By Haider Rifaat
The social media has played a pivotal role in promoting the importance of Ramadan in our lives. However, the occasional perversion often seems to surface every now and then, despite all the awareness. I have come across many individuals on Facebook and Twitter (most of them being Pakistanis FYI), who post comical yet unreasonable pictures, comments, statuses and memes about fasting that we ought to ignore while observing it.
I am not trying to sound too conservative here but sharing memes that indirectly make fun of fasting is an act I strongly condemn. I, for one feel as if Muslims are making fun of their own beliefs by posting pictures showing a thirsty man before and after Iftari. I mean, hello? Wake up, it is not funny! These little things matter and affect a particular group or segment of a society as they tend to conform to these kinds of practices that should be shunned away, no questions asked. And what about those filthy Facebook statuses that exclaim, “How much time left till Iftari?”
Aren’t these the things we should avoid in this holy month? Instead of whining about how hungry or thirsty one is, a person should refrain from indoctrinating his point of view in someone else’s head. Some people are sensitive and are likely to repeat what one does. This so called ‘act’ might suit a foreigner or person who is alien to our culture. In fact, they might respect our religious practices far better than we do. Speaking of which, the time we spend on the internet sharing such pictures and cartoons about fasting can be invested in something more productive, say re-reading ‘what to do’ and ‘what not to do’ in the holy month of Ramadan? I came across one Facebook status claiming, “Muslims of merely thirty days.” And by posting such offensive memes and pictures that might not sound or look as bad to the person posting them, we are only creating rifts among ourselves.
How funny would we look to others when a Muslim shares funny memes saying, “Happy thinking more about food than usual day” or “Get in my belly, now!” instead of posting something more rational and related to Ramadan? The internet and social media are to be blamed as much as we are for promoting such abhorrent practices. And this holy month is not bound in our religion alone. We oftentimes criticize other nations for pointing fingers at our religion when we are the ones perpetuating all the grime? Never had I seen a single meme while growing up, but with the outbreak of technology and what not, apps like these are generating inevitable attention. By posting such reprehensible jokes and vulgar cartoon pictures, we are only making ourselves look guilty. Above all, we are disrespecting our own tradition, i.e., fasting in this holy month of Ramadan. An utter shame, to say the least!