ISLAMABAD  – Notwithstanding the blessings of the holy month of Ramazan, the people fall prey to the victim of ostentatious rituals that has nothing to do with the spirit of Ramazan.
The people go beyond their means to show their status in society as they consume large part of heir income in throwing iftar parties to their loved ones and colleagues. Elsewhere in the world, the move comes on the heels of advent of Ramazan, the holy month in which believers show compunction and seek clemency of Almighty as they keep fast from dawn to dusk to look for blessings of Allah Almighty.
Adherents in this holy month of Ramazan seek immense blessings as they bow most humbly and beseech forgiveness. Professor Noman, a research scholar of Anthropology in a university said, “The snobbish mannerism have its roots in this region as muslims lived with people of other religions for centuries who were more particular about rituals than the essence of the religion”.
Naila, a housewife said, “My husband is more fond of holding iftar reception for his friends than attending additional prayers in mosque. I remain busy in culinary in the month of Ramazan that I hardly find any time to recite various Ramazan prayers”.
The religious scholars do not subscribe to the practice of lavish iftar dinners being arranged in the holy month and claim the month is meant for seeking forgiveness and redemption than extending social contacts.
They also say that keeping fast is meant for seeking Allah Almighty’s blessings and He is the one who will reward the believers according to His own will.
Meanwhile, the sale of religious items used by the faithful during the holy month of Ramazan is on the rise in the twin cities where people flocked the vendors selling Miswaks and other religious items in the front of various mosques.
Local vendors and shop owners are doing brisk trade as the faithful flock to their shops outside mosques, which sell such items.
According to Sunnah, using Miswakh (teeth cleaning twig), Attar, wearing skullcaps, rosary and Musallah (prayer mat) are considered auspicious.
“By the grace of God, the sales increase in the month of Ramadan because Muslims follow Sunnah. So, they use Miswakh, Attar, cap for performing prayers and Tasbiya (rosary) and Musallah,” Bilal Ahmed, a shopkeeper, said.
Another shop owner, Abdul Rehman who sells the religious items in the front of Lal Masjid also said that Ramazan brings profit for them. “I sell caps, attar which are imported and also Miswakh and Tasbiya. We are here all twelve months of the year. However, during Ramazan, we have bumper sales as people buy more and use more,” he said.
Some of the people complained about the soaring prices of caps and Attar, saying that to buy a good quality Attar and caps is expensive for the poor masses. However, religious books in which various issues are discussed about the daily life of Muslims and various rules about the fasting are comparatively better in prices as compared to others books.