Sunday, August 12, 2012

The blessed month of Ramadan

Hi, everyone “Ramadan Mubarak”
The blessed month of Ramadan is here again. Hundreds of millions of Muslims will fast for a month. Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam.
I’m too busy to write a post, but I make time for the Ramazan post and sharing my thinking about blessed month. I meet blessed month of Ramadan 40th Times. How about You?? Was fast 32 years of Months of Ramazan? My mom told me I started fasting while I’m six years old. 
Blessed Month of Ramazan
The holy month of Ramadan is a very important month for Muslim because the first verses of the Holy Qur'an were revealed to Prophet Muhammad during a period of meditation and solitude in a cave near Mecca in the 7th Century. Therefore, Ramadan has been set aside for acts of worship and fasting. Muslims spend the month in meditation, prayer and abstinence from food, drinks, smoking and sexual acts between dawn and dusk.
The fast, during this month, is intended to be a challenging act taking the believer to a higher level of closeness to God. Some of the expected outcomes are cleansing of the soul by staying away from worldly pleasures, practicing self-discipline, sacrifice, generosity and charity.
In Maldives People get started preparing Ramazan one month before.  Some people Change their kitchen and house Furniture, Wall colors, Brought food stock like egg Case, Noodles case ect…
We change our old wall colors to latest new one. Kids love the colors. Now I love the new look of our home sweet home.
My Goals to set for this special ramazan.
-          Memorizing New surah
-          Possible to make going to Taraweeh Parayer once a week congregation
-          Reading Qur’an every day and complete it during the Month.
-          Forgive everyone who has hurt me
-          Invite Our Extended Family to the Feast
-          Almsgiving
Day Time
With the fasting day being 18 hours long and there is no one waking up early? And if you go out it’s like its dawn and you’re the early bird. We enjoy a small time of sleep after “Fathis” Prayer. In our family we wake up between 8 and 8:30 a.m. because we have to go Office after drop our son to school.
Normally some people wake for “Luhaa” prayer and started read Qur’an. During the month, Muslims try to read as much of the Qur'an as they can. Most try to read the whole book at least once. Some spend part of their day listening to the recitation of the Qur'an in a mosque.
Ramazan on  Full Moon
After “Asuru prayer” people get active, started brought food stuff in home for preparing breakfast. Mostly leader of the family (Father) went Market and bring it home. All the shops markets are full of people, jammed vehicles, that’s you can see in the evening commonly. Younger people started their “Fini buru” Motor bike ridding around the city. Father or Grandfather went playground with kids and flying kites or went Motor bike ride. Women’s are busy to preparing breakfast while they are listening and watching locals programs specially telecast during the ramazan. Some are sms to participating the program and win daily gifts. Some people things its not good things to do during the ramazan. Some people are against the locals channels programs. Anyways I don’t have much time to spend watching channels. My time is managed already.
We back to home around 15:10 after “asuru prayer” I started prepared our meal of the day. My son love Chicken Burger with Cold Milo. My husband is on diet so; I have to prepare him the things he required to eat. He loves Oat porridge, Fresh Fruit, Date, 10 egg white and black coffee. For me I prepared Milk coffee, hot chicken noodles with green salad.
After prepared Our Meal I always see outside from my balcony. That last 10 minutes before the call to prayer that marks sundown.  The streets start to empty I can count the people and Vehicles crossing the road easily. Then after the call to prayer, town went in silent mode. The next minute it’s like that dream where you are the last person on earth.  Savor the moment.
Some days, I can see the traffic Police Officers park their van and took their meals and started feast sitting in the hut in the children playground place. I love to break my fast in the balcony my companions are Beautiful sunrays, Dates and a glass of water. Its feel me good after busy day!!
 “O Allah! For you have I fasted and upon your sustenance have I broken my fast” don’t forget recite this while you break your fast. 
Feast
Here Breakfast (Roadha Veelun) time is 18:21 p.m.  Feast time is such a family oriented event in Maldives, and there is always much care and love put into food preparation.   Some people took a small meal at break fast and another meal they took after Tharaaveeh Prayer, it’s called “Tharaavees”.  
"Break your fast with a date or with water because it is pure." Its  is almost the same for the whole country, some kind of Mashuni or boiled eggs, Roshi, Short eats, and Fruit Fresh Juice (Fani) specially water melon Fani is most popular item that every family like to add their feast.    If you want to have a very Maldivian experience this is definitely it.
Yummy! Dates
Large number of Maldivian Break their feast in local restaurant. during the ramazan restaurant , Café’ even City Hotels Provide Feast their “Ramazan special Menu “  so, Families, Office staffs, Friends  book in the place they like with their budget and gathered for feast time. Every where you can experience it. I love took my breakfast with my family. What about you??
An Family enjoying their Feast
Night Time
During the Ramazan, the nights are the real days.  There are Taraweeh prayers in every major mosque in Maldives. Taraweeh prayer is prayed after the Isha prayer in the Mosque in congregation. This is the prayer, larger number of Maldivians conducted year round so I can see why people would want to see what it’s like. 
Islamic Centre ( The Largest Mosque In Maldives)
Commonly Middle age of woman Pray in the house, but some older woman and children’s went mosque for praying. Most Mosque of the Maldives provided Private space for woman’s who want join the pray. Anticipation for the Taraweeh prayers, the thought of standing with thousands of sisters and hearing the imam’s beautiful recitation of Quran, thinking to myself, there’s nowhere I’d rather be. I don’t get much chance to pray in mosques, what with the kids and all, but when I do, I enjoy every minute.
After the prayers, the streets, cafes and shops come to life all over again. Crowded people enjoying the night shopping, is what you see all around the capital City.

Late night dinner (Haaru) Maldivians gather their family after 2 hours or maybe 3 hours of sleep, some people went the mosque for “Dhamunamaadhu”and came back to home and have their Dinner before “Imsaak” and again get ready to go Fajr Prayer. Maldivian style of Late night dinner must be Fihunu Mas, bayh with Garudhiiya.
 “The Night of Power”
The last ten days of Ramadan are a time of special spiritual power as everyone tries to come closer to God through devotions and good deeds.
Laylat al-Qadr is a holy night. All nights of Ramadan are holy nights but Laylat al-Qadr is the holiest night of this holy month. No one knows what was the direct night, It in odd numbers of the last 10 days of the months. Allah (S.W.A) hides the direct day for greatest reason.  It is also the holiest night among all other holy nights throughout the entire year.
"The Night Of Power” Every worship performed increases the spiritual power of people and in this night any worship is going to be valued as one thousand months of worshipping on any other night. It is condensed power. God, the Almighty, makes it a mighty night by placing in it such incredible power, making it a much mightier night than other nights. Allah Almighty says it is much more valuable than one thousand months of worshipping. That means Allah Almighty granted such huge power to that night. Therefore many Muslims spend the entire night in prayer.
Time to Zakat
One of the most important principles of Islam is that all things belong to God, and that wealth is therefore held by human beings in trust. The word zakat means both 'purification' and 'growth'. Our possessions are purified by setting aside a proportion for those in need, and, like the pruning of plants, this cutting back balances and encourages new growth.
Each Muslim calculates his or her own zakat individually. For most purposes this involves the payment each year of two and a half percent of one's capital. A pious person may also give as much as he or she pleases as sadaqa, and does so preferably in secret. Although this word can be translated as 'voluntary charity' it has a wider meaning. The Prophet said 'even meeting your brother with a cheerful face is charity.'
I must say this ramazan is the best one I ever have :)  Insha Allah, I’m looking forward next Ramazan. I’m Addicted. May Allah accept our fasting and save us for this and the next Ramadan. Amin.
Thank you! That you take your valuable time and read my blog post. Be blessed :)
"Have a happy and blessed Ramadan."
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