piggy evil culture. Look the reality before you judge. Look at the Muslim extremist in your country. You judge other country? how clean your country are!
Waht is your religion? BTW!
June 18, 2008 at 11:25 am
Look at this people, this is why life is a disaster nowadays. When it comes to religion, anyone would love to sacrifice their life and love without any reasoning behind. “Imagine there’s no heaven, no religion too…” Would it be more beautiful world we live in?
August 19, 2008 at 9:33 pm
parvita, i read this and was surprised to hear the white cloth covering restaurants etc.
when I left Indonesia in 2001, it wasn’t that severe. I remember some thugs (FPI) raiding nightclubs, but that was about it. So now Indonesia has adapted the saudi way totally i see.
I went to Saudi in 1997 for umrah, and I remember in friday afternoon all the women who were not praying stayed in restaurants, and all the windows are closed with white cloth. Our guide said that during fasting month, they do the same as well.
I remember thinking, “how nice, if only indonesia was like this, i could fast so much easily, no temptation!”
dont just close the gym, restaurants, clubs etc. To keep all indonesians from commiting sin and being tempted by the evil that is a woman, why dont the government just execute all females and gays, so that the only people left are hetero males, im sure every single one of them will go to heaven then.
September 18, 2008 at 12:23 pm
Yes of course it has happened on this month. so why does people just talk a screw things that have no important ideas. About religion or FPI or what would you do on this month or anything that happened in indonesia, it has just your each opinion. Nothing it’s important to, except what we do ourselves.
But in my opinion, a religion can be some fanaticsm attitude, but they are not realize what are they doing about the true religion teach. So be careful if you talk about religion, because it can make hurt somebody who don’t believe it.
This book is good to refresh your mind what Muhammad teach about.