Ramadan- The hidden treasure
Thirst in Ramadan
Still a few hours till the clock would tick 6 pm, the time where all muslims in Egypt will drink their first sip of water since 4 a.m. almost 14 hours of hard work, schools, driving, cooking, studying... whatever stuff they had to do during such a hot sunny summer day- today.
If you asked any one around here right now: what do you wish for? They'd immediately answer: a sip of cold delicious water! Yes, after being deprived of water for so many hours, it suddenly becomes "delicous" in the eyes of thirsty creatures as ourselves.
However, after not eating or drinking for so many hours we'd usually feel our grumpy nature showing when dealing with others. Our patience gets thinner and thinner. Then amidst the thirst, grumpiness, impatience and fatigue, we find ourselves calm and peaceful. So peaceful that we don't give away to our inner urge to answer back, stare back, or bother any person on the way. It's like we're telling them; "Harm me all you want and for as long as you want, I will forgive you. I need God's forgiveness so much and I won't get it unless I forgive everyone else."
Happiness in Ramadan
As the minutes tick away, it gets nearer to 6, and a feeling of happiness overwhelms me. Not because I'll drink & eat in a few minutes, no, but because I'm so tired and exhausted just to please Allah. I stare into space, with my ached head I'd think: All this is for You Allah, please accept the good deeds I have done today for Your sake, and then I'd ask for anything I want... anything... and I swear that it's a matter of months till my wish gets fulfilled infront of my eyes.
I forget almost everything I ask for, after a few days, so that when they're answered later, I never remember that this was my prayer just a few months ago! So this year I decided to write them all down, so that when they're answered I'd remember and celebrate the beautiful feeling of your simple prayers getting answered.
Helping in Ramadan
You might have noticed the Ramadan food bags that are getting packed in almost every street in Cairo. Thousands and thousands of huge bags full of food supplies that would fit a whole month are being distributed and spread to almost every poor family in every neighborhood.
The way we've done it here was so cooperative.
1-Girls make the money deals at the markets to get the highest quality with the lowest prices
2-Guys would unpack them from their cartons
3- Girls would pack them in bags, one bag for every family, in a very organized way.
4- Guys would carry the bags to their cars and hand them to the families at their doorstep.
and didn't you notice young men wearing the same colored t-shirts standing on street sideways with bottles of cold water, dates and fresh juice at exactly 6 pm so that if any one was late getting home to eat, they'd just stretch their hand out of their car window and the young man would give him everything for FREE. Just for the sake of doing something good, not wanting anything in return.
Togetherness in Ramadan
Families who haven't seen each other for ages gather around the same table eating delicious food- together. They'd joke, laugh, and have all the fun you could imagine. When they'd leave at midnight, it's like they're flying, like nothing is more joyable than a huge family of all ages, sitting almost on top of eachother in a not so big home.
At 6 pm, my little family of 5 would gather around our table and we'd all eat together. At non-Ramadan days, each of us would just eat whenever he/she gets hungry. Don't have to wait for the other to come. It's a normal day, not Ramadan.
Prayers in Ramadan
After you've ate, drank and had your cup of tea, then comes the need for peace again.
-You can never have enough of it, can you? of wanting more closeness and getting more exhausted for Allah. Haven't you had a hard day already? You need a rest... go take a nap.
-No, my rest is there.
-where?
-behind that man with the most beautiful musical voice in reciting the Qur'aan.
-But you'll stand on your bare legs for 2 whole hours!
- It's worth it. I wouldn't miss listening to him for the world. and the feeling when standing next to almost a thousand others, not knowing any of them, yet having the heart and unity of one man, is a treasure only a fool would sleep and miss it!
-Take me with you. Will I feel it? Like you do?
-You will, if you lose all your barriers. If you throw every ego you have away. If you tell yourself: Allah, here I come. Accept me!
The Imam I pray behind for 2 hours (called the TARAWIH prayer) is a student in medicine school. Thousands of people pray behind him. His voice is the most beautiful I have ever heard. I don't know how he does it, but just from the fatiha, I find myself lost in the prayer, not wanting to leave.
I may come again with more about Ramadan. Today is the 4th day and already I am grieving for the moment when the last day arrives.A day very similar to taking a loved one to the airport, letting him leave, not knowing when you'd ever- if ever- live to see him again.
