Ramadan for women has never been the same as that for men.
Women are constantly weighed down by oppressive patriarchy and it’s no different during Ramadan.
I thought things couldn’t get worse until one of my friends brought to my attention the decades-old practice of women concocting elaborate ruses to keep their periods a secret from men, during Ramadan.
Every precaution is taken so that the issue does not attract attention in any way, such is the taboo nature of periods.
Encouraging the practice of the aforementioned activity will only enhance the taboo surrounding the menstrual cycle, which can result in adverse consequences for women.
Due to its taboo nature, the schools in our country, co-educational or otherwise, refrain from studying the menstrual cycle in detail.
Nothing taboo there.
Why sexual intercourse during Upavas is such a big deal and is surrounded with taboo? Does indulging in sex during fasting really have some side-effects on our health or abstaining ourselves from doing it is just an unsaid rule? Here, we will try to get our answers by segregating myths and reality.
Also Read – Ramadan Timetable 2020: Know Sehri And Iftar Dates And Timings in India For Fasting During Ramzan
Also Read – Ramadan 2020: Fasting Tips For Diabetics
Sectors that require large gatherings and close proximity to one another are still looked at as taboo during this Covid-19 and Malaysia isn’t ready to take the risk by allowing life to return to normal so soon.
However music festivals, Ramadan bazaars and cinemas are among the lists of things that will not be allowed during the controlled MCO period.
«Businesses activities that involve large gatherings and body contact where social distancing is hard to control will not be allowed to reopen on May 4.»Among them are cinemas, karaoke, reflexology and entertainment centres, night clubs, theme parks, Ramadan Bazaar, Aidilfitri bazaar, sales carnivals and all exhibitions and shows are disallowed,« said Muhyiddin.»Besides that, activities that cause close contacts like swimming, rugby and all indoor and stadium activities are disallowed as well.
Apart from that Muhyiddin said all social activities, cultural festivals that involve large crowds as well as open house or buka puasa events are not allowed despite it being Ramadan month.
BEIRUT – As families across Saudi Arabia wrap up their Ramadan feasts and settle in for an evening of TV under the Covid-19 curfew, a new star-studded sitcom is moving the goalposts in how the kingdom presents Israel.
But the scene which has turned heads is one in which the protagonist’s father-in-law brushes off the taboo of doing business with Israelis.
With the station firmly under the thumb of the kingdom and its de facto ruler Mohammed bin Salman, its mass appeal Ramadan programming offered a new venue for influence.
«They shot it very quickly, because the crisis started in Ramadan, and before the end of the month they were able to put something together,» recalled Gulf states analyst Nabeel Nowairah.
Like business dealings with Israel, hot button social issues like LGBT and women’s rights are being presented by the Ramadan hit as open for discussion in the new Saudi Arabia, even as activism and dissent grow increasingly dangerous.
We all must have heard how in India, menstruation is a topic associated with immense stigma and numerous taboos; women are made to feel ashamed for a bodily function which is as normal as breathing.
There is also the relaxation from fasting during Ramadan for menstruating women.
Scholars’ interpretation suggests that discharges like that from sex, deliberate vomiting and menstruation weaken the body, which should not be confused with the weakness which is a direct result of fasting, which is the whole purpose of the holy month of Ramadan.
Although most women are not made to feel impure or are not shamed for not praying or fasting during Ramadan as there are relaxations provided by the religion for menstruating women, one can however still infer that during Ramadan women are either asked to not eat in public or are scared of getting caught while eating .
When asked about the taboos and restrictions- Most women reported just not being allowed to pray, fast or touch the holy book and so forth.
Even though Islamic principles do not recognize menstruation as a topic of stigma, there is a possibility of Indian Muslim women being subjected to the menstruation taboos, which is a result of being proximate to Indian cultures.
However, the data does not reflect any such peculiarity, as when respondents were asked about the taboos that their family/community follow, most of them did not report anything beyond not practising religious rituals which has legitimate reasoning from Islam.
It is indeed okay to say that stigma and taboos exist in our society regardless of religion.
Every Ramadan, non-fasting Muslims and others who do not practice Islam have to go to extreme lengths in Ramadan to blend in with mainstream society.
Let’s agree on one thing, choosing not to fast should not be a societal taboo.
In many cases, non-Muslims, who are not obligated to abstain from eating and drinking in Ramadan, are forced through a combination of peer pressure and fear of judgment to conform with the majority.
In fact, even just mentioning the menstrual cycle is a huge taboo in the Middle East.
In more than one instance, I have seen people express disgust with women eating in Ramadan, which doesn’t make any sense.
As a matter of fact, Ramadan should be a time of year where people thrive for self-control and denounce selfishness.
A Muslim’s feelings should not be ‘hurt’ when seeing another person eating or drinking in Ramadan.
The text of this article was generated by the Breaking The Silence system that collected 6 news articles posted on the web from January 2019 to September 2020 and clustered for the taboo subject of ramadan
