Ramadhan and its paradoxes

Ramadhan and its paradoxes

From Koran Tempo

It is the Muslim's fasting month now. We must welcome this
auspicious month with gratitude to God for in this month we are
made aware of the existence of people who are too poor to have a
decent meal.

Unfortunately, like in other years, places where sexually
immoral practices are conducted, are violently destroyed. Then,
the fasting month this year will also see a great number of
migrant beggars in the cities.

In a fasting month, the fasting people eat and drink less. But
we must spend more money because the prices of daily necessities
have risen. When they break their fast, some people seem to
gratify to their heart's content the hunger they feel during the
fasting hours.

When people fast, they refrain from eating and drinking. The
purpose is to be aware of the existence of starving people.
Unfortunately, some people refrain from eating and drinking in
the real sense of the words but they have "eaten" the people's
money through corruption, manipulation of teachers' pay and
embezzlement and other such practices.

ARIEF KUSNO, Jakarta