Another Beginning

Assalamualaikum

This was always going to be a year of change. I knew that. A year back (lol). But I wasn't prepared for the extremity of the new-ness.

I now sit in a different room, a different house, a different neighbourhood, a different city and a different country.

A different country. That's the important bit.

Nothing is the same. Not even the clouds. You should check out the clouds here. That's the first thing I noticed about this city.

The second really really weird thing about here is the sun beating down at 7pm in the evening! Imagine that.

Thirdly, the length of fasts here! 5.20 am suhoor time ends, and fasting begins. Ends at 8.45 pm!!

Water is drunk directly from the taps. I still need to get used to that taste.

All nationalities converge in the masjid for iftaar and taraweeh.. :). Loved that bit!

Welcome to America.

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Ramadan Reminder

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Life as I know it

Scene 1

Constant bribing and cajoling going on in the house. The kid is not eating mango and he's not drinking milk.Uni enters the scene. A glad smile appears on the mother's face.

Mother: Uni is watching you. Now she will see whether you drink this milk or not, till the very end. And she will clap. And she will see whether you reach the end and eat the sugar at the end.
Kid (who had been refusing this up till now): *reaches for the glass*
Mother: *elated*
Uni: *smiling*

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Scene 2

Alarm in the mobile phone rings. Uni zonked out. Doesn't even reach for the phone. It's tahajjud time. Sleep, sleep, all she wants is to sink in the bed and sleep. Suddenly...

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Water hits her face. Cold water. Tipped right on her face. Spluttering in surprise, she opens her eyes to glare ahead. A voice nearby whispers:

"It's Sunnah."

*starts smiling reluctantly*

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Scene 3

Tahajjud time again. Two human beings have their hands up in dua'a, and one is speaking out loud.

One: O Allah, let today's dinner event be free of any worries.
The other: Ameen
One: O Allah, let today's dawat be a source of pleasure and may none of your rules be breached in this dawat.
The other: Ameen.
One: Please by your Grace, do not let any baypardagi (exposure to na mahrams) happen in this dawat.
The other: Ameeeeeeeeen.

Dinner time. When that place was reached, it was observed that the place where there was no concept of segregation, everybody somehow melted into their own genders! Women went to eat separately, men separately. All of them respected the purdah issue.

:-)
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Scene 4:

Pep talk between two humans on the night of 19th.

One: You're my brother
Brother: Yeah...
One: But you're still a na-mahram
Brother: Okay.
One: Just respect that
Brother: Sure man. It's weird.
The two hug.

:D
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Life as I know it.... is beautiful in its own special way. Alhamdulillah.

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