RAMADAN is here again and aside from being a Muslim who fasts, I am fond of Ramadan, too, for the cultural elements and activities that accompany the holy month.

Personally, I breathe a deep sigh of relief when Ramadan begins because what the month brings along is also an opportunity to take stock of our lives and reflect not only on the suffering of those who are less fortunate but also on how materialistic our lives are or at least the values that drive our society.

I find fasting productive because for one it reclaims the hour and agony (aside from the obvious pleasure of Malaysian dishes) one has to endure during lunch hour.

I am not a fan of eating in a group nor heading to where the herd is leading towards, which in essence is what lunch hour at work tends to revolve around.

I do intermittent fasting not necessarily for health reasons only but also so that I can be alone during lunch hour and do things that I find meaningful alone.

I am not antisocial because I do partake in group lunches with colleagues or a colleague if there is some catching up to do.

This cultural aspect of Ramadan gives me a legit reason to be left alone because spirituality and getting closer to your Maker is a solitary act, just like creativity. Except, of course, the tarawikh prayers at night during Ramadan.

There is also the after-work breaking fast (iftar) gathering with colleagues or friends on flipside of being left alone that I actually enjoy. All I am asking for is a balance between being left alone and being together as a group, really.

Another cultural aspect of Ramadan makes it not only a merrier month but also one that levels the playing field in our unique Malaysian way. Everyone is welcomed and deservingly enjoys the evening Ramadan bazaars that sprout in the suburbs.

Unlike the evergreen pasar malam (night markets), the Ramadan bazaar is focused solely on food since its original intention (I assume) was to serve working Muslims who fast and wish to purchase their meals to break their fast on the way back home from work.

As a result, the Ramadan bazaar, which is open to the public, is a great way to sample the variety of halal food from the diverse Malay culinary cultures that we have at our disposal.

Granted, since some of the vendors only appear annually at the bazaars, the quality of some might be below standard, but generally, you cannot go wrong with any stall unless you let your hunger decide and this brings me to the next reason, I cherish Ramdan culturally.

Hunger – which is the most obvious thing about fasting – is overrated. It’s the thirst that, to me at least, is what one has to contend with more as an adult who fasts during Ramadan.

Still, hunger and thirst have become contentious issues when the overzealous express the need for non-Muslims to cease any activity that elicits the feeling of hunger and thirst among Malaysian Muslims.

I am, personally, insulted by these overzealous lot. I have no problem meeting a non-Muslim friend at a cafe or restaurant during Ramadan in the daytime if the need arises.

My “iman” (faith) is strong enough that I don’t need the state to impose my own jihad on others.

Heck, it’s insulting to think that my iman can be dented by food and drink alone – come on man, you need to do better than that to take a crack at my iman.

I guess it’s either my iman is just stronger than other Malaysian Muslim mortals or that these overzealous groups and individuals just have nothing better to do than making a fuss over nothing and taking credit for it.

Which brings me to one thing I detest about Ramadan culturally: Ramadan buffets.

Nothing contradicts the very essence of Ramadan than Ramadan buffets, which originally began in fancy hotels that have spread to most hotels and eateries.

Ramadan is about modesty and there is nothing modest about these buffets, which aren’t cheap (although more affordable ones have emerged).

In fact, I often witness food being wasted whenever I attend one (usually a family thing). I also find it amusing when I see someone stack their myriad of dishes in front of them and stare at it longingly until breaking fast (by when it would have gone cold).

I have also witnessed the horror of a teenager gulping down a can of Coke in front of their parents to break fast.

To me, the spiritual and the cultural are joined at the hip. You cannot have one without the other. That’s why faith can’t be forced.

Faith is always within yourself. Anything otherwise is cultural. – March 24, 2023.

* Azmyl Yunor is a touring underground recording artiste, and an academic in media and cultural studies. He has published articles on pop culture, subcultures and Malaysian cultural politics. He adheres to the three-chords-and-the-truth school of songwriting, and Woody Guthrie’s maxim “All you can write is what you see”. He is @azmyl on Twitter.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.