Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
Two Chicks & a Climber Reach New Heights
Depending on the calendar and time zone, fasting takes place for a whole month once a year. In Sabah, it is from around 6am to 6pm, they'd have to watch the news or read newspaper to know when fasting begins. Women on periods cannot fast till they finish their periods as again, it is considered as dirty. During the month of Ramadan, you are not allowed to drink, eat or even swallow your saliva (in the fasting month, spit is everywhere *shrugs*). Imagine not being able to drink water or eat in hot conditions, it is dangerous and could lead to brain damage *shakes head*. I really do think the whole fasting period should be modernised, especially for those in hot countries. Can you imagine what the pour souls have to go through, suffering from hunger? During that month, your energy levels are extremely low, so activities, sports, work hours are cut down. Farmers can't stand it neither can the studying kids that they do drink water or eat in secret. But if you are suspected as a Muslim and are caught eating in public during the fasting period, you get fined by the religious police. Once fasting has finished at 6pm, Muslims are recommended to eat dates first as it is considered as a blessing.
Catherine told me that while the Muslims pray, you are not allowed to move and must be positioned sitting down on your knees and hands in front of you like reading a book. This means that the deaf kids pray in silent while the hearing can talk while positioned still. The deaf cannot sign 'Hello, I'm deaf' in a mosque as it is prohibited. There aren't any followers who can instruct the kids, only to copy them. She also said that even the kids don't have the faintest idea what their religion is about, they just pray in peace from the heart. There are Government PMR examinations on Islamic religion, there are marks for practical praying.
Liya was a bit indistinct about the purpose of wearing a headscarf even though she is a Muslim herself. The underlying principle why the Muslims wear the headscarf is because in their religion, hair is seen as shame as well as ears and neck. If they show their hair, it is considered as a sin. They are also forbidden to wear tight-fitted clothes as it shows their body shape which seduces men. In the Islam religion, women obey their husbands, as they say 'a woman's heaven lies on a man's feet'. If you're a strict Islamic family, husband and wife cannot walk together and the wife must be a few steps behind to show that the man is the leader of the family. The opposite sex outside the family to shake hands is unacceptable, like myself with Fatly, he is genuinely a friendly guy but if I held my hand out gracefully to shake his hand, he'd be horrified.
The Prime Minister of Malaysia is very open as in the media, before his wife passed away he displayed public affection by hugging and holding hands with this wife. The Prime Minister is trying to endorse 'Islam Hadari' (Civilisational Islam), I suppose the first thing you are wondering is 'What exactly is Islam Hadari and why should I care?'. You might not have heard about it, because it is not being directed at you, but it is all the rage over here. Islam Hadari is the 'new and improved version of Islam'. Like one thing for example, allowing females to wear colourful colours instead of black and blue. But Islam Hadari isn't addressed to the Muslims evidently, so it is a bit vague and needs touching up to get the Hadari concept across clearly.
It all boils down to a simple often overlooked fact, and that is there is no such thing as a progressive, moderate or extreme Islam. There is no middle ground, no gray areas in Islam. It is black and white. If you believe that there are then you might also believe that Christianity can condone homosexuality or that abortion is a woman's right to choose and still be a good, devout Christian.
I know you are thinking 'I thought you are not allowed to discuss religion and politics with the Malays' but as Catherine, Chinese herself said, it isn't offensive as people make it out to be, it depends on the person if they are open-minded, which I have found that many Muslim women are. Men-wise, don't even go there!
From reading this religious postcard, I hope you appreciate the choices, freedom and independence we have in life. I know I do.
X
- comments