Tuesday, October 03, 2006

No Shame In Ramadan!

Some people have no respect for the Holy month of Ramadan. Ok, it's understood that there are people of various religions apart from muslims, but at least have some respect for the country you are living in. It is a muslim country after all, with islamic traditions and values. It doesn't matter that the UAE has a liberal approach to these issues, in fact I have liberal views on most topics, but Ramadan comes just once a year and at least in this month, muslims and non-muslims alike can try not to be shameless.
It's a regular sight in almost all shopping malls. Ladies are wearing skimpy tops, backless dresses, mini skirts and the lot. Even for men who don't want to look, can't help looking, sometimes ogling! These would be the residents of this country. I can't say much about the tourists who are here as most of them would be unaware on the dress code during the holy month. That is the governments job to make sure they are informed upon arrival. I doubt they would bother anyhow!
Secondly, the flesh trade doesn't seem to hit the speed breakers at all this month! It's still going in full swing. You just don't see a lot of "business ladies" on the roads as usual. What saddens me, apart from the "I don't see no shit" non-action attitude of the local authorities to decrease this business, the muslim men think it is OK to have sex after opening your fast! So many times I have seen men in kandoorahs getting out of the car with a woman and walking into a seedy hotel.
Also, let's not forget to mention how much us muslims drink! We drink like there's no tomorrow. Especially the Saudi's. They drink from sunrise to sunset!
Can't we all just behave for 30 days? Is that too much to ask? By practicing abstinence we will only be doing ourselves a favor in front of Allah!
God help us all!

25 comments:

Destitute Rebel said...

How very true. I was mentioning the exact same thing to a friend of mine the other day.

BuJ said...

i think sometimes the society in the UAE can have no shame in or out of Ramadan. Unfortunately this is because of the different layers of society there and the tremendous rate of change in such a small country. The country has not had the chance to adjust organically to immigration.

Newcommers are insensitive to Islam sometimes, and muslims themselves become less muslim as they become influenced by western attitudes..

it's important to be moderate in whatever we do, and this includes religion.

Anonymous said...

One sentence:
"La hawla wa la quata illa billah"

That's all I can say for now.
The sahme has gone itself, frightende of what is happening in this world.

Subhanullah, the mankind do have a choice, but should also have some respect, just for A MONTH. That's all we're asking for.....Subhanullah. I live in a secular country, and therefor, it's doesn't matter how you dress, really, but in an Islamic country,isn't it hard to go with such "light" clothes, or how is it by the way?

"La iqraha fi'ldeen"(No coercion in the religion), but just 30 days of respect would be appreciated, jazakumu Allahu khayr.

Anonymous said...

Sorry for my wrong spelled words....Very tired.....

* said...

What a post. DIL KHUSH KARR DITTA (made me heart happy).
I am so sick of the nudity, and at times want to get up and cover the women.
One side I am teaching my 10 year old that mini skirts and sleeveless clothes are not good and then her friends come over in these clothes. I feel bad for her sometimes, when she wants to wear something and she knows she can"t. At 10 its not fair I agree.
But Alhumdolillah she is so understanding that when her friend recently gave her a tanktop, and I saw her looking at it wistfully, I said to her if you want to wear it at home when BABA (her dad) is not home then its okay. I was taking out old clothes to give to Red Crescent and she came to me and gave me the tank top and said,"I dont want to wear it, its not nice to hide behind Baba's back and do something."
I got so choked up.
But where will all this nudity lead to. This is why I said in an earlier post that perhaps Saudia is better when they enforce it on you.

clayfuture said...

@kaya.. yeah well, it's not one of your usual happy happy ramadan posts!! :D It just upsets me that at least in ramadan people should avoid these things! Anyways.. life goes on!

clayfuture said...

@kaya.. btw, your little one is very smart! :)

* said...

@ ClayF
Thats my older one actually!
Hamari chotti is a total case of "KAANTA LAGGA"!
At 4, she spends more time preening in front of the mirror and applying lipgloss. Its cute now, but it wont be in 3-4 years time.

Anonymous said...

It's too bad, of course. But it's not only limited to the UAE or Saudi Arabia. Revealing clothes are all too common here in Pakistan too, both within and outside of Ramadan. And the muslime women who sport such clothing are all to proud of it and content at displaying themselves to the whole wide world.

Anonymous said...

Jazak Allahu kheir for the info Syed...

BeeCrazy said...

This was such a sad post, it truly makes me want to cry. I feel like, sitting here in the States, I don't see nearly as much shamelessness as you described. But that might be because we are just immunized to it here. May Allah protect us all, ameen!

luckyfatima said...

what should anger you more is that these women who roam the streets are trafficked from third world countries, often sold by relatives due to poverty. Or for others prostitution is their only "choice" (women enter prostitution due to a lack of viable alternatives, not because they like men in kandoorahs) and because they can feed a family on their backs with a visit visa's worth of a trip to a rich Gulf country...they earn more doing this than a doctor or a university professor in most former Soviet and many Asian countries. These days there are many Iraqi women trafficked here, too. Former Soviet women come from places with harsh winter and no heat and electricity for people of their modest backgrounds, they have no educational prospects. If they are debauched it is because WE have not protected the poor and vulnerable, inside or outside of Ramadan.

And all of this human trafficking, lack of education, Muslims turning a blind eye on regional poverty (including in Muslim countries), that is all taking place during Ramadan, too.

That should really make your nostrils flare, a lot more than "immodestly dressed women."

As for the men who patronize such women...well, those types are set up for the hell fire whether it is Ramadan or not.

Worry more about what you are wearing, and lower your gaze. And GIVE during and after Ramadhan, starting with your du'as for people in such situations.

Ramadan Kareem was Allahu Akram.

Shaykhspeara Sha'ira said...

Can I get an Ameen!

After all the Quranic verse goes roughly; FIRST Men lower your gaze....THEN comes the part where women are supposed to cover their ornaments and be modest.

* said...

@ Lucky fatima

I have to disagree with you somewhat.
Its not always the case, women are choosing to wear these obscene clothes. Women are choosing to prostitute themselves.
These are not the ones forced into prostitution, these are the ones who like to dress like "Ho's".
They have no respect for anyone, women or men alike.
Men are men, and every man is not a muslim here. Secondly the issue here remains the nudity in this holy month, when at least they can cover up. But in broad daylight in the middle of Carre4. for heavens sake do u want to see boobs popping out picking up coriander?

Musafir said...

Ahem my brothers and sisters. Let us all be clear about the post.
1. Prostitution during the month of Ramadan - it is the oldest profession in the world. There is no denying that. However it would be really wishful thinking to hope that this profession gets kinda de-activated during ramadan. Ramadan requires the surrender of all indulgences from sunrise to sunset. Nothing more, nothing less. We are still mortal humans. Islam does not tell us not to be human from sunset to sunrise.
2. Wearing of skimpy clothes by women - this is a women's personal choice and is not dictated by the five pillars of islam that go to make a muslim. Call me a women's libber if you want to, but I think, fasting during ramadan has nothing to do with the wearing of skimpy clothes. By not wearing skimpy one does not increase or decrease her faith in islam.

Anonymous said...

Do you think it proper to ask someone to be a hypocrite? If these people do outrageous things the other months, would they not be hyprocrites to stop during Ramadan and pretend that they are respectful of Allah?

Could it be that the men who find skimpily clad women enticing have a problem themselves? Are they angry because they feel denied by their religion?

If they can be so easily provoked, simply by looking at skimpily clad women, don't they see that as a personal problem? Now, it is true that I have seen women who were not skimpily clad that I found very attractive for more aesthetic reasons and that, to me, is the bigger problem. It is the bigger challenge.

* said...

@ musafir
"Wearing of skimpy clothes by women - this is a women's personal choice and is not dictated by the five pillars of islam that go to make a muslim."

EXCUSE ME! Which planet did u fall of buddy?
What are you talking about. Are you not aware of the dress code for a muslim woman? Ramadan or not.
Womens lib? Yes sisters lets all toss the ole hijaab and get on down!

* said...

@ Al-Hajii Umar
And you dear Sir,

"Could it be that the men who find skimpily clad women enticing have a problem themselves? Are they angry because they feel denied by their religion?"

Is it appropiate for a daughter/sister/mother to dress indecently in front of her father,brother, uncles or other men, simply because HELLLO! they dont have a problem.
Because if you think that, then CONGRATULATIONS to you for being so liberated.
i am sorry for being so narrow minded but thankfully sharram and haaya still play a role in my life.

Musafir said...

Yeah I knew that some feathers would be ruffled. Now I ain't sayin that you look at it from my point of view. But you can definitly look beyond your point of view.
"A dress code for women" - come on kaya, just by wearing a hijab, a women does not become a muslim. In India, most of their women's traditional dresses cover almost all of a women's body. But that does not make all Indian women muslims.
Neither does not covering her body not make a women non-muslim. You get what I mean - this is exactly my point. So what is then the connection between ramadan and covering ones body?
And let me add a titbit of information here. If you think that one should be identified as a muslim by one's attire then you would be committing the same folly that most of the western world is today preoccupied with. Just as every bearded man is not a muslim, every shrouded woman is also not a muslim. It is our belief in allah, his oneness, our belief in Koran, our deeds and actions that should show ourselves and the world what muslims are.

* said...

@ Musafir.
Hang on aap nay baat aisi hi ki hai.
There is a BIG diff betwenn wearing clothes and nott wearing them. Agreed most of the girls here (arabs) belive in tightly binding their hair, and wearing such form fitting tshirts, that it leaves nothing to the imagination.
That does not a good muslim make, covering ones head (I dont do hijaab FYI), etc does not a good muslim make.
However baat yaha kuch aur hai. It is the prevalent nudity that seems to have overtaken Dubai particularly. (not so much sharjah you will note).
It is all the more disrespectful and uncomfortable in Ramadan, because of ones physical state.
Let me tell you Musafir.
Its not hijaab alone that constitutes appropiate clothing one has to cover ones bosom as well.

Every Muslim woman will be judged on the Yawm Al-Qiyama (Day of Judgement) concerning what they understood about the command of veiling. So let us leave the judgment to Allah Most High, who is the best of judges.

The fact that people display so MUCH IGNORANCE regarding their religion does not make it right.

* said...

Hafsah, daughter of 'Abdur-Rahman, once came before 'A'isha wearing a thin shawl over her head and shoulders. 'A'isha tore it up and put a thick shawl over her. The Messenger of Allah (saws) also said, "Allah has cursed those women who wear clothes yet still remain naked." The khalif, 'Umar, once said, "Do not clothe your women in clothes that are tight-fitting and reveal the shapeliness of the body." The above-mentioned traditions make it explicitly clear that the dress of Muslim women must cover the whole body, whether in the house or outside, even with her nearest relatives. She must not expose her body to anybody except her husband, and must not wear a dress that shows the curves of her body. Sheikh Muhammad Nasiruddin al-Albani, are of the opinion that, because modern times are particularly full of fitnah (mischief), women should go as far as to cover their faces because even the face may attract sexual glances from men. Shaikh al-Albani says, "We admit that the face is not one of the parts of the body to be covered, but it is not permissible for us to hold to this taking into consideration the corruption of the modern age and the need to stop the means for further corruption." It is respectfully submitted, however, that in the light of the Prophetic traditions it suffices to cover the body, leaving out the face and hands up to the wrist joints, since this is the specified Islamic covering and it may sometimes be essential for a woman to go about her lawful engagements with her face uncovered. However if a woman prefers to put on the veil (burqah), she should not be discouraged as this may be a sign of piety and God-consciousness (taqwah). The rules on dress are slightly relaxed when a woman reaches old age and her sexual attractions have faded. Such elderly women as are past the prospect of marriage, there is no blame on them if they lay aside their (outer) garments, provided they make not a wanton display of their beauty; but it is best for them to be modest and Allah is the One who sees and knows all things. (24:60)

clayfuture said...

Spicy topic! :)

Musafir said...

This is my take on this.
Islam like any other religion is first "a state of mind" before being "a state of being". A state of mind develops when one adopts principles and lives them. A state of being develops when one simply does what one is told to do (whether the purpose in doing is understood or not).
Many newcomers to islam and indeed a lot of youngsters are indoctrinated straight into the state of being rather than the first step - state of mind.
So coming back to the original post - Ramadan is more a state of mind more than anything else. Allah advocates that every muslim denounce not just materialistic indulgences but also moral and spiritual ones such as lying, speaking ill of another, holding grudges, etc. The lesson he wants us to learn is not that we can live without food or water but that we as muslims can give up wordly pleasures for faith. But look at the world and one can see that we would rather choose the state of being - covering a woman's body from head to toe,etc. than adopt a state of mind.
I do not agree with you here kaya. Notwithstanding whatever stats you quote, I still say, Ramadan has nothing to do with wearing of skimpy clothes.
But I do agree with you on one thing. Allah is the final judge. He shall judge whether a person wearing little clothes showed faith or not.

Anonymous said...

I think clothing is a personal choice. People should be able to walk around naked, if they want.

Anonymous said...

Sorry kaya...

I didn't mean any offense or to put myself above other men. My comment really had to do with Muslim men as we are public in places where women are prone to dress less than we expect Muslimas to dress. We should be able to see this without being provoked.

I didn't intend to suggest that it is ever appropriate to be indecent. The point I failed to make clearly, is that we need to be able to acknowledge that we live in multidimensional societies in which our ethics are morals are challenged by that very fact. To survive and thrive in this context, we have to be able to look pass some of the shortcomings of others, at least as we see it.