Should secular Muslims be banned from celebrating Ramadan?

I was recently discussing with friends the topic of special Ramadan entertainment programs that air on Arabic TV networks, which feature music, singing and dancing. As can be expected, the reaction was that it is outrageous to celebrate Ramadan, which is a religious occasion, with singing and dancing.

Ramadan is a time of worship. Muslims abstain from permissible acts such as food and drink, and are to pray at night. According to them, such "indecencies" are blasphemous and offensive during this month in particular.

This kind of reminds me of the debate that goes on every year over the commercialization of Christmas.

While Ramadan is indeed a religious occasion, I think it is unfair and unwise for religious people to claim monopoly over it. Ramadan is not only a religious occasion of great spiritual significance, but it is also a family, social and cultural occasion for the millions of Muslims who are not religious.

I think these Muslims have the right to celebrate Ramadan in their own way. Ramadan to them, if they are not religious, is part of their cultural identity which they have the right to be proud of. It is something that has been part of their history for up to 14 centuries. It is part of who they are.

Non-religious people will always exist in any society. It is unrealistic to expect that there will one day be a society where everyone is religious. Secular Muslims have the right to be secular and still be proud of their identity. These Muslims are often just as proud of being Muslim as religious Muslims. Religious nationalism should not be rejected, but embraced. It is just as powerful in cultivating national aspirations. Religious holidays promote and solidify the sense of pride in people's religious identity.

It is unfair and disadvantageous to ostracize secular Muslims by telling them, "You either celebrate Ramadan the right way or you don't celebrated at all." This only serves to push them further away from both their religion and their religious identity.

It is also worth mentioning that a lot of the people who love to sing and dance are not necessarily non-religious. Many of them pray and fast, but they like to have fun, too. There is no basis for the idea that spirituality and amusement are at odds.