Ramadan

...A word associated with one religion - Islam. I don't know much about it, but I do have a few Muslim friends. I guess they're what you would normally call modern Muslims because they don't wear traditional clothing and well... Some other culture-specific tradition they don't practice.

Frankly, the religion fascinates me - how can it possibly exist for such a long time? But then again, nature worship has existed far longer.

At the same time, it does create a lot of apprehension and fear. Particularly when you are In a society wherein those considered as wise would use it to instigate fear among the younger population. Then there's the fact that some extremists manipulates the religion to fit their distorted image of life and reality in order to gain more followers... tsk, tsk!

I can only imagine what my friends would say to those supposedly learned scholars advocating coercion and sometimes physical harm just to satisfy their own need for power masked as love for Allah.

Like it or not, as a religion, its tradition has some similarities with other religions - such as Ramadan.

From what I know of it, it's supposed to be a cleansing period. I can only associate it with Lent. In that case, then it's supposed to be a cleansing period to atone for any wrong doings one would have against one's self, others and God. What I find intriguing though is with Lent one should try to keep one's self from inflicting emotional, spiritual and physical maladies against one's self, others and God not just during the period but in the future as well, is it the same with Ramadan? Or is Ramadan just an excuse to party all night since they felt the pang of hunger the whole day?

I certainly hope not.