One might think it is a bit early to talk about repentance, considering there is still about a week to go before the ashara for forgiveness begins. All my life, the one thing that I probably would have been as punctual about as anything else that’s needed to see me through each day and night,…
As soon as offering the sunnah prayers after Ish’a was over, the lights in the mosque’s hall were dimmed. Only the ones in the courtyard and gallery stayed lit-up to give about enough light to know where your forehead hit the ground during sajda. Switching off the lights during Taraweeh is a very peculiar habit…
Rains during Ramadan evoke a strange feeling. A feeling which has nothing to do with the irony of being in a downpour while abstaining from drinking water during the day. Unlike the torment of summers or the ease of winters, fasting during rains is strangely fulfilling. Not that the feeling is missed out during other…
In the Urdu speaking part of the world which I belong to, we have something that’s called: ش ق درست “sheen qaaf durust” The Urdu alphabets sheen (ش) and qaaf (ق) have, from since I can remember, held the yardstick by which we have measured social currency. The good thing is that this has nothing…
Looking back over the past month, I realize that the pattern with which I practiced Ramadan has seeped in quite well into this blog too. That may have been one of the objectives of this blog, although I’m not so sure if I would’ve wanted it to display itself in this manner: the manner with…
“Hum internet par bhi hain!” With an outstretched arm offering a patta heaped with seekh kebabs and sliced onions dipped in coriander and chilly chutney, the kebabchi looked quite happy seeing me take a photograph of his shop. The internet has still got a long, really long way to go in India. You have this…
Seema is a lawyer who spends most of her day attending courtroom proceedings and preparing for them in lawyers’ chambers. Here she shares how she goes about fasting in the midst of leading the ‘normal’ professional life she is used to during the rest of the year. This just reminded me of a similar time…
In all these years of observing fast during Ramadan, I’m yet to figure out if it is best to have dinner before Taraweeh — the special prayers during Ramadan which are said after Ish’a (on an average, they are around an hour long) — or after Taraweeh. Those who have dinner before, go in with…
The spirit of giving and sharing during Ramadan reflects beautifully in this incident shared by Sameera. I was just talking about a coincidence in my last post, and here comes along another such unexplainable and heartwarming coincidence. Her name is NoorJehan. And she is going to wear a glittery yellow suit this Eid. NoorJehan has…
“Assalam alaikum. Arey, yahaan kaise?” “Bas Iftar ka iraada se aaj Nizamuddin aaya tha. Aap Iftar kahan kar rahe hain?” “Yahin aage mera kamra hai, Dilli jab bhi aata hoon, yahin rehta hoon.” “Toh phir saath hi Iftar kar lete hain?” I’d met him in person for the first time a few weeks back, although…