The holy month of Ramadan has gladly started. And while it calls for a lot of spirirtual revamp, the change can be witnessed on a physical scale too. One of them is that, the billboards across the city have started showing media people with covered heads advertising various transmissions for the month.
As pleasing as the sight is, its temporary nature is a factor that disturbs me to the core. Just a month ago these hosts carried an entirely different persona and bold glimpses of modernism. And their abrupt arbitrary transformation is something I still find hard to digest. Let’s just say, for me it is a reflection. A reflection of myself, and our society at large. This article is no offense to anyone because I include myself in all of it my society is inflicted with.
Throughout out the year we live our lives perfectly according to our own discretion. We get so busy in our own careers, social circles and families that religion nothing more than of secondary importance to us. Prayers seem too tire a lot and God is only remembered in times of need. We delve ourselves in all sorts of sinful attractions; and this has become the only way to live for many of us.
As soon as the Holy month of Ramadan approaches we all can see a newfound surge of Islam in every nook and corner. Face book and twitter become full of religious posts, television channels showcase female hosts in modest clothing, mosques get populated, cinemas get deserted, Charity runs at its peak, music and dance parties take the screeching halt. There’s a new, holy change in the air
My argument is not over who is practicing religion the right way and who is not. I am in no way a judge to it. My argument is over the temporary Islamization that takes over us Muslims for this one month and leaves us as immediately as the month ends. Is religion a fashion or some trend to be followed just because everyone is following it. Religion is supposed to be a way of life. Either we take it or leave it. There are no two ways about it, or are they?
All of this ‘change’ makes me wonder what is the pretense for? Why do we want show off to the world that we still are practicing Muslims when we are not? Why this periodic drama for the world to see? Do we only turn Muslims for the month of Ramadan only? Is there any such thing as integrity or not?
The sad part is as soon as the announcement for Eid is made, we rush to book the tickets for the latest Eid releases in the cinema. After all we have stopped ourselves the whole month! I in no way mean to say that watching movies is wrong, my only point is what is wrong should stay wrong all year around and what is right should always be right as well. Or are we trying to say that there is a room for hypocrisy in religion too?
Sadly that is what we have all turned into. Hypocrites. The question is who are we trying to fool? God? Our friends? Or maybe ourselves alone.