to think that all muslims should not have to stand up and rally

[hiphiphurray]

Let me elaborate :-) In my work place, someone said that the local public sector office (dont want to name it) is banning food on desks for employees (in month of ramadan) as it may upset the muslim employees!

My stance was (initially surprised that they have done this - it is unnecessary if those are indeed their reasons) that one shouldnt believe everything they hear about muslims getting offended, as most of it, especially what is in some of the media tends to be 1% true 99% false.

The conversation then progressed to something like, muslims should stand up and say that this is not fair
And that non-muslims cannot say that this rule is unfair as they are afraid of being labelled racist.
Oh...and that politically correct officials are giving muslims a bad name!

I am all for standing up for a cause, but I just feel a bit and and also by the conversation as i dont understand why 'muslims need to be seen to stand and rally' about an office that has imposed this rule - just to calm the others down who dont want to be 'seen as racists'.

I couldnt help but feel that this outrage was more directed towards muslims than the PC officials despite the fact that the conversation didnt 'blame' the muslims.

So...who is right? Am I just being overly sensitive and AIBU?

SoleSource I think the reference to suicide bombers is inappropriate and unecessary. It looks like cheap shot and intended to be devisive and offensive.

hiphip - If my DH was faced with this situation I would suggest he brought in some biscuits or cakes to share around in the office. That would signal he thought the rule was a load of tosh.

Hardly ever isn't never. Take your own advice softly. Muslims can be racist too.

Ramadan is stupid. It might work in the middle-east where you don't get that much difference between day and night within the seasons, but here in Britain where at the moment it's only dark for about 6 hours it's ridiculous. They should fast according to Mecca time as I believe Muslims in Scandinavia do.

My husband works in an organisation where there are a lot of Muslims. This was mooted a couple years ago and the Muslims were pretty much unanimously up in arms about it.

One of the women said that part of the fasting was about it not being easy. She said that if everyone appeared to be doing it then it just diminished what she was doing.

It died a pretty swift death.

People rarely give a shit about what other people are doing when they are out in the real world. They follow their beliefs and let everyone else do the same.

I hate the word 'offended' in cases like this

Surely 'tempted' or 'pissed off' because other people are eating and making them think of food is a more apt way of putting it?

Not that I think anyone particularly is.

Hardly ever isn't never. Take your own advice softly. Muslims can be racist too

Can you quote anyone on this thread who has said they can't?

It was statement of my own experiences Worra. I did not accuse anyody here of the opposite.

I suppose mincepies and Christmas cake will be next, pork sandwiches, bacon cuties, mc donalds selli beef burgers.
Whatever will the vegetarians say? Or the diabetics? Or the morbidly obese? Offs,

I just done get why people have to be so shitty to one another.

solesource I recall a big centre advert was placed in a popular newspaper by a large muslim organisation condemning terrorist activities in the name of islam.

I guess that doesnt stick in people's memories as it is boring. What is interesting is that by default there is an assumption by the ill-informed that if you haven't SEEN them condemn it they must condone it.

And indeed you question to nailak is distasteful, especially since you consider yourself non fantasist!

I am glad however that all other responses so far have been above board sans yours and i would like to keep it that way please. I am all for opinions but do not like sweeping generalisations without evidence to back it up.

This is a really silly idea! Understandably non muslims will be annoyed if banned from food and drink especially in this hot weather, when they are not fasting themselves. Tbh even I would be annoyed with such a rule myself, I am muslim but not fasting at the moment because of breastfeeding as the fasts are so long and its hot weather.

Whoever made the idea needs to back off and let people do whatever they are doing, the office management seems way too controlling bringing this in. but yanbu if people are getting more annoyed about the muslim workers there than the management that is stupid, and they wont be seen as racist to say this rule is ridiculous - so dont think anyone should be afraid to say so.

SoleSource I really don't know where you are trying to go with this but you are getting nowhere fast. Muslims are not a homogeneous group but made up of many nationalities, ethnicities and cultures. Within those nationalities, ethnicities and cultures you will come across some people who are not very nice. You may even come across some muslims who are racist about other muslims of a different ethnicity .

You could of course go through my post substituting Christian for Muslim and it would still be correct.

My ex DH is Pakistani. I have learned a lot

Can people please stop reacting as if this stupid urban myth is true? It gives it legitimacy and it also makes you look like a plonker.

Trying too hard. Bet the Muslims in that office just want to come to work beget their heads down, keep busy till they can eat again.

My ex DH is Pakistani. I have learned a lot

What have you learnt?

What Chais wrote Worra.

perhaps next time I should start a muslim urban myth thread and start off with baa baa, banning christmas and muslim surgeons want to place people at risk as they dont agree with washing as they dont want to expose their forearms!

Lol hip. My surgeon is Polish.

Do you mean Chaz?

If you learnt what she wrote, then I doubly don't understand your earlier post?

The Turkish Muslim family next door had a BBQ yesterday & got drunk...

Yet the Turkish manager of a local cafe serves food & drink all day but fasts for Ramadan. He said he finds it easy to serve food & fast because he's very religious. Also he avoids alcohol; but does drink strong coffee - he said that very strict Muslims avoid caffeine too.

A Dr from Pakistan who i worked with recently said that he doesn't get hungry when fasting because he feels 'spiritually full'.

But certain Pakistani Drs i know fast because they feel it looks bad if they don't. They get hungry & grumpy; because they are fasting when they don't actually believe in Allah.

I think the above examples prove that that Ramadan is a different experience for each Muslim according to their individual beliefs & how religious they are.
Those who fast definitely wouldn't expect non-fasters to not eat in front of them.

My reply was to Chaos post. What exactly do you want to know Worra.

Chaz yes not Chaos.

I'm the only Muslim person on my floor at work, I don't think anyone even knows I'm fasting, a friend asked me to go for coffee with her yesterday & I explained I was fasting & that's about as interesting as that conversation got.

As for Muslims shouldn't fast in england according to the daylight hours here, how's about you let us who fast decide how we will practice our faith?

A few months ago maintenance threatened to ban all food outside of eating areas....we had mice, I saw one scuttling around, I was traumatised!

Real life is never is hysterical as I read about it! Unless mice are involved (I told my boss I couldn't work under such inhumane conditions, he said the mouse was more scared of me than I was of it, i bet it wasn't)

I want to know what you meant when you said you've learnt a lot that's all...I didn't understand what you meant.

Latara I agree..in all religions you'll have people who practise in a stricter way and those who practise in a more relaxed or 'traditional to their family' way. Then you'll get those who keep up appearances for the sake of others.

When I was growing up as a Catholic, Lent was a great source of amusement as I used to watch members of my family secretly falling off the wagon so to speak

fuzzy - oh you just reminded me; i get very annoyed about colleagues who seem unable to keep the staff room clean... crumbs everywhere inc. the floor; puts me off my food yuck!