Respect and Ramadan
For Muslims around the world, now is the month of Ramadan, when their religion requires a strict dawn-to-dusk fast. I admire the control, the self-discipline that is required to go without eating or drinking for so long, especially those who do it while living in the West, where most of their colleagues will still be enjoying their elevenses, long lunchs, trips to the water cooler…
Now, I understand and respect the concept of a kind of spiritual deep-clean, a month of virtuous living. However: one particular wrinkle to the Ramadan really makes me mad – “Observing the Ramadan fast is not allowed for menstruating women, although it is recommended that menstruating women break their fasts in private so as not to create rumors”.
Am I along in considering that this kind of thinking equates the very core of physical womanhood with sin and general wickedness? This kind of foolishness is perhaps understandable (if unedifying) in some stone-age tribe innocent of biology: in a major world religion, one which has given the world some great scholars, it strikes me as the most spectacularly unpleasant chauvinism.
Of course, the whole “women unfit to intercede with the gods” bit common to several popular religions isn’t terribly flattering either…
posted by Phibius @ 2:58 AM
9 Comments:
You're not alone.
Sadly, religion is a tool of the patriarchy used at it's best to keep women down. The story of Adam and Eve is a prime example
If there are any 'formal' religions that don't equate women with evil in some way I've yet to find them.
Have you considered that it protects women who might have low iron? I'm speaking as someone who is neither a medical professional nor a Muslim, but I think it is a bit hasty to attach negative connotations when it could just as easily be a question of courtesy.
Anonymous above is right -- that prohibition has nothing to do with implying sinfulness. In fact anyone for whom fasting could be harmful to their health is excused from it. That includes for example people with diabetes and pregnant women.
The last two comments are both interesting suggestions, so I checked another source on Islamic ethics, which seems to support my original interpretation - "During the menstrual period a woman should cease to carry out her prayers".
No fasting during menstruation is for health reasons. As for those who are travlling. Also prayers are reduced if you are travelling.
Basically a burden is lightened during menstruation.
Normally any missed prayers for Muslims must be made up later. Prayers missed during menstruation do not need to be made up. They are not 'owed'.
While this does mean that women say fewer prayers in their lifetime than do men, Islam is clear that this does not make men more spiritual or superior to women.
It may also be possible that this is to protect younger women - its an obvious sign that a female is lets say "on her way" to womanhood and therefore far more desirable to rapists at the time the scripture was written. "Hiding" that a female has begun menstruating may have been a necessity.
Even if it is not recommended to break your fast in secret, I think most women still would.
Not only is it impolite to eat in front of thore who ARE fasting, who wants to broadcast their monthly cycle to all and sundry?
eating in secret during Ramadan is just good manners and privacy. That is all.
Take me, for example. When during Ramadan I am not fasting, I still pretty much keep to the fast. Do I really want to have to explain to everyone around me why I'm eating this week?
Re breaking fast in private: point taken. However, I do think the following source backs me:
During Hajj (pilgrimage) or umra (ritual visit to Kaaba) menstruation prohibits a woman from the Tawaf (circumnavigation or walking around the Kaaba for seven turns) which is an integral part of the proceedings. The prophet was reported to say:
"Tawaf is prayer except that God permitted talking during it so if you talk say only good words." (Termizi, Darokotny)
Aisha, the wife of the prophet, is reported to have said: The prophet came in one day and found me crying (because her period had started before she made her tawat). The prophet said:
"This is something that God has written on the daughters of Adam. Proceed with all the rituals and tinish them except that you will not make tawaf until you took your (postmenstrual) bath." (Muslim)
In any case - any religion which doesn't permit women to take a leading role in worship is being spectacularly misogynistic, isn't it?
People have to understand that we didnt always have sanitary towels and tampons. Not long ago a woman on her period quite plainly would not have been that clean. It is because of this that a menstruating woman is seen unclean or unpure. You are meant to give the Qur'an respect and when 'unclean' this is difficult. As well as this, try fasting when on your period - it is not that easy. It is required of women to make up the days at another time, they are not excluded from Ramadan. You can hardly call it misogynistic.
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