Holy Month and Tolerance

We're approaching the end of the Holy month. Everyone is counting the days to the Idul Fitri. People have started travelling back to their hometown or flocking the shopping malls and markets to buy gifts and food stuffs to be distributed to their families, relatives, friends and staffs. Mothers have started arranging menus for the Idul Fitri feasts, and family members clean up the house for the big day. Donation and zakat have also been organised and distributed to the neediest people. It's all about sharing and caring time, spreading forgiveness and peace to the human kind.

This time of the year always fascinates me, in particular the spirit of sharing and caring. Being a food lover, this month also provides me with plenty opportunities to sample foods that are only available during Ramadhan. But since I'm trying hard to lose weight, I don't gobble much this year. But the spirit is with me as I'm getting ready for the big day as well.

Sadly, there are people within the society who don't really understand the concept and the spirit of Ramadhan. Instead, they force other people to follow their standards and inflict violence if other people don't comply. I've heard and watched on the tv a series of raids to street food hawkers. Well, guys..., not everyone is fasting, so they need to have lunch. Second, selling food on the streets is their livelihood, so I guess they don't have many choices but to continue doing their business in order to survive. If you close their businesses, will you provide financial support for a month to them so they are not hungry and the children can continue going to school?? Third, fasting is not only about not eating and drinking, but to exercise your kindness, sympathy and self-control. If you've decided to genuinely observe the fasting month, you're not supposed to be tempted by street food or other things that are forbidden. If other people don't share similar values or can't do that, it's their problem, not yours. If I may ask, who are you to destroy and throw away other people's livelihood? Who are you to judge other people as infidels? Just mind your own business, please.

Tolerance should be mutual, not being imposed by a majority over a minority group. It's not about size of a group, not about who hold the truth and the ultimate knowledge over something, or who have power to impose particular values. Human are unique, and different individuals have their own traits, identity, values and beliefs. Even twins also have their individual uniqueness. Differences should be celebrated, not suppressed and demonised. That's why life is so interesting, because there are different colour spectrums in the horizon, different flowers, plants, and animals, and different seasons in a year. Just imagine if there's only red or green in our life.

Tolerance is about respect to the differences and find a way to live together in harmony. If you're different from me, it doesn't mean you're more superior or inferior than me. You're just a different individual, but I can learn new things from you. I might have something that I can offer to you to enrich your life, and you might have something that I can take on to avoid repeating similar mistakes.

I have my idiosyncracies, and I'm sure so does everyone; but it shouldn't be an excuse to force particular values and ideas, or even inflict violence to each other. There's nothing in this world that can be used as an excuse to inflict violence to human, and I call everyone with enough brain cells and sensible manner should fight against any forms of bigotry, discrimination, and prejudice. May the force be with you.

Selamat hari raya Idul Fitri, mohon maaf lahir dan batin.