Kuala Lampur, March 26 -- A well-known hadith from Sahih Bukhari that when the month of Ramadan arrives, the gates of paradise open, the gates of hell are closed, and the devils are fettered. It's a pretty evocative hadith, taught to Muslim kids in school and at home as a reminder that they should be on their best behaviour while the devil is away. It drives the message that Ramadan is not just about fasting; it's also about self-discipline and acts of kindness to your fellow humans.

Guess that older Malay man in a jubah who slapped that Chinese student for eating at a Family Mart during Ramadan did not get that memo. Maybe he forgot that this is the one month out of twelve where charity is enjoined and compassion is encouraged. Is it no...