A woman lived in a bustling European city, living with four flatmates. However, the flatmates were all renting separately from the landlord and did not know each other before moving in together, and this inevitably led to conflicts, with one particularly large example involving religion.
The Living Arrangements
The woman explained that whilst each flatmate rented their room separately, there were still common areas in the flat. Each flatmate had their own bedroom, but they would share the living room, the kitchen, and the bathroom.
Her Muslim Flatmates
Two of the flatmates were devout practicers of Islam, whereas the woman was atheist. However, she expressed that she believed firmly in religious freedom, and was always respectful of others’ beliefs.
The Fasting Flatmates
It was the time of the year for Ramadan, so her two Muslim flatmates were fasting during the day. Unfortunately, this soon presented a problem in relation to the woman’s cooking habits within their shared kitchen:
She Ate Early
As part of Ramadan, the Muslim flatmates would only prepare food after the sun had set. However, the woman’s eating habits were far different: “I mostly work from home and therefore tend to eat a little earlier than others”, she explained.
A Confrontation
One day, the woman was confronted by her two Muslim flatmates. “They asked me to stop having dinner so early because they smell it, see me eat it and apparently it makes them even more hungry, making Ramadan harder for them”, she recounted.
A Firm Refusal
However, the woman firmly said no to this request. Whilst she encouraged her flatmates on their Ramadan journey, she didn’t think that it was her responsibility to change her eating habits too.
A Compromise
In response to her refusal, the flatmates offered a compromise. They suggested that if she wasn’t willing to eat later, she could at least eat her meals in her room, away from them.
An Unfair Request
However, the woman still did not believe that this compromise was fair. Whilst she respected their freedom to believe whatever they wanted, she didn’t feel that it was fair for her to have to change her habits to accommodate their beliefs.
Considering Another Perspective
However, she also began to feel that she might be being inconsiderate. “There is no massive harm to me waiting another 45 minutes to have my dinner, so I could do a small thing to help them”, the woman pondered.
Two-Sided Respect
Ultimately, the woman felt that religious respect should be two-sided. She respected that they would practice Ramadan, and certainly wouldn’t intentionally entice them. However, she also felt that they should respect the fact that she was an atheist, and shouldn’t have to cook later in the evening, essentially being forced into their Islamic practices.
Asking For Advice
Unsure whether to give in to her flatmates’ wishes or not, the woman posted her conundrum online, seeking a verdict from internet strangers. “They’re being ridiculous”, asserted one reader. “Ramadan is about resisting temptation, not about making other people change their lifestyle”.
Resisting Temptation
The comment section largely consisted of conversations surrounding this sentiment. “The literal point of Ramadan is to look temptations in the face and resist it”, pointed out another reader. “It’s supposed to bring you closer to god, and humble the rich by making them equal with the poor. They’re not meant to take actions to eliminate the temptation, that’s a contradiction.”
They Weren’t Demanding
However, one commenter defended the flatmates, pointing out that they had not been demanding in their request. “It sounds as though they’re simply asking for a favor”, they wrote. “You don’t have to grant it, but if you can do so without any significant inconvenience, it would be a nice thing to do.”
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