Because evil tempts
Category: Angst/Anguish, Islam
I’m doing something wrong. Something very wrong. I should stop but I keep going back to it. I know the consequences it holds, and I still go back to it. Like a broken record, like an idiot.
I make resolutions, I decide to turn over a new leaf. Months later, my resolve breaks. I repent, regret and vow never to do it again. Over and over, time and time again.
And I think, am I really this weak?
I need to stop this. I need… Him. I need His help. I need Him to help me. If He wills. And I need to make an effort to make the change myself. Asking Him for help is one thing. But it’s no use if I just sit there and wait for it to come. I’d have to work towards it, and if He wills it’ll happen. It must be a test of some kind.
The first step is to admit you have a problem. This is mine.
Eid-ul-Fitr
Category: Islam, Walk of life
I can’t believe how quickly this Ramadan went by. The fasting from dawn to dusk has ended and Eid has come and gone. It all happened a little too quick in my opinion. This Eid was just three of us and my mom’s family. Everyone else has moved away.
Typically on the morning of Eid, the men get dressed, eat the sweets especially made for Eid, pay Sadaqah-ul-Fitr if they haven’t already before, and then go to the masjid for Eid salaah. Where I live, women don’t go to mosques for prayer (although they do at some selected places). After (or sometimes before) the men leave, the girls would get ready and offer Eid prayer in jamaat at home usually before the men came back.
Everyone looks and feels their best, every face has a noor or a light shining off and every eye has that happy twinkle.
That’s what I missed most. My brother, dad, and other cousins aren’t here. I missed rushing to get ready and finish prayer in time so we can hug and wish them the moment they came back. For my sisters and I, it’s a competition to see who wishes them first, and when we do we’re quite possessive and unwilling to let go. It’s a great feeling and it’s one of those few days my family actually feels like a real family. There’s a feeling of togetherness that other days can’t compare to.
The rest of the day would go by meeting and greeting people that either visited or were visited. Gifts are exchanged, as are heartfelt feelings and confessions. Again, that feeling of togetherness. Family portraits and photos are taken and sent to distant relatives and vice versa.
This year: no photos, no portraits, and hardly any visiting (since my brother and dad are the ones who would take us). No proof of Eid besides what was most obvious.
And the wonder remains in the fact that even without all of that, there was still that sense of joy that remained. Nothing could erase that feeling, or the spontaneous smiles and laughs. It may have felt surreal but it was still there. Such is the beauty of this day.
Eid Mubarak!
Eid Mubarak
Category: Islam, Walk of life
Its Bakrid again. I remember blogging about it last year, here. To quote:
“Eid ul-Adha, also known as Bakrid, or “Feast of Sacrifice”. It marks the end of Hajj or holy pilgrimage to Mecca (for those who don’t know). Usually on this day, muslims offer the Eid prayer and then make a ‘Qurban’ or sacrifice. It could be either a goat, a lamb or a camel and then give the meat to charity, family, friends and relatives (each having their own specific requirements).
I know some people would find it cruel sacrificing an animal. But we do it to show our obedience and love to Allah. The day also remembers an event in the past when Prophet Ibrahim (or Abraham, alaihi wassalaam) was commanded by Allah to sacrifice his son to show his love for Him. There are similar stories, as such, in Christianity or Jewish literature, but the versions vary.”
.. he never sacrificed his son, and instead a goat. I’m sure you’ll find the story familiar.
And it’s new years.. so Eid Mubarak to all my muslim friends and a Happy New Year!
Eid recapped
Category: Islam, Walk of life
Day before yesterday was Eid. It was really really fun dressing up. Must have been the highlight of the day because we wouldn’t stop joking around and making fun. My sisters and my brother and I were up the night before doing some last minute cleaning, putting on henna and getting everything ready for Eid. On Eid we have this special Eid prayer after which we wish everyone Eid Mubarak.
My mom made sheer kurma which I absolutely love. It’s an Indian/Pakistani delicacy made out of milk and samiya/bambinos. It’s tradition to make it especially on Eid. But when you go house to house meeting people, you tend to get sick of eating the same thing..
After my brother came back from Eid prayer at the masjid with his friends, people started coming over to meet us. In the mean time, everyone was getting ready to go out and meet relatives. I think we did that until 1-ish, meeting relatives from my dad’s side of the family. And then we came back home, and got ready to leave to meet my mom’s side of the family. They live an hour or so away, my mom wanted to spend the rest of the day there (since my dad wasn’t here).
There, my uncle kept cracking jokes and throwing hilarious questions at us .. making us laugh for God so long. Lunch wasn’t ready yet so him and some of my other cousins went out to get some samose, egg puffs, chips.. loads of junk food. We sat down to watch a movie, Angrez ..something (indian movie, but in English)… that’s when I dozed off along with my sisters and some of my cousins (the movie was actually hilarious but the stress got to us). We woke up in time to eat some awesome biryani and chicken <33.
I didn’t get to talk to my dad. I talked to him when it was Eid for him but not for us (Eid was on Monday for most of the middle east and the US, but on wednessday for India/Pakistan). I didn’t get alot of Eidi either (it’s a tradition to give money on Eid as presents), but then again, my dad hasn’t said anything about it yet, so there’s something to look forward to.
All in all this Eid was okay, prolly better than last Eid because my cousins and their family are here visiting, so it was fun.