As Peace Descends

I can’t believe its been over 9months since I made that first post on this blog; it was on Eid day and the post was about Eid as well and I remember proudly Emailing the link to my friends about my ‘achievement’.
What was I thinking back then?

Anyway, things have come a long way since that first post when I was all depressed about Eid being alone and everything. As the blessed Month of Forgiveness gently swept by us this past 29days I experienced what I am sure was my best Ramadan in a long time.

For starters, I now shifted to a comfortable two-bedroom house in a quiet little village overlooking the edge of the woods and 5minutes from work so logistics and travel wasn’t an issue.
Alhamdhulillah work wasn’t so bad to keep me preoccupied all the time.
The weather was incredible; and the best part was that my roomie (who is not even muslim) also decided to join in the true spirit of Ramadan and fasted the entire month. In all senses, things could not have been better.

Fasting takes your mind off the things we spend a lot of time on; like lunch & dinner, thinking about what’s for lunch and dinner, and thinking about how to cook or where to grab lunch or dinner. I guess we spend a lot of time thinking about food… and fasting gives you a chance to concentrate on more important aspects of living.

It truly was a peaceful, blessed month that swept by us; as a soft breeze would brush by your face; serene and so gentle, you wish it lasts, but passes over you before you comprehend its full beauty. I miss Ramadan already.

Wishing you all a very blessed Eid al-Fitr!!!

Food Festival

This entry may be a bit late in coming – Ramadan already started over a week ago – but somehow I wasn’t able to put this down till now.

In any case, Ramadan is finally here, after a full year has gone by and we as Muslims are asking ourselves a lot of important questions this month.

Surprisingly, one of the most frequently asked question is:

“What’s cooking?”

I don’t mean to exaggerate but the way things are sometimes, you almost start to wonder if its a month long food festival. While businesses in places like the Middle East tag up a “Ramadan-Special” for almost anything – ranging from discount sales to lavish evening buffets, more and more normal people seem to be concerned about just one thing: Food.

Every time I call up one of the guys, they want to know about what I had for Iftar, or planning to have for Sahur or the midnight snacks right now.

I guess its time we stepped outside our food fantasies for a while and started concentrating on what Ramadan’s really about: Ibadah, Qiyam-ul-Layl and in other words; supplications.

Ramadan is a month of blessings, and thus makes sense to ask Allah for forgiveness and turning to Him in repentance.

The food factor can take the back seat for a while.

Peace.