Ramadan Mubarak
Another year in Johannesburg, completion of my second to be exact, but its my third Ramadan here. If people tell me once more that life gets easier remind me to cut them off from my life. Life doesn’t get easier, it gets weirder and at times harder.
Ramadan is one of those difficult times in the year. Times like these you wish you were at home surrounded by family. Mum who somehow even though she is working has food for iftaar ready, and dad who is always there making sure you wake up for sehri.
But truth be told, even though Ramadan is difficult alone, I love the month. It’s a time when I seek myself again. When I try and figure out who I am and where I want to be in the next year.
Ramadan for a person staying away from home always starts at least a few weeks earlier. Especially if they the unmarried ones [yes meaning me].
So what do I mean by weeks earlier. Well the usual preparations may happen at home as per normal, but ours begins with the first phone call from mother dearest. “You want samoosa’s, pies what else must I prepare for you.”
Dearest mum is trying to freezer pack everything she can for me. Which also means that a special trip to Durban would be needed to ensure that I collect everything or hopefully a friend will be able to bring it up.
But I’m the weird kind. I hate putting my mum out of her way so I tell her not to make everything and I will be fine. So I head to Durban over the long weekend for my cousins wedding and sure enough my mum has stuff ready for me. Not as much as the last two Ramadans, but enough that I know for at least 2 weeks I wont need any fries or pies.
Love my mum for doing this but there are also the calls from my aunts and most def my grandmother. Love them all to bits but seriously there is only so much place in my freezer and I share it with 2 other girls.
And the really really bad thing about it is that when I fast and I break fast I need FOOD. Not samoosas and pies but food. Yes I’m that kind of person. I wont need a lot but I will want and need food.
So the long rambling process that I am getting to is that people please check out Ramadan.co.za for full world coverage of this years fast. Get in touch with your spirituality, find some good recipes and live everyone’s experiences and understand the similarities and differences of Muslims from across the world.
Inshallah this year I hope to get a chance to blog from Maputo, Mozambique for the blog. Somehow I always get sent for work around Ramadan. I think it’s a test and I welcome the experience. Last year was Ghana, this year Mozambique…next year who knows.
Remember me in your duas and remember your fellow Muslims across the world.
Ramadan Mubarak!!!
Ramadaan Kareem 🙂
I just realised; we made Hajj in the same year! 🙂
This trip for Umrah next week is gna be the first time that Im going back.
Feeling many things..
Wishing you much peace this Ramadaan… Nice writing; glad that you're back to it
And to you babe. If you need someone to do sehri calls let me know. I'm pretty good at it 🙂
Ramadaan Mubarak to you too 😉
Ramadaan mubarak to you too 🙂 Use the time alone wisely -take advantage of the moments you get for self-reflection, because once you are married, or back with your family, the opportunities will be a lot less. (Not that that's a bad thing – it's just a natural progression in life).
I also need my food in Ramadaan 🙂 I know what its like to be alone for Ramadaan, but trust me, Eid alone is even worse!
Ramadaan Mubarak to you and yours. May you be blessed in more ways than you can imagine.
salmz.. Ramadaan Mubaruk to You ,
Hey, we must break fast together! You are pre-invited for dinner.
I totally know what you mean about being alone for Ramadaan. Oddly Sameer is also going to be away for a week of the fast, just like last year. What's up with that?
I have totally neglected the pies and samoosas dealio and will need to go shopping this weekend. Sookh, here I come…
thanks guys
Shafi – wasn't it amazing
Aasia – i should be ok but will let you know
Ari – wow you made an appearance, its been a while 🙂
thanks everyone
You won be alone cuz …you gots us (wen im outa quarantine -u gots me 2 )
lol
Ramadaan Mubarak n Juma'h Mubarak
Ramadaan Mubarak dear!
I don't have any fries/pies with me this year.
I'm totally doing Ramadaan the healthy way!
And you're not weird, I also don't like putting my mum and mum-in-law in the situation where they have to make stuff for me.
And I prefer food for Ramadaan anyway 😀
hey … U r so NOT alone, you have people who would only be honored for a few iftaars filled with your presence. Wicked wicked post, sounds like someone is about to head onto a SOUL searching journey. May this Ramadaan be the easiest ever 🙂
Great read, one thing i take from it is how thankful we all are to have such loving people in our lifes and your defiently blessed with the strength to be going it alone, i dont think i could.
Do check out my blog if you have a spare moment, the poem on faith may be of liking. Ramzan Mubarak