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9/11/09

Egypt cracks down on breaking Ramadan fast

Assalam alaikum & Peace to all



News | Egypt cracks down on breaking Ramadan fast

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So much for "No compulsion in Religion"

I'm saddened by this really, I mean why do this? Were such things done in the Prophets (saws) time?

Any thoughts ideas on this? Share yours. I would like to hear all sides on this.


9 comments:

Adventurous Ammena said...

subhanallah.. this makes me angry actually... why do this? they already mention the fact that they could arrest a non-muslim or a muslim with good reason to not be fasting but come on Egypt!!! I mean if we in the west can deal with the whole country not fasting.. u really doubt your ability to keep your fast if you see a person eating or drinking. Do you have no self control??

'Sayed added that if people break the fast or commit any sin, like drinking alcohol, inside their houses only God can see them and will punish them. However, if they do it in public, the guardians of the nation—represented by the police—have the right to impose law and order'
Soooo.. God doesnt see us outside? isnt the punishment on the day of judgement enough to keep us from breaking our fasts? and if it isnt... what can I say?

I wonder the percentage of people in Egypt who agree with this.

Anonymous said...

That's crazy! What about women who are pregnant or breastfeeding and need to eat if they're out shopping or something!!!! :(

بنت بيتر said...

People should wonder what is this really all about... because although Egpyt is a Muslim majority, the government is NOT islamic and will arrest "fundamentalists" and torture them. Also niqabi women arent allowed in many nadis (parks), so my question is, why is the government - who we all know doesnt care about islam, doing something to police an aspect of Islam?

BTW I personally agree with the society upholding some form of islamic law as they do in Saudi. And this is a part of Islam to have people trying to uphold the moral fabric to some degree. Just like we punish murderers, thieves or anyone else commiting any sin (adultery), who are we to say they should uphold the former laws but not things such as fasting. And it isnt about whether or not that person is fasting but respecting others who are.

In Dubai it was a much more Islamic atmosphere, no one ate in public, and restaurants were closed or shaded until Maghrib. Also the bars didnt play music is Ramadan. IN DUBAI (hardly an Islamic country) but if the government is islamic, we should try to respect the holy month, no? I dont understand the outrage. Simply, if we all live and let live, the Muslim countries will (and are) become like the West. So what is the difference anymore between the two?

In Islam we believe politics and religion go hand and hand. We punish thieves, alduterers, and murders to uphold the Islamic society according to Shariah so what is the big deal with trying to prevent people from eat/drink and smoke in public?

While I agree that jail is extreme, fining someone (just as the police do in the West for having their dog crap on the sidewalk)... isnt such a problem. We are simply trying to curb peoples actions to promote a healthy islamic enviroment. Seriously, if you think about it, why does the West fine people for littering or other such things? Because they have certain ideals they want to uphold for their society. Likewise, in a Muslim country, fining someone for being disrespectful isnt worth the outrage in my opinion.

But like I said, the question is what is this about? I can tell you Egypt doesnt give a crap for religion at all!

Ms.Unique said...

Subhan Allah ... yeah they have it here too but Alhamdulillah no flogging or arrest .... this is ridiculous .... I mean you can't force a non-muslim to not eat! ... As for the Muslims I think giving them naseehah rather than force would be better and only after asking the reason for their not fasting ....

Unknown said...

It is perfectly justified. The majority of people are Muslims, why let a minority of non-Muslims ruin the Ramadan mood with their disrespectful behavior?

Non-Muslims should be considerate enough to keep their eating to themselves.

In Iraq restaurants that are open during the day in Ramadan are required to cover their fronts with cloth.

Candice said...

I think it's totally outrageous to jail someone for eating (and it sounds like it doesn't matter whether or not they have a good excuse like not being Muslim or being ill)!

I think something like a law making restaurants cover their windows during fasting hours is OK. And they could get fined if they don't maybe. That is a law helping to shape awareness that it's important to be discreet when eating during the daytime hours of Ramadan and it's normal for it to be that way in a Muslim majority. It's normal and even good for society to "frown upon" a person who eats and drinks out there in public and forcing restos to shade their windows is one way of just bringing this value to society.

Last time I was in Egypt during Ramadan, I was not Muslim and I was in early pregnancy, so very weak and getting over a month of bedrest. I needed to carry my bottle of water with me at all times and I was simply careful of when I opened it and took a sip. It was while we were in the taxi, or on a part of the street where people didn't see too much... I still could have gotten "caught" even if I was being discreet because I wasn't inside fully covered. It would have been ridiculous to put me in jail for that. It would even have been ridiculous to fine me for it! I wasn't doing anything wrong except having to drink in public in Ramadan.

I also find so dumb the guy's argument about sinning in private being between God and the person, and doing it publicly envolves the state. For sins or crimes, yes. But he is basically saying that the ill or pregnant or breastfeeding are sinning when they eat and they should sin at home. These people are not sinning. In fact, fasting would be sinning for them if it would harm them or not let them get over their illness.

I honestly can't believe that some people actually agree with this law. It seems so obvious to me that it is nothing but wrong to jail and fine people for eating!

Candice said...

Maybe it's a bit much to say it would be a sin for the severely ill to fast, but let's just say it is not recommended. They shouldn't fast. And I don't know that their fast would be accepted if they did.

cairo, lusaka, amsterdam said...

This is the most ridiculous thing ever. I can't believe this happened in Egypt, which supposedly used to one of the more open Islamic countries. For one thing, Egypt has a large Christian population and I think it's VERY disrespectful to go around doing this, or to for example close down restaurants, just for that. There are also many people who for some reason can't fast.

Regardless of why the government is doing this, I don't think any Islamic country should be imposing things like this. THERE IS NO COMPULSION IN RELIGION, whether you are an Islamic country or not. It's stories like these that are partly the reason Islam is seen so negatively - by non-Muslims and Muslims.

Yasmeen said...

OMG..never heard this kind of compulsion,saddens me really.

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