Ramadan is the 9th month in the Islamic lunar calendar when practicing Muslims fast from dawn until dusk as an act of worship. The Islamic fasting restricts them from eating or drinking anything during daylight hours.

Nobody should care about millions of Muslims choosing to starve all day long for a month as long as it remains their individual choice. This is unfortunately not the case. The annual fasting for a month is not optional in several nations. The conservative Muslims not only expect everyone to fast but they also have made it illegal to eat or drink anything during Ramadan in most of the Islamic countries. You can read my blog on this serious but an overlooked issue affecting millions of people every year: 7 Countries where Drinking Water in Ramadan can Land you in Jail. You may counter-check this information from reliable sources. 

Failing to observe the Ramadan fast is a criminal offense in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Pakistan, Iran, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco Malaysia, Indonesia and the list goes on. Punishment for breaking this law varies by countries; ranging from 150 hours of community service in Dubai to flogging and imprisonment in Saudi Arabia and Iran.

I live in Islamic Republic of Pakistan where you could face up to 3 months in prison just for drinking water in public during this Islamic holy month. All the restaurants remain closed during lunch hours. Water coolers in public places are also kept locked until just before sunset. No government or private organization makes any arrangement for non-fasting employees to have lunch. Most of the offices also unplug their water dispensers as soon as Ramadan starts because they don’t expect anyone at the workplace to skip fast. You can’t even bring food with you to have lunch in a quite coroner when you’re hungry.

And that’s not all as openly carrying a water bottle during fasting hours also is considered offensive in Muslim culture. I have to ‘conceal carry’ a small water bottle to avoid dehydration without being ‘disrespectful’ to the Muslim fellows. I remember the occasions when I had to drink water in public toilets as I was extremely dehydrated and there was no other place to hide. It’s worth mentioning that I’m an ex-Muslim atheist and I also have a medical condition that prevents me from fasting. But there’s no way to ask for an exemption from ‘mandatory fasting’. This turns ‘Happy Ramadan’ into a nightmare for non-fasting individuals. And I am not the only one facing these troubles; millions of citizens who can’t fast in Ramadan for whatever reason continue to suffer in silence because it’s a social taboo to criticize religion in Islamic societies.

I strongly believe that this should change. Repealing Ramadan Fasting laws is the best solution to the problem. However, it may not be practical in some of the most Islamized countries to entirely abolish these laws due to public pressure from religious groups. In this case, they should at least reform these laws to facilitate religious minorities and those with medical conditions. This includes allowing the restaurants and public water coolers to remain open like normal days behind curtains to let us consume food while respecting the “sanctity” of Ramadan. We also demand different organizations in Muslim countries to offer their employees an option to eat lunch at work if they choose to skip fast. 

Remember! Food is a basic human right and any law restricting people from food consumption all day long for a month is a human rights violation.