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So it should have been established by now that Ramazan is Islam on steroids. Anything ordained in the religion under normal circumstances is to be that much more severely policed in the Holy Month (except for the no eating part, but we have Iftar-cum-Eid to make up for that, praise the Lord!). It seems though, that amidst all the hustle and bustle of preparations for the month of abstinence, certain things get precedence while others get overlooked.
Take the pre-iftari traffic mayhem for instance, people are so caught up with getting home and opening their fasts on time that they end up opening them before time with a platter full of curse-words and insults served to each other. The good Muslim in such trying circumstances during Ramazan should practice the virtue of patience and instead of hurling curses at fellow fast-observers and fast drivers should say: ‘I am someone who is observing a fast and will not pollute my own mouth by insulting you’. This simple practice would not only maintain the sanctity of your fasts but also allow a much more relaxing and cordial iftari-time driving experience.
Today, however, I am not going to deliver an overly moralistic sermon on the do’s and don’ts of Ramazan. All I have set out to do today is simply point out a blatant contradiction that seems to go unnoticed in our exceedingly self-righteous society: Why does blogging go reprimanded in Ramazan? Here we have a practice that is completely unacceptable and goes against every morsel of sanctity that the month represents, it should be eradicated from the fringes of society.
Forget that it’s already borderline-haram in normal circumstances; blogging in Ramazan should be doubly punishable. For, can there possibly be anything more useless than blogging? Firstly, it creates indolence, sloth, and a general lethargy, both over blog writers, as well as, blog readers. Secondly, it also creates a useless kind of pleasure that stems from the activity itself, and which goes on to produce nothing of value. Thirdly, it distracts the pious from thinking purer thoughts and creates undue commotion and confusion in the minds of the believers. Fourthly, it can act as a susceptible medium for fahash materials to be transmitted over the web, i.e. a blog could look like it’s about one thing but actually be about something completely different. Not to mention, that it is a common means of generating large amounts of nonsense.
All this is unacceptable, and that too in the month of purity! I say blogs should be banned for the duration of the entire month; PEMRA should take note of this senselessly hedonistic behavior taking place on the internet and put an end to it immediately. But that won’t be enough now, will it? For little do honest people like you and me know, that bloggers are a vile and insidious species, you stomp them out in one corner and they infest an entirely different kitchen cabinet. Blocking blog portals will only give credence to their cause and embolden them further, pretty soon we’ll have guerrilla-blogs popping up everywhere on the Internet. Who knows, more dedicated ‘underground’ bloggers may even retreat further and start writing their guerilla-blogs on notepads and start passing them around to their blogging buddies. No, surely a simple portal-block wouldn’t solve the problem of blogging in Ramazan.
We must stamp down on this menace with a solid blow. No doubt, to stop this menace from propping up, we have to set a serious example to stop this activity dead in its tracks. I say, take the top 70 bloggers from each major city, tie them up to electricity poles, and flog them in the summer heat from dawn till dusk. That will teach most of them not to pollute the sanctity of the holy month with their nonsense ramblings. I say most of them because as some of us may already know, bloggers are not easily convinced one way or another. For those hardened bloggers who refuse to quit the easy way lays another remedy.
They should be picked up in the night and then the entirety of their mindless and inane blogs should be read out to them on repeat with no respite. If their own nonsense doesn’t quell them, start reading the comments on their blog-posts until you hit one that solicits a vehement reaction in the blogger, then start reading that comment on repeat until the blogger caves in (shouldn’t take more than two or three repetitions at most). That should teach those heathens of bloggery.
Once these more ardent bloggers have been punished for their worldly sins, they need to be reformed and rehabilitated into society anew, for we don’t want them dwindling back into the downward spiral of blogging. They must be given new tasks and responsibilities, but care should be taken that these are equally mindless and unengageing, e.g. sorting pins and paper-clips, or tallying up results of the last by-election.
This Ramazan should be less about talking and more about doing. With positive action comes hope, and with hope comes a chance at unadulterated purity; no doubt this menace won’t end in the first try, but if we start this Ramazan, and carry this practice out every Ramazan, pretty soon we’ll start having blog-free Ramazans like in the good old days, ten years ago. Jazak-Allah!
