A woman’s Threads post about eating openly in public during Ramadan while on her period has sparked debate online, with netizens sharing mixed views on respect, personal choice and social norms during the holy month.
A woman’s social media post about eating openly in public during Ramadan while she is on her period (a time when Muslim women are exempt from fasting) has sparked a heated debate online, with netizens flooding the comment section to share their opinions.
In a Threads post, user @nafbarnett openly stated that she eats in public during the holy month and does not feel the need to justify herself to anyone, stressing that God has already exempted her from fasting for a week.
“I eat in public during Ramadan and I don’t care if some man (or woman) is b*tt hurt about it. God exempted me from fasting for a whole week, who are you to question me,” she wrote.
The post quickly gained traction online, sparking a heated debate among netizens, with more than 1,000 comments flooding the comment section.
Many commenters acknowledged that Muslim women are exempt from fasting during menstruation, but felt that eating openly in public during Ramadan should still be handled with discretion out of respect for others who are fasting.
ashraf81sg1981 wrote: “If you as a Muslim cannot fast for a week due to a reason then at least as a Muslim show some respect and courtesy to other Muslims who are fasting. Basic decency. If non-Muslims do it, it is understandable because they may not know.”
Similarly, ayanie74 commented: “Yes, women are given the exemption due to our monthly cycle. However, you must show respect not only to those who are fasting, but to the religion itself. Even at home I do not eat openly in front of my children during my exemption period.”
“Muslim women are exempt from fasting during menses as Allah understands their condition. However, it is best to eat discreetly rather than in public. This preserves modesty, avoids misunderstanding and respects the fasting community,” shamsul_hk1 added.
Some netizens also felt that publicly announcing the reason behind not fasting was unnecessary.
saffwanashadi wrote: “Majority won’t be ‘b*tt hurt’ about it, just probably wondering why you are announcing to the world about your monthly menses. I’ll probably just giggle and pray you gain a bit more modesty.”
“No one is ‘b*tt hurt’. But why do you have to tell everyone you are on your period? People will just laugh at you,” shikinrais added.
However, not everyone disagreed with the original post. A number of netizens defended the woman’s stance and said people should mind their own business.
bishopchui wrote: “Not sure why people care. Part of being a good Muslim is minding your own business. A person who is not fasting has no responsibility to eat in secret.”
Similarly, sajna.abdul commented: “I don’t understand the hate in the comment section. If people who are fasting cannot tolerate others eating in public, I don’t think they understand the concept of Ramadan.”
“Personally, I am okay if you eat in public. It won’t break my fast. “Alhamdulillah my faith has not been shaken just by seeing someone eat,” , addthezudin added.
