Fast for Ramadan: Solidarity, respect, or fear?

During Ramadan, Muslims are supposed to fast from sun up to sun down.  (Funny aside … some Muslims stop drinking alcohol a month in advance in order to prepare for Ramadan.  Heh.  Naughty, naughty.  Alcohol is haram!)

So, I spotted an article about non-Muslims in the United Arab Emirates.  “A large number of non-Muslim Indians observe the fast to express their solidarity to their Muslim brethren, said Thomas John, President of Indian Social Centre in Abu Dhabi.”  ORLY?  Hmmm.  Another site suggests that, although non-Muslims are not required to fast, it is a sign of respect.  So, in the UAE, if you don’t fast all day then you are acting disrespectfully towards Muslims?  Of course, that’s not the end of the story.  It is actually illegal to eat or drink in public during Ramadan.  Hungry?  Too bad.  Go home.  Can’t go home?  Too bad.  Don’t eat or drink or you’ll be arrested.

Looks to me like non-Muslims don’t really have much of a choice but to fast during Ramadan unless they can arrange to be in private homes to eat.  Now, I believe that one should adapt to the culture one is living in and, if the country is Muslim, then this isn’t surprising at all.  I just find it ridiculous that a government would make laws to ban eating and drinking.  Bizarre.

The flip side of a predominantly Muslim country making fasting easier by restricting the activity of non-Muslims is that Muslims in a non-Muslim country should not expect to dictate the eating activity of those around them.  Luckily, at our school, no one has demanded this yet.  It’s already happening in Britain.