*Disclaimer: This blog was written after dusk and did not break any of the above-stated precepts. Blog readers are advised caution while reading the above blog lest it interfere with their fasting and/or other religious commitments.
Asif Akhtar is one of Pakistan’s most prominent Tiwtterati. Based at the Graduate Faculty of The New School for Social Research in New York City, he is a specialist in strategic analysis and political affairs; an informed cultural observer and critic; a social commentator and socialite; as well as a professional writer whose collected works can be accessed here.
The views expressed by this blogger and in the following reader comments do not necessarily represent the views and policies of the Dawn Media Group.
Very commendable. Article aside you have had the courtesy to respond to your readers. Thank you.
Blogger is a genius.The fanatics say that music,recreation,etc are time wasters.By blogging he means all these activities.
Mr. Asif, I am completely astounded from as to what you based this piece of writing on ? To me your flinging idea of saying that blogging is haram looks self imposed and in the politest of terms absurd.
Sorry for the bluntness.
What is a column in a newspaper but blog on the internet. There is no differnce. It doesn't matter at what time you wrote this blog, you actually contradict yourself by writing a column/blog. If you didn't want anybody to read it between dawn and dusk then the heading should have been "Don't read it.".
are you serious?
"Forget that it’s already borderline-haram in normal circumstances; blogging in Ramazan should be doubly punishable. "
Not sure where the writer of this article obtained this self-ascribed 'fatwa'. Blogging is perfectly reasonable and all the more rewarding in Ramadan if you're blogging on a religious topic to invite others to Islam. It seems, in his candid attempt at sounding cute, the writer's cynical assumptions about Islam only reflect his personal fears and misunderstandings about religion.
With all due respect dear Zeeshan, I was mostly only making fun of my fellow bloggers in Pakistan's blogging community.. I don't really think theres a problem to have a little chuckle about your friends and compadres. But I guess you would prefer that I stick to the genre of Tableeghi Blogs rather than being a clown. If that is the case, I will try to write something on a more serious note next time. Thank you for having the patience to read. Warm regards…
No you were not. Your 'Zeeshan Apology' only compilcates the issue. You could easlyhave curbed your urge for that 'cute' blashemy in the end, that last unnecessary last word — tongue in cheek, it yet counts!
Strong value system in a society can be a key for a good society.Scandinavian countries are the best example.
Am I missingh something here! Cause I think I have completely missed the point of Mr. Asif's blog. Is it about ramazan or blogging, or both. Whats the connection? Who is against blogging? Can someone help?
If this guy is 'one of Pakistan’s most prominent Tiwtterati' then we're done for.
we're done for…
Ok ….??? Was this a satarical article…? Was he being funny or worse -> was he actually serious??
This is probably the worst blog entry I have ever read. No idea what the author is trying to say. The attempted sarcasm has clearly failed.
Asif Siddiqui: Just wondering, while the men are inside the mosque all day how is the city supposed to function? If all policemen, chefs, drivers, bankers, people running the power generation plants, people harvesting/planting/spraying their crops, doctors, surgeons, ambulance drivers, nurses, etc stay inside the mosque all day, there will certainly be chaos and anarchy.
Also just wondering, how does one fast in Antartica where the sun doesn't set for days at a time?
Adam Smith:
1. There are places on this earth where the sun does not set, or rise, not for just days as you say, but for upto six months at a time. More relevant, as you move north or south of the equator the days and nights, fasting hours, tend to physiologically limits — well before the diurnal one you postulate. In addition there are other conditions: Travel, destitution, sustained battles, old age, illness etc. These are called hardships in the Quran.
2. Incremental change in Northern and Southern latitudes is not mentioned, but the resulting conditions of hardship are defined, as is Allah's desire not to put you to hardship but at ease. And for these special conditions Allah offers alternatives: Feeding the orphan, the needy and destitute, the prisoner, and the wayfarer. A further option: Delay the fasting for another more appropriate period[Sura2:183-185].
THE CREATOR KNOWS HIS CREATION AND ADJUSTS COMMANDS IN MERCY.
To the previous commentators: if it is not clear to you, the blog here is all tongu-in-cheek. Relax!
Is this a RANT ,SERMON or Suggestion
NO WONDER THE PEOPLE ON THIS PLANET ARE ALL STRESSED OUT.
useless article. stupidity and pointless. One of the worst article ive ever read on dawn. A person sitting in Newyork trying to judge the way of society in pakistan. a typical attitude of ex-pats who give up the country for greener pastures and then think that a little exposure of the west puts them on a higher intellectual level to take a shot on our culture and religion. Mr. you better be in pakistan to comment on Pakistan. sadly fox news aint enough for your high level of knowledge.
Ay..hai…guys you completly missed the message. What can I say..Must be fasting.
I think the author needs to consult a shrink! He really needs to get his head put on straight
You are absolutely right. What a bad piece especially if it was meant to be a satire
*naive bashing of religion, religiosity and culture.
Quite a joke to call this 'informed cultural criticism'
Right on!
Seriously dude? Seriously??
The author being a blogger himself spit somuch venom against fellow bloggers, this is In-sane. Author being in US not grownup, sorry for your state of immaturity. If you don't like blog then don't read it, as simple as that. Growup man!!!!!!!
I am in Pakistan.. but trying not to grow up too quickly
Its not like bloggers don't poke fun at things all the time.. im sure bloggers are big enough to take a joke at times too..
The author being a blogger himself spit somuch venom against fellow bloggers, this is insane. Author being in US not grownup, sorry for your state of immaturity. If you don't like blog then don't read it, as simple as that. Growup man!
Height of foolishness!!
and even if the writer was trying to be sarcastic then the concluding paragraph doesn't make sense at all. Ramadan doesn't mean that we stop living our lives. its mere purpose is to instill God-consciousness in us and in everything we do, and then to live with this perspective throughout the year. if we reduce Ramadan to rolling out prayer mats and sitting on them all day, i believe, would defeat the purpose of the Holy month.
Zakir Naik says on Peace TV that friendship with non-muslims is haraam according to Quran, and he quotes extensively from the holy book. Can any of your readers clarify if the text in the Quran support his view?
Mr. Naik says many things, dont believe every thing you hear
Shariq:
Why side step Robert's question.
I'll take this as satirical commentary on what we really need to concentrate on in Ramazan.
Not sure what is the point. Hope it was meant as satire. If not, then the author needs to chill out.
Too many of restrictions breed hypocrisy!!
after a long time, a real article with truth and facts…though its bitter, but its the fact and the truth. Good On Ya Mate
To the two "informed" gentlemen above, the key word here is SATIRE.
sir jee.its really hard what to understand what exactly your are trying to say over here.
just one thing sir i do not like your ramadan-sarcasim!
Not sure, what the author wants to say here, he blogs and says it is haram. No idea when islam became so rigid in pakistan that, retrospection is also considered as haram. may be in near future, you will say if you go to rest room between sunrise and sunset it is haram, as it gives relife and pleasure
I think it's sarcasm!
You missed the point entirely.
I think he is saying this all in an ironic way. I am not sure though.
This is a wishy washy frothy article. We focus too much on the eating part. We miss lunch but gorge ourselves between sunset and sunrise. Yet we do not obey Allah and the Holy Quran.
Ayat 2: 187 clearly commands us Muslim men to stay inside the mosques and pray between sunrise and sunset. Yet most of us are busy working outside the mosque and insulting Allah.
No wonder our nation is in a mess!!
You guys should stop being judgmental. Presenting Islam is this way is quite counterproductive. As you may very well know, self-righteous is delusional. Let people be what they are and don’t demand of a behavior that you prefer. Wearing your religion on your sleeves had brought us the calamities that we are suffering from now-a-day. Let’s cut people some slack.
Are you implying that if everyone stayed inside the mosque and prayed then all our country's ills would suddenly evaporate?
You mean nobody should will for the entire month. To top it all you believe that by working we are making a mess of this country. God help you!
@Asif Siddiqui – I think you are taking a literal meaning of this verse. Does this mean that the people in the prophets time were working at night and spending the day inside the mosques? Were the caliphs only doing their jobs at night? Did the Almighty not create the days for work and nights for rest? Please elaborate.
i really pity ur mentality
@asif Siddiqui
Should people stop work during Ramadhan?
So who has stopped you from staying inside the mosque from dusk to sunset. You can even sleep there and earn more 'nakies'.
Ha ha ha,:)
Blog bless you ! This is an unbelievable piece.