Women, food and Ramadhan
We're about a week into the month of Ramadhan, and whilst my littl' ol' tummy is busy rumbling during the day, the habit of eating only in the evening is beginning to feel more natural now, and the spirit is beginning to feel a bit lighter.
I do wonder how many people's tummies are feeling a bit heavier? For some women though, Ramadhan - instead of lifting the load of worrying about food - actually becomes a burden.
I was rather amused by this site which offers A Working Woman's 7 Rules to Coping With Ramadan Stress combined with A Career Woman's Guide to Surviving Ramadan.
Whilst these articles balance the real world need to know how to get through this month with a quaint 1970's style feminist flavour of "how to have it all", this piece in the Khaleej Times really got to the heart of the matter for Muslim women, who juggle all and more during holy month of Ramadan
And we all know it's true. Food suddenly becomes a priority and instead of eating less we're suddenly eating more. And food becomes so important that the woman (usually the designated cook) spends all her time worrying about food. If you're a woman, haven't you spent many of the last hours before iftar rushing to prepare this special meal? I've even spent several hours doing so, and occasionally even the whole day.
If we all went back to just eating normal meals like we usually do, or, if - hold onto your horses - some of the menfolk took on the responsibility of preparing a few iftars, everyone would get a chance to spend a little quality spiritual time.
Ramadhan is supposed to be about freeing yourself from the burdens of the physical, not laying additional burdens of eating (more) and cooking (more). Are Muslims really kidding themselves that by eating those extra samosas and lovingly prepared sweet dishes they are feeling the hunger of the poor, or putting aside the physical to concentrate on the spiritual?
I do wonder how many people's tummies are feeling a bit heavier? For some women though, Ramadhan - instead of lifting the load of worrying about food - actually becomes a burden.
I was rather amused by this site which offers A Working Woman's 7 Rules to Coping With Ramadan Stress combined with A Career Woman's Guide to Surviving Ramadan.
Whilst these articles balance the real world need to know how to get through this month with a quaint 1970's style feminist flavour of "how to have it all", this piece in the Khaleej Times really got to the heart of the matter for Muslim women, who juggle all and more during holy month of Ramadan
And we all know it's true. Food suddenly becomes a priority and instead of eating less we're suddenly eating more. And food becomes so important that the woman (usually the designated cook) spends all her time worrying about food. If you're a woman, haven't you spent many of the last hours before iftar rushing to prepare this special meal? I've even spent several hours doing so, and occasionally even the whole day.
If we all went back to just eating normal meals like we usually do, or, if - hold onto your horses - some of the menfolk took on the responsibility of preparing a few iftars, everyone would get a chance to spend a little quality spiritual time.
Ramadhan is supposed to be about freeing yourself from the burdens of the physical, not laying additional burdens of eating (more) and cooking (more). Are Muslims really kidding themselves that by eating those extra samosas and lovingly prepared sweet dishes they are feeling the hunger of the poor, or putting aside the physical to concentrate on the spiritual?
posted by Shelina Zahra Janmohamed at 22:07
3 Comments:
I've had all but one iftar at home so far, and all but a few have consisted of food prepared before Ramadhan, and we (yes, "we") usually spend no longer than five minutes before the clock is due to strike before setting up. So no, we don't "all know it's true".
Perhaps some women feel a need to lay a buffet each day in order to gain bragging rights over all the friends they meet during tarawih/iftar parties/blogs?
This piece bares all the hallmarks of Yvonne Ridley's killjoy instincts. The last time I looked, Ramadan is to gain God-Consciousness. "O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become God-fearing". Not to starve yourself so that you remember the poor, admirable that by-product maybe.
Sure, excesses should be avoided, and yes, we blokes must get stuck in the kitchen as our Blessed Prophet did.
But for many, Ramadan is special on so many fronts, and delicious foods, as with so many admirable traditions, are what makes Ramadan special, and help us remember the higher calling......
I'm with Spirit on this one. Men who help women in the kitchen are in the minority.
And I personally find Shak's views ("bragging rights"? What the hell...?)insulting.
If anything, it's the men folk who demand (yes, I did mean demand) that they have the 10 course meal so that they can brag about what they ate in the masjid!
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