RAMAZAN VIBES
Ramazan is in full swing and we know you all are reaping the spiritual benefits and enjoying the culinary delights peculiar to the holy month. Us spoke to a cross section of young people to find out what they like about Ramazan. Here goes…
Food, first and foremost. I know I am supposed to say it’s the spirituality of the month, and I really respect it and love it. But, you know, pakoras only taste so good in Ramazan. It’s amazing how we eat fruit chat, cholay and dahi baray almost every day! In normal days, I cannot eat anything daily even if I like it. Ramazan is a month of joy for me, and I enjoy every moment of it.
Sarah Hyder, Quetta
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I love everything about this holy month. Well, perhaps not getting up for sehri that much, but it is a sunnat, so even if I sleep late, I make it a point to get up and have water and dates to see me through my roza.
Rabia Nasir, Hub
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What I like best about Ramazan is the absence of shaitan. In normal days, it’s an effort to get up for fajr prayers, and there are times when I just don’t get up, because I feel too lazy and sleepy most mornings. I have a problem with my sleep cycle which means I cannot go to sleep till 3 a.m. most nights. But, in Ramazan, even when I fall asleep after 3 a.m., I get up for sehri, and offer my prayers. So, for me, the best part of Ramazan is we don’t have to fight with shaitan.
Razia Qureshi, Karachi
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Iftari. I could say I enjoy fasting, but the best part is breaking the fast. I love iftari and that is something you only get in Ramazan. Also, I think in Ramazan our routine becomes very good. Eating at time, and not snacking throughout the day is good for health and weight. Going to mosque for all the prayers you can is spiritually elevating and I feel I develop a connection with the mosque.
Khizer Nadeem, Karachi
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I know it’s bad of me, but other than Ramazan, I hardly recite the Quran. It’s not that I don’t try, but something or the other happens when I think of reading the Quran. In Ramazan, I think because the devil is under constraint, I manage to read a lot. I make it a point to do a complete read of the Quran at least one time. So, for me, Ramazn’s best gift is the time I spend with the Quran.
Shehla Ahmed, Lahore
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First of all, I would like to say that all of us who fast are blessed. Allah has given us the gift of this month to rejuvenate our souls. Unfortunately, for most of us Ramazan has become all about food. I love Ramazan because I get more time to pray. There are hardly any distractions because people don’t keep events like birthday parties. I avoid iftar parties, too, because I think it is too much work for the hosts and they cannot concentrate on prayers. It’s a beautiful month and we all should do our best to get the maximum benefits out of it by praying for forgiveness and helping people we can.
Ghazala Begum, Karachi
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Honestly, before Ramazan starts, I sort of dread it because I eat almost every hour. I love snacking and not eating is very difficult for me. But, once I start fasting, I acquire control. At iftar time, I realise that one of the blessings of Ramazan is that we think about those who don’t have that much to eat. Acquiring empathy is the best thing in Ramazan for me.
Kausar A, Baltistan
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I love everything about the holy month and wait for it. Every year that I get Ramazan, I feel I have been given an opportunity to correct myself. I enjoy waking up for sehri and making iftari (Yes, guys can make good food, too). It is a month for reciting and understanding Quran, but who said we cannot enjoy ourselves by eating what we love?
Khalid Anwer, Rawalpindi
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I think I love my short and long naps the most during Ramazan. Habitually, I don’t sleep during the day but come Ramazan all habits fly out the window. After coming home from my college, I pray for a while then go to sleep. I get up refreshed and since Mummy makes iftari, I just read the Quran till it’s time to break my fast. And, let me tell you what I do after Maghrib prayers: I take a nap! I don’t whether it’s just me, or others also who enjoy taking naps during the roza.
Shazeen Ali, Lahore
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Well, I love so many things about Ramazan! The paratha omelette and lassi sehri! Then the food that is particular to Ramazan like the pakoray, samosay, rolls, alu cholay, dahi baray, etc. And the red sherbet that I can only drink at iftari.
Ahsan Waheed, Rawalpindi
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Ramazan is a busy and exciting time for me. My sisters come to Karachi to spend the last ten days with us and my mother goes overboard with food! It’s fun praying with my sisters in the last ten days. Oh, and the frenzy of shopping till the chand raat! Ramazan is beautiful.
Afshan A, Karachi
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During Ramazan, I try to control my anger even when people provoke me. I am the youngest in my family and my siblings like to lord it over me. They make me do their work like making their journals because my drawing is good, and pressing their clothes. When I protest, they make me miserable by ignoring me. I often get angry and shout at them because I lose control, but one Ramazan, about two years ago, I got very angry and said things to my elder sister that I am still ashamed of. Then my mother explained to me that roza is not just about food; it teaches us to think about others and getting angry is not seemly when you are fasting. I got what she meant and I always try to be patient and courteous even when I refuse to do my siblings’ bidding. I think controlling my temper is something I learned during the holy month. Now, even after Ramazan, I try to be patient and avoid fighting.
Amna Khan, Karachi
