Writer: Huma Shaikh
The sighting of the young moon has marked Ramadan all over the world already and some countries including Pakistan, India and Morocco will observe first fast on Tuesday, May 7, 2019. Ramadan is a special and spiritual occasion for Muslims. In this blessed month Muslims get an opportunity to purify their souls. The month of Ramadan enables Muslims to think and act kindly towards everyone around them.
Muslims observe fast after taking a meal before dawn, this meal called sahoor in Arabic and sahri in Urdu languages.
Allah says: “and eat and drink until the white thread (light) of dawn appears to you distinct from the black thread (darkness of night), then complete your Sawm (fast) till the nightfall” [al-Baqarah 2:187]
After finishing sahoor at dawn Muslims pray the first prayer of the day the Fajr or subh prayer, then they spend their day in routine tasks. Fasting not only helps to detox body but also makes worshipers to feel the hunger and the thirst of those people who have not enough food to eat and water to drink. Hence the month is the best time to become humble and kind with everyone especially with people in need, it is the month to do lot of charity and to pay Zakat (the obligatory charity upon Muslims once in a year). This is a system Allah has established for Muslims to help poor families, in fact poor people have right on the money that Muslims pay in form of zakat. Many Muslims practice to feed the people abundantly in this month. It’s a best time to meet friends and family at iftar time (the time for breaking the fast). Allah has made these thirty days blessed in a unique way.
People around the word prefer to break their fast with fresh dates because it’s an act of sunnah. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to break his fast with fresh dates before praying; if there were no (fresh dates) then with dry dates, and if there were no (dried dates) then he would take a few sips of water.
In Pakistan, during Ramadan women focus to do more cooking and try new recipes hence kitchen budget increases too. A verity of food items have been prepared in Ramadan for iftar. Young and somehow adults people too prefer fried food like samosas, pakoras and a verity of rolls etc. Sugar and fizzy drinks are common in Ramadan. One of the most famous drinks is “Rohafaza”. Nevertheless the fried items and sugar drinks are seriously dangerous for the health. One should remember that Ramadan is a good opportunity to get better health and improved immune system. Eat less and eat healthy. For instance instead of fried items, one can go with fruit-chaat and other less spicy and low calories foods. Intake of good amount of water, fresh yogurt and milk, are healthy and good for hydrating the body.
So the opportunity is here to try to achieve all the blessings of the month. Look around you, you will find people who are in need of help. Be kind and supportive to others. Family members can contribute in home cores so that they can help their mothers, sisters and wives to cut the work load in order to remain stronger in the blessed month.
On Facebook women get active to post and share their preparation for Ramadan. For example to freeze chickpeas, making spring rolls and refrigerate many other food items which can be use later. This is a good approach for reducing the burden and managing time in order to feel fresh and active in all acts of worship. It would be a great reminder to share that the act of worships are not limited to fasting and praying five times or praying taraweeh but every act performed with the intention to please Allah is counted as an act of worship. Smiling and even making du’a is worship 🙂
