The essence of Ramazan is to practise self-restraint
KARACHI: Some people in Karachi have set up water coolers and ice blocks for labourers/workers, taxi and truck drivers to cope with the increasing heat. They have done this in Ramazan as they know that it is almost impossible for people who work long hours under the sun to fast during the month. Our religion too allows for people not to observe fast if it is harmful to their health and wellbeing.
However, besides that some extremists have taken it upon themselves to ‘save Islam’ and create commotion at these places by either lecturing people on how disrespectful it is for people to openly drink water in public while many are fasting, or going a step further and destroying the water coolers.
It is unfortunate that these extremists go around spewing venom against humanity and the essence of our religion. The essence of Ramazan is to practise taqwa (self-restraint), but our ‘pious’ brethren are often seen doing everything but that. Is one’s self-control so weak that one will be tempted to break their fast if they see another person drinking water? It seems that the irrational extremists have become so inhuman that they would rather see people dying from heatstroke than see them drink water?
Nida Roshan
Published in The Express Tribune, June 3rd, 2018.
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