Ramadhan, a 15 days Equivalent Annual Leave

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amadhan is here again. Tomorrow Muslims all over the world will start their annual ritual of fasting, the third pillar of Islam after the Declaration of Faith (Shahadah) and the act of praying to the Almighty (Solat). What is the significance of fasting? I don't intend to explain this like a religious teacher because my blog is for all, Muslims and Non-Muslims. So let's not talk about religion for now as I am sure you will find plenty especially on this topic at this moment.

Fasting is natural. Fasting is logical. Fasting is healthy. Fasting is medical. Fasting is purifying. Fasting is scientific. Fasting is psychological. Fasting is strength. Fasting is endurance. Fasting is realisation. Fasting is sacrifice. Fasting is patience. Fasting is enlightening. Fasting is liberating. Fasting is humility. Fasting is nobility. Fasting is divine. Fasting is love.

O.K. You are now saying "Stop this poetry and straight to the point!" Well, you have to start with poetic expression because fasting is.... sublime! It is symbolic of greatness. Let me tell you why.

How many days do you work in a year? You work only half a day assuming 9am to 5pm.... errrr not even,... its only 7 to 8 hours a day for 5 days a week. You get the weekend off. On top of that, you get public holidays,.. including some stupid holidays when the country wins some sports or some national hero reached the top of a mountain. When somebody in your family dies, you get compassionate leave of, say, 3 days. You get paternity or maternity leave if you are delivering in that year. You get sick leave if you are sick. To cut a story short (as what Archer would say), you get plenty of leave. Oh ya,.. I forget! you get annual leave as well!

Imagine your tummy and the whole digestive system. That organic machine of yours works 24 hours non-stop for 365 days. They don't get any leave? Everyone, or rather, everything needs a break! If you care so much about your car that you send it for overhaul or maintenance service every 3 months, why wouldn't you care about the machine in your body? Give your body a break! A break that it needs! The Muslims fast for 30 days from the time the amberdawn appears to the time when the sun sets in the west. They give their a digestive system a break for half a day for 30 days. That is 15 equivalent days of break.... the so called annual leave for the body.

So, really, it is natural as I mentioned earlier. Why must we debate about it only trying to prove each others' religion wrong? In fact, not only Muslims, the Jews, Hindus and Buddhists do fast, in their own way. It is easy to comprehend why we fast. It is simply a break. A time to recover. To rest. To ensure that you are ready for the next 335 days. The Muslims believe that even the Satans, Devils, whatever you call them, take a break for that 30 days from seducing humankind. Hmmmm... even the Devils know how to take a rest! Imagine working for 24 hours a day non-stop for 365 days! You know what,... make it 335 days. Take that 30 days of leave. Even that you won't subscribe to. I rest my case.

So, to all, Happy Ramadhan! God Bless!




* kopihangtuah



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