Meanwhile, till I come again, why not listen to a child reciting the Qur'aan. This is my first time to listen to a child reciting so beautifully as this one:
http://s20.photobucket.com/albums/b250/noour/?action=view¤t=Child.flv
Wishing everyone a lovely, blessed, forgiving and peaceful Ramadan!
First post..happy me ;)
very nice post..I like the peace u have in the bottom of ur heart..every single word u say shows how much u feel everything u ought to do..u just do it happily..good for u..not every1 feel that way..
BTW..I've just read an old comment of urs in my blog..the one abt ElAkkad's book u've been reading..haven't noticed it be4..and let me tell ya..LOOOOOOOOL..so it's not only my problem..wade7 enno fe3lan esm 3ala mosama :)..his novel sarah is very complicated..even Naguib..he's not that difficult..but still I don't understand everything he says..u know..his descriptions and expressions..I hate it when I don't understand every single word in a book..so bad wallahy..I think I need to refresh my Arabic by studying with my sisters..
anyway..Happy Ramadan dear
Posted by
Less than perfect |
8:28 PM
May peace be upon your souls, hearts, minds, and bodies... Amen.
"You fight all year. Jihaad. Struggle in the way of Allah.
As I say this, should I be running from the FBI now? Some elements have successfully hijacked the beautiful word of Jihaad and tainted it with horrific acts of terrorism. But nonetheless, one’s gotta do what one’s gotta do. And that is ‘Jihaad’.
In this month of Ramzaan, Ramadhaan or however you want to spell it, you get to get back to the training grounds. Practice. To be perfect. In struggling towards the One and Only. Yes! Pray, seculde yourself, pray some more. Ask and get. Simple.
Weeding in progress… may the blessings of this great month be upon us all! Aameen SumAameen."
http://www.momekh.com/blog/
Posted by
sara |
8:49 PM
Ramadan indeed is a treasure, I enjoyed reading as I do relate to alot of this post. especially prayer time... peace time.
God bless you dear and reward us all. Kol sana wenty tayeba :)
Posted by
Nesrina |
12:16 AM
may i ask what is the mosque you are praying in the "Tarawee7" ?
because i dont know where i could find a good voice to pray behind ??
i used to go pray the last year in Masaken sheraton in a mosque called "Al Sedeek" the Imama Voice was coming from heaven , but now masaken sheraton is so far from me, if i know a mosque near masr el Gedeeda or something.
the Good voice of Imam increases my "khoshoo3" in the prayer.
Posted by
salateenoo |
2:28 PM
Wow , you have touched my heart with your words about Ramadan , you really did , this is my first year to pray Tarawih and i enjoyed it very much and your descreption of it is exactly what I feel.
And the good that you see in the streets this year made me feel that I am in Seaudi Arabia , all people want to help and do something good for god.
It is a wonderful ramadan this year I am really enjoying every moment in it.
Posted by
Unknown |
4:12 PM
Ramadan Kareem Scribbling mind :) I envy you for being in Egypt and I'm so far away from the Ramdan tradition
Posted by
Twosret |
8:11 PM
Beautiful post- it's always nice to be reminded what a blessed month ramadan is.
Ramadan Kareem
Posted by
Anonymous |
11:09 AM
That is a wonderful post dear! You describe the situations so lovingly - it shows you have a very beautiful soul!!
The kid is amazing ... I could hardly believe my ears!!
Thanks so much for sharing!! :)
RAMADAN KARIM DEAR!!
Posted by
Karin |
11:22 AM
Beautiful post- it's always nice to be reminded what a blessed month ramadan is.
Ramadan Kareem
Posted by
Anonymous |
11:25 AM
Each of your words enlightened my heart so much so I'll have to answer you all separately to have all the space I want! Forgive my talkative nature, hehe :)
Enny Rahela,
I do pray for everyone to feel it that way... With every Ramadan day that is gone I think to myself: One more day gone that will not come back, Have I done good on that day? Usually the answer is NOT GOOD ENOUGH, and I'd eagerly wait for the next day hoping to do better. All I wish for is for Allah to give us the strength to give it our best shot during those holy days.
HAHA The Akkad Incident... After giving up on 2 books of his, I decided to buy his autobiography (Part 1 and 2). Don't you think if he talks about his life since childhood he'd be simpler in his language and I'd actually UNDERSTAND a whole sentence or for my good luck, a whole paragraph LOL! Bossy, after Ramadan when I dig myself into his diaries I'll tell my educated and very professional opinion hehe!
Posted by
Jannah |
10:17 AM
Sara,
Thank you for connecting us with such a post about Ramadan. Jihaad is not about war or fighting. Jihaad means struggle- mostly inner struggle.
When I say: Allah help me in my Jihad, it means help me in my inner struggle with myself to be on the straight path so I'm struggling with my self who'd rather sleep, watch tv, go out, and not do anything precious in Ramadan!
I read a post of Karin's once where she clarified the true meaning of the word Jihaad found here: http://1158munich.blogspot.com/2006/09/pope-benedikt-islam-is-religion-of.html
Posted by
Jannah |
10:29 AM
Nesrina
Thank you so much for your lovely words :)
I hope we'd all continue feel this lovely peace during Tarawih till the end of Ramadan inshAllah. Wenty tayeba ya gameel, w Ramadan yet2abbel menena kolena ya rab
Posted by
Jannah |
10:31 AM
Salateeno
How nice to see you here! I hope your Ramadan days have improved inshAllah? Please tell us soon on your blog 3ashan nettamen bas.
What a coincidence! The mosque I mentioned in my post is ABU BAKR ALSADEEK in Sheraton! I am totally addicted to the last 4 rak'aahs which are the ones when the student steps up after the 2 old imams have finished the first 4 rak'aahs. His voice takes us to heaven knows where!
Ok I don't know where you live but here are a list of other mosques who I guarantee have beautiful pure voices in reciting the qur'aan:
In Nasr City:
1- masjid Bilal bin Rabaha (3and Egypt Air osad wonderland, 3abbas el 3akkad), Sheikh Reda
2- masjid Sallam (fi akher share3 hassan ma2moon), Sheikh Yasser Salama
3- masjid elHassan (fel 7ay eltamen), Sheikh Dr.Khaled aboshady
Outside Nasr City:
- Masjid Alrawwas (in sayeda zainab next to the Cancer hospital for children), Dr.Ragheb el sargany
Masr elgedeeda:
- Masjid Yusuf elsa7aby (in medan el hegaz), Sheikh Mostafa
I hope any of those masjids are nearer to your home. If they're not, tell me where is your neighborhood and I'll ask my friends if they can help with the place of a masjid inshAllah.
Rabena yorzo2ak khoshoo3 kol youm, w matensash plz ted3eely :)
Posted by
Jannah |
10:44 AM
Hechkok,
Your words affected me so much too! You are the third blogger I read saying that this Ramadan seems different. Like there's peace in the air- something only felt and experienced but hardly ever described.
I am thrilled that this is your first Ramadan to pray Tarawih. I remember 4 years ago when I first understood what Ramadan was all about and started praying tarawih. It was an incredible experience that I can never forget!
Congratulations dearest brother for experiencing Ramadan for what it truly is, and knowing that not much people have felt it yet! and remember, the key is to throw the world behind you and go to Him :)
Posted by
Jannah |
10:49 AM
Twosret
Thank you dear for your wishes. Yea you're away from here now but Egypt is always in your heart, more than those even living here! Hope you'd return to us soon and safely inshallah. Ramadan Kareem to you too :)
Posted by
Jannah |
10:52 AM
Karin- I love Munich,
It is I who believe that you have a pure beautiful soul, Thank you so much for passing by :)
I'm glad you liked the kid's recitation... I hope our kids would walk through a similar path as this little yet so brave child.
Posted by
Jannah |
10:57 AM
Ha ana za,
what a surprise! welcome to my blog :)
Ramadan Kareem to you too, Thank you!
Posted by
Jannah |
10:58 AM
Good day!
I need help with my crappy computer! It is always freezing when i open IE and going to MSN? What do you think?
By the way, I love that too! How did you find that?
See you soon! Girly Girl
how I make money with paid surveys
Posted by
Anonymous |
4:11 PM