Friday, September 15, 2006
POLITICAL IFTARS OR POLITICS OF IFTAR
30 January, 1997
The Editor
The Hindustan Times
18-20, Kasturba Gandhi Marg
New Delhi - 110001
Sir,
‘Iftar’ is the most sublime and touching finale to a rigorous regimen of daily abstinence from food, water, carnal desires and a sun-up to sundown covenant with the Almighty. It is compulsory for the full month of Ramadan for the faithful. The Ramadan month further witnesses another solemn ritual for distribution of Zakat to the poor and needy; the month being the ending of the financial accounting period for accumulated wealth and its ‘cleansing’ by paying out 2.5% in cash and kind towards charity. Iftar has been hijacked by Delhi politicians for playing their own variation on the theme that borders on the profane. The daily feast laid out by political big wigs like Deve Gouda, Kesri, Paswan, Laloo Yadav and the attendance by the glittariti of all hues will shame a carnival. A Muslim Personal Law Board Secretary, Maulana Wali Rahmani, has gone on record severely condemning such demeaning of a sacred occasion, where grace and charity are supposed to give the aura of godliness.
Away from Delhi, in the bustling city of Cairo, a similar controversy rages over sumptuous Iftar fare provided daily on the streets for the poor and all passersby, roza or no roza, by a famous belly dancer, whose tainted earnings are not fit and halal for any faithful; so holds one cleric from Al Azhar, the centuries old University. Another benevolent soul from Egyptian Ulema, makes allowance in this respect for the poor people around whom the whole Ramadan piety is focused. In India too, Iftar is popular with all communities, though sadly it is degraded by political and elitist snobbery.
#201
The Editor
The Hindustan Times
18-20, Kasturba Gandhi Marg
New Delhi - 110001
Sir,
‘Iftar’ is the most sublime and touching finale to a rigorous regimen of daily abstinence from food, water, carnal desires and a sun-up to sundown covenant with the Almighty. It is compulsory for the full month of Ramadan for the faithful. The Ramadan month further witnesses another solemn ritual for distribution of Zakat to the poor and needy; the month being the ending of the financial accounting period for accumulated wealth and its ‘cleansing’ by paying out 2.5% in cash and kind towards charity. Iftar has been hijacked by Delhi politicians for playing their own variation on the theme that borders on the profane. The daily feast laid out by political big wigs like Deve Gouda, Kesri, Paswan, Laloo Yadav and the attendance by the glittariti of all hues will shame a carnival. A Muslim Personal Law Board Secretary, Maulana Wali Rahmani, has gone on record severely condemning such demeaning of a sacred occasion, where grace and charity are supposed to give the aura of godliness.
Away from Delhi, in the bustling city of Cairo, a similar controversy rages over sumptuous Iftar fare provided daily on the streets for the poor and all passersby, roza or no roza, by a famous belly dancer, whose tainted earnings are not fit and halal for any faithful; so holds one cleric from Al Azhar, the centuries old University. Another benevolent soul from Egyptian Ulema, makes allowance in this respect for the poor people around whom the whole Ramadan piety is focused. In India too, Iftar is popular with all communities, though sadly it is degraded by political and elitist snobbery.
#201
