Went to the grocery store this afternoon, the owner who is a nice pleasant guy, welcomed me in his usual friendly way :
- Ramadan Kareem.
- To you too, Ramadanak Mabrook.
- So how is fasting with you ? he asked.
- Al Hamdu lil'lah
- So are you fasting ? he kept pushing
- No am not fasting.
- Why are you not fasting ?
I thought to myself - cool it girl, this guy is obviously an idiot and for many reasons...
One is allowed not to fast if one is sick, has a medical condition, has her periods, is pregnant, is breastfeeding, is travelling or simply does not want to fast as the Koran states clearly "There is no compulsion in religion".
Besides, fasting is something between you and God, not between you and man. And as long as you are respecting other peoples fast, as long as you abstain from drinking, eating and smoking in front of them, it is really none of their friggin business if you are fasting or not.
But obviously this guy thought differently.
- So why are you not fasting ?
- I have my reasons, I said.
- What reasons ?
- What's the total ?
- Sorry, it was only a wish that you fast, he continued.
I left the grocery store feeling rather pissed off. Not only it is none of his fucking business if I fast or not, but he really did not have to put me in an embarrassing situation like that in front of others...I bit my tongue, and refrained from giving it to him ten fold, because he was fasting and I respected that and did not want to make a fool out of him in public. I said to myself - ignore the ignorant...
So that got me thinking about Fasting and Ramadan. I amused myself with some of these thoughts as I walked back to my apartment...
I said to myself -- okay, so all those who fast are much better humans than I am. Good for them.
All the militias in Baghdad with their stinking beards and silver rings dripped in blood and who are presumably fasting are much better than me.
All the thieves and corrupt sons of bitches in the Iraqi government who are fasting are much better than me.
All the Muslim leaders who are observing Fast and enslaving their people are better than me.
All the fasting merchants who inflate prices and exploit people are better than me.
All the fasting sheikhs and princes who fornicate, squander wealth, and sow corruption are better than me.
All the supposedly Muslim men and women who lie, cheat, steal, backbite, manipulate, fabricate, slander, gossip, defame, oppress, brutalize...are better than me.
They will all be forgiven their sins and they will all be purified this Ramadan, except me.
They will all go to Paradise, and I will go to Hell...
Now the question is do I really want to end up with them in Paradise in the first place ? I guess not.
Next time someone asks me if I am fasting, I will tell them why am not.
