Is it legal to stop others from eating during Ramadan?

Question

Is it legal to stop others from eating during Ramadan by closing down restaurants, cafes etc and by imposing fines on people who consume food and drink in public (and smoke)? I am asking this as in most of the muslim countries the restaurants, cafes, pubs etc are closed by law during the fasting hours in Ramadan.

Why should the fasting people force their will on others? Can't they fast if others eat or drink in front of them? Actually their fasting will have more value if they can abstain from eating inspite of getting tempted - test of will power!!

Answer 1

Certainly its legal , I actually have all my friends over for a pig roast in celebration :))

Answer 2

I agree with you my brother. The rule you have mentioned, well I havent heard of it. You may have picked it up somewhere and I am certainly not willing to prove you wrong. You see our religion never says that we have to force our wills on others. Whoever does this without any genuin reason is wrong. Our Source of law the Holy Quran says in 2:255-56 tha there should be no compulsions in the religion. So there you have it. I also agree to your statement that fasting will, certainly have more value when we abstain from eating inspite of getting tempted. However, non Muslims are to be instructed that they too should care atleast for the fasting persons and should atleast try to not actually tempt them with food and stuff.

Thanx for asking!! :)  

Answer 3

Yep this should be perfectly legal, as Muslim countries can and should enforce their own laws.

If you are not fasting then cook your own food and eat in your private home no one needs to know that you are not fasting that is between you and yourself.

Follow the rules and the laws of the country you live in.

Answer 4

dont prompt others to fast.its not good ,controlling the temptation  - the real will power lies there

Answer 5

I never heard these things b4...it's cruel to do so...won't the Mother's feed their Babies too..will  Doctors prescribe oral Medicines at that time...

Answer 6

Sure it's legal in countries where the constitution is the Koran. Whether it should be legal or not is entirely a different story.

Answer 7

NOT IN AMERICA!

Answer 8

No, and it's against what ramadan is all about.

Answer 9

Yes, Of course, if they are muslims and if it is in a muslim country, but if they are not muslim then we can't force someone not to eat!!

Answer 10

If it doen't go the muslim way then it's opression.

Opression leads to Land of war.

If you get caught eating in some islamic countries you'll get flogged.

Answer 11

In your own words -- closed by law - that means its legal over there. why don't you emigrate?

Answer 12

we'll know who is strong and who is weak. like you said test of will power.

Answer 13

I say "Do as you wish"

You cannot force someone to follow someone else's rule. But few people respect that issue in Islamic countries and some people see it in a different angle.

Personally, I would prefer to eat even if someone else is fasting as long as I am not forcing them to eat. But that doesnt mean, they should force us NOT to eat. But if you are in an Islamic country, you have to obey their rules, regulations and policies.