A Facebook post by lawyer Art Harun over respecting those who were fasting, a hot issue over the past few days, has been shared more than 11,000 times in a short span of time.
The prominent activist had uploaded a picture of a spot in his home where his daughter’s Christian tutor sits when he comes to conduct lessons. On the wall can be seen two framed pictures of Quranic verses.
Art went on to describe the tutor as a “pious Christian” who spent his free time on missionary work. When he is at Art’s house, he sits under those Quranic verses.
“Did he complain that I was trying to convert him? Or that those Arabic names for Allah and Muhammad would lead him astray from his faith? Or that they would ‘rosakkan aqidah saya‘ (threaten my faith)?”
“Did he ever request that his sitting be changed? Or that those frames be moved away or at least be covered by a batik sarong? Did he ask me to ‘respect’ his faith? Or not to ‘insult’ him or his faith?”
Art went on to explain that the tutor never made a fuss about it.
This, he added, raised the question about Muslims in Malaysia who demanded to be “respected” just because they were fasting.
He also wondered why school canteens needed to be closed during Ramadan and why non-Malay pupils needed to be asked to drink behind closed doors and even in the toilet.
“The point is, why must non-Malays adjust their life to facilitate us, Muslims and Melayu, to fast?”
He then went on the offensive, suggesting that people demand the non-Malay students to stop studying hard so that the Malay community could at least get respectable marks during exams compared with them.
“Or ask them not to work too hard so that they don’t make more money than us. I call it self-pity, which is a pity, really.”
The post was met with an overwhelming response, mostly praising the message in the post.
Lucy Kraal commented “Inspiring”, while a Vikneshwaran Ganesan thanked Art for his thoughts.
Naz QS said: “Alhamdulillah, I feel the same way, provocation does not exist with urban Malays and the educated.”
Teo NyukLan said: “How nice if our country has a leader like you.”
Source: http://www.therakyatpost.com/news/2015/06/23/muslim-activists-post-on-fasting-goes-viral/
