A time of restraint and reflection

Holy month: A Ramadan bazaar in Chow Kit. Ramadan is also a month when Muslims are asked to restrain themselves from many things, not just food. – LOW BOON TAT/The Star

IT’S a terrible thing to say when so many people in the world don’t have enough to eat but I’m happy that Ramadan is here because then I can stop eating. Not being the most disciplined when it comes to food, I welcome fasting from dawn to dusk because, besides being a religious duty, it is also an exercise in great restraint. Even after breaking the fast, I am not inclined to over-indulge despite having been hungry all day. That, to me, is the beauty of this holy month.

Ramadan is also a month when we are asked to restrain ourselves from many things, not just food. Words must be gentle and not harsh; falsehoods must not be spread and violence in any form should be avoided. We are enjoined to spend the month in prayer and reflection and to give to those most in need.