Enlightenment, Eateries and Eid!

A month of savouries, a season of festivities. 

The Islamic month of Ramadan brings with it the grand festival of Eid and our city is covered beneath its veil of love, compassion, selflessness, kindness and most of all, happiness With Eid here, every family is preparing to devour the best of confectionaries and gourmet and look their best. 

Dangling glittery bangles, dazzling dresses, sleek kurtas and heavenly food. Let’s see how people are celebrating Eid this year

Of love, affection and oneness 

“As it’s a blessed month that comes once a year, I try to grab the opportunity and make it to the fullest. One major lifestyle change I would say is where the whole family eats together! 

Everybody is busy with their schedules these days, but during Ramadan, all of us have our meals together with an equal amount of love, affection, and oneness! That’s what Ramadan is all about! I focus on making the meals healthier, where I include lots of fruits.
 
Eid starts with the morning prayers followed by greeting all my loved ones! We have lunch at our place where our family gathers for feasting, exchange of gifts and blessings!! And not to forget, the Sheer Khorma which we can’t wait to have!! 

There’s a different feeling altogether about Ramadan. The best being feeding the poor and providing them with the basic amenities which we take for granted. It gives you a feeling of contentment and gets you closer to the Almighty. 

Through these positive actions, may Allah accept our fasts, prayers and may we continue to be on his right path always. Aameen.  Ramadan Mubarak All!”    - Hajira Jung

Eradicate sins

“The holy month, although only 30 days long, has the longest impact on our years. 

Once the good deeds are inculcated in our schedules, the rest of the year feels incomplete and unjustified. 

The spirit of Ramadan, however short, has a special meaning to me and I tend to carry it in my heart throughout the calendar. 

Fasting is a must, and I have always made sure I observe all my fasts in the healthiest and fittest form. Ramadan is not only about prohibiting yourself from eating, it is about reducing and eventually eradicating all the sins that can ever, plague your life.

Eid is always a fun festival. There is just something about these mornings every year that gives the day a kickstart. 

A lot of food, fancy clothes, gifts, laughter, a cheerful ambiance and an outburst of happiness, these are just some of the few things that make this holy day a great festival for us. 

It is essential to note that having a family full of grownups, I feel privileged to witness this occasion as everyone travels down to one spot, to cherish memories and to live as a family once again.”    - Zaid Syed

Spiritual reflection

“Ramadan to me is a holy month of spiritual reflection. I feel closest to Allah in this particular time phase. This month gives me the greater joy of being a devout Muslim because I get to observe an important pillar of Islam that is fasting. Therefore, this month gives me spiritual and religious satisfaction. 

My daily schedule and body time clock completely changes during the month of Ramadan. The most obvious lifestyle change is abstaining from food and drink. 

I usually prefer not to go out during the day and avoid watching any movies or listening to any songs. I also make a conscious effort to dress up modestly. My other lifestyle changes include sleeping and getting up late along with working out at night.

I try Haleem from various restaurants every day and so far, the Haleem from Peshawar restaurant gets the prize from me. Ajwadates, samosas with minced meat, mutton chops and most importantly Mutton Biryani are pure essentials during Ramadan. 

Eid is one of the most beautiful days of the year. In my family, Eid is celebrated by cleaning up the house and decorating it with new furniture (which takes place a week before Eid). 

We distribute clothes, food and money amongst the poor, offer Eid prayers and drink the famous Sheer Khorma. We get dressed in new clothes and often visit our family members and vice versa. 

At night, we have a huge family celebration which includes my extended family and friends. 

The Eid atmosphere gives me hope that there is still good in the world and I spend every moment of the festival enjoying myself and thanking Allah for giving me the privilege to celebrate it lavishly.”    - Yusra Saquib

Lifestyle changes  

“The month of Ramadan is truly a blessing. It is surely a holy month, but it makes me feel close to Allah SWT. 

My lifestyle during Ramadan changes completely. I tend to go out less and really try to spend more time with my parents, family and try to pray as much as I can. I am not a person who prays five times daily but during Ramadan I don't miss any prayers, in fact, I tend to pray ‘tahajud’, ‘taraweeh’, as many as ‘nafeel’ and ‘sunaats’ too. 

Also, I try my best to complete one chapter of Quran a day, but I mostly focus on the meanings. 

Eid is one of the only times I see all my 'khandan' relatives and all the other people who know me, but I don't. Eid has its own spirit and an awe of peaceful celebration. 

It's also the only time of the year when I drink Sher Khorma and get Eidi from the people I don't even know. 

Ramadan is incomplete without ‘ibaadath’, ‘zikr’, ‘Namaz’, ‘Roza’ and all but most importantly it's incomplete without family. 

Ramadan makes one soft-hearted and close to one another. Even if I don't see all my cousins the whole year, I make sure to catch up with them every day during Ramadan. 

This festival leaves me full-hearted, satisfied and most importantly happy and rich.” -  Raniya Mushtaq

Opportunity to learn Islam

“The month of Ramzan is the month where I have the opportunity to learn more about Islam as I feel people become more virtuous at this time. 

During Ramzan, people start to pