The same time last year, we spent Ramadan in Alabama. The difference were many. As perhaps usual for Muslims fasting in a non-Muslim country, we did not hear any form of Azan to signify the breaking of fast unlike here in Singapore where everyone would tune in to Radio Warna for that significant moment. What we had was a printout of the solat times that includes imsak from the local mosque, and we rely on that religiously.
We did not break fast with family members. It was a rather quiet Ramadan, breaking fast with hubby alone. And when hubby is on night shift, it would just be me. We hadn't train Afzal then to fast, and usually he would have had his dinner by then. This was something I missed most.
One major difference would be the fact that during buka, it was my home-cooked meals daily. Unlike here, there were no visits to any bazaars for any Ramadan specialty. Though we did not really crave for anything special, I remembered the nasi ambeng at the Jurong West bazaar and the bubur masjid plus air kathira. And hubby remembered this one food that he would usually have once during Ramadan which he did not get a taste of it at all last year - bubur sum sum. Up till today which is already 23 days of fasting, hubby already had his bubur sum sum, and I still hadn't got my nasi ambeng from that Jurong West bazaar.
This year, our break fast were mostly outside or at our parent's home with the exception for a few days that I cook that I could count with one hand alone.
There are other things that I knew I wanted to do during Ramadan, but somehow, never get around to doing it. And these are important things I feel for my own personal and spiritual development. But what I fear is I may get lost again in this world-chasing thing or in this hurried lifestyle that I'm having which I know is not an excuse for my own inadequacy and lack of effort on my part.
Oh Allah swt, give me strength, give me your mercy and give me your compassion for I'm such an inadequate being of yours.
No comments:
Post a Comment