Let Us NOT Indulge
"We look forward to indulging you during this Ramadhan..."
That's what it says in the last line of this e-flyer. We've completely lost it, haven't we? The meaning of Ramadhan.
It's not a month of indulgence, O ye profiteering hoteliers. It is a month of moderation, a month of reflection, a month to spend a little more time with your family, at home. Not in a grand hotel, spending RM118 per person for a sinfully large spread of food, alot of which will go to waste.
How can you justify, without feeling guilty, spending over RM100 for just one dinner when our obligatory payment for zakat, tithe to the poor, is only RM5? Children all over the world are still starving to death, and we toss them some change and treat ourselves to a meal we can barely finish.
This year, hubby and I have resolved, again, to politely decline any invitation to Buka Puasa if it involves extravagant buffets. We did it last year too, said no to many invitations, and explained why. Someone told me, "Oh, good for you. Me, I don't have that much resolve." Others say "Oh, I'd never go if I had to pay for myself, but you know, this is on the company!"
Precisely. We never give a second thought to it because we're not shelling out a drop of sweat for that sumptious, 100-different dishes buffet, but the same wastage occurs, the same extravagance is sold, the same idea that you deserve to be pampered during Ramadhan is marketed by hotels and bought. Hook, line and sinker.
And the children still starve.
Labels: Being Muslim in Malaysia
posted by Penthesilea @ 3:49 PM
5 Comments:
Mum said said to me once 'Buffets bring out the worse in people'. And you could see her point. Everyone was gorging themselves and there were lines of people awaiting their turn at the entrance of the restaurant. They pile their plates high with food, most of which is the 'more expensive' type of food like seafood. So many live to eat and not eat to live. We have become a society of rich indulgence be it food or material items. The basics of which many in the world still lack we take for granted.
Walking into a Ramadhan's Hotel Buffet with a rumbling tummy is almost masochistic. There you are surrounded by endless spread of curry, rendang, masak merah and
masak lemak of all kinds of meat and seafood and desserts..and
after almost half hours of not getting any, and just about everything on offer is so seductive you don’t know where to start at RM 118 per head. Sigh..
It's suppose to be Ramadhan Fasting People! Not Ramadhan Feasting!
P/S: By the way, why you must pay at such pricy chicken cooked in curry, rendang, masak merak, masak lemak and kurma, and beef also cooked the same few ways, then lamb, then fish, then seafood. You see the colour also get turned off: RED, ORANGE, YELLOW AND WHITE. Faint. How much coconut milk can one take????
And talking about starving children, I have a white colleague a.k.a social activist who
lobbied against slavery, women's rights and starvation. She is currently doing a bi-25 hour famine since 3 weeks ago try to raise $ for the starving children in Africa. Which she claimed every 6 seconds a child dies of starvation. She even keep a journal about what it's like to be hungry, what her thoughts and post about it on her space blog and to the World Food Programme - which are helping to feed people in developing countries. She also posts statistics about hunger as well - what countries have the most children who are malnourished. And some of the anti-hunger success stories such as in Ethiopia. The issues and debates around addressing hunger such as CARE International refusing a massive food donation from the USA recently because they felt it undermined the incomes of local farmers.
The point is You and I, (and yes not forgotten skb) 3 of us are Muslims but somehow one of us must feel very ashamed on what really happen to the rest of our brothers & sisters during Ramadhan FEAST. They forgot what the fundamental concept of this special month is. The white even notice how is it like to be hungry for 3 weeks in a row. The worst is, I believe the marketer's might think that, this is the most profitable FESTIVE season in Malaysia. They started to draft the marketing plan since 6 months earlier by coming out, HEy we should do something on this special month = special menu's on buffets = special sales = special promotion = special deal .. Sigh..
And please, for muslims out there (for those that only puasa) please don't give an excuse of Ramadhan neither Eid, is a month of you to have a break, at the corporates level,
I have experienced many times where, most of the appointments are cancelled (say for this year: starting from August till October) just bcoz the whole staff in your department (which unfortunately 99% are muslims) having puasa, not able to attend the visitors etc, not productive, need 1 month break for hari raya, excuse excuse excuse!
And may I take this opportunity to wish you & brother skb, A Blessed Month of Ramadhan Mubharak! - hope it’s still not too late..
P/s: Funny eyy, when you asking people to pen their comments, they write an essay instead. Hehe…
I like your essays, Aboo. Thanks. :) A peaceful Ramadhan to you too, and Selamat Hari Raya!
Lian, I agree with your mum. Although I do remember those times when you and I could do a buffet justice. Remember SUKMA '98? When Radisson Hotel barred our team from the buffet breakfast because we ate too much... but hey, we were not wasting food then, it was all put to good use!
Haha!! Yes i remember those days. Gone were the days when you and I could eat an entire table of food and watch the calories just slide of our hips, thighs, etc...damn!! I went swimming over the weekend after not swimming for almost two years and I was pleasantly surprised I didn't sink. Though it reminded me of muscles that I never knew existed!
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