Bits and pieces from past Ramadhan

Bismillah.

Wishing all Muslim readers "Ramadhan Kareem"! May we take maximum advantage in these 30 days by doing more good, improve what is lacking and make this holy month full of blessing as a turning point in doing so, InsyaAllah. Reminder to myself and all.

Being in this fasting month, at times childhood memories will come and knock our doors...

...vision blurring...

...It took hours for my parents to wake us kids up for sahur. The process was long. To shake us up from sleep was one thing, to get us to the bathroom to wash our sleepy face was another. And from bathroom to the dining table not to forget (since each of us would try our luck to slip away and get back to bed or sneaked out to sleep on the sofa). When everyone was there at the table, it was unusually quiet for a family with five small kids. Yes, we were all there sitting but our eyes still shut. Even if we were eating, we chewed our food in slow motion with eyes closed or half opened. And sometimes our parents would took our zombi face pictures cause they know we hated it and to make sure we are awake and finish the food.

May Allah bless our parents for their efforts in moulding us with constant patience. ;')

Rasulullah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Have your pre-dawn meal (sahur) because there is a blessing at the pre-dawn meal time.”

(Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim)  

The Prophet recommended taking the sahur (night-time meal). He said:"Do not miss the sahur for it is blessed; take even a mouthful of water. God and his angles greet those who take their sahur."

Now that I am no longer that kid, I started to appreciate sahur as it helps me to go through the day better. For me having sahur before fasting would automatically tell my mind that I am prepared and ready to go down the battlefield, to face the day of hunger and abstinence. Even when in boarding school or in campus, being away from my parents, I still wake up for sahur. And Alhamdulillah, I am glad that I was placed with roommates who appreciate the same. Sometimes we went out to mamak stall at around 4am in the morning just to have sahur since there was no food at home. Sadly, some youngsters don't even bother to wake up for sahur. May Allah guide them.

I had experienced sahur in my mother's hometown in Pulau Sebatik in Tawau, Sabah. It is a small village and the local community would assign people to go around the village about an hour before sahur time by pickup truck and let the Qur'an recitation or selawat from the cassette blared from the speaker to wake the whole village up for sahur. Cool huh? Not that we can find that here in the city area. hehe. 

So, Muslimin and Muslimat, try to make your sahur even if it's just a gulp of water. 

Have a productive day and smile always! (: