Through the Mind’s EyeRamadan Kareem to all [Archives:2007/1085/Community]

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September 13 2007

Maged Thabet Al-kholidy
[email protected]

Firstly, Ramadan Kareem to all dear readers. Most of us welcome this holy month with a strong faith that it comes with goodness and an inherent welfare for all.

There are many good features of this month. Working, however, to some people, is a source for disturbance, while to others, work has many positive aspects. Especially on the first days, work threatens the rest of some people particularly those who spend the whole night chewing Qat or watching TV. On the other hand, it proves to be significant for a perfect fasting, and for many, it has social and health benefits.

Let us take a day as a model for the whole month. On one of the first few days, some of us may feel lazy and not go to work, thinking that it is a holy month and that there is no need. The alarm clock suddenly rings. It is very disturbing and respects none. It must be kicked out, or better switched off, some of us may say: sleeping is sweeter than usual.

Modern clocks have a facility that gives a “snooze” for some time more (usually ten minutes). For ten minutes maximum, the clock rings again. “Oh damn”, they may say, thinking again to kick it out. The only thing that reminds them is the calmness inside and outside of there homes. “It is Ramadan”, they finally realize.

Having realized the time, one may start hesitating to go to work on the claim to save the fast. The work obligations shake their situation. Hunger, thirst, sun heat are some excuses they think of to convince themselves not to go. But no, many things at work force them to wake up.

Unwillingly, they wake up, cursing work, and sometimes abusing time that obliges them to hurry up. Having prepared themselves to venture out of their homes, they feel that they are going to the hell.

The daily routines at work start. They feel lazy and bored to do anything. By force they start doing their duties. But the more they work, the more active they feel. Time passes fast, as if they weren't thinking about anything at all.

The noon prayer takes sometime. Work tension is released by a spiritual mode in the prayer. Soon they work again with a will to do their best since finishing their tasks takes less hours during Ramadan in comparison with the other months.

Nothing stops them but the clock that reminds them of work's end. There might be some work left, however they do not leave it since they are still feeling like champions. Sometimes they even stay at work even if there is no noon prayer, this, however, never does happen in the other months. The afternoon prayer refreshes their minds. They start thinking of visiting friends, shopping, reading Quara'an etc, even doing all these at once.

Having a walk is interesting and wonderful. It gives them a chance to go many places that they might have been thinking to go for a year or more before. Through this they realize how people, poor and rich live, and how all cooperate to have a stable life during the holy month. This happens not only during Ramadan, but they never notice that since they keep themselves busy with the daily routines.

In this month they come closer to realize the situation of poorer people, and it is time to support them with charity. It is only now, they feel that they are in a better situation and, subsequently, thank Allah too much.

They reach home slowly, and calmly. They meet family members with a soft sound and a tone of respect. They laugh, joke, and sometimes play. Either reading Qua'ran or watching TV is the best thing to do in the time before breakfast. It seems interesting to them and they enjoy so. Breakfast time soon comes. They are not in a hurry to have the breakfast. They are not so hungry or even thirsty as they were thinking in the morning. On the contrary, they feel happy for doing many things that are rarely done in other months. They wish as if the whole year is Ramadan through the mind's eye.

Majed Thabet Al-kholidy is a writer from Taiz, currently doing his M.A. at English Dep, Taiz Uni. He is an ex-editor of English Journal of the University.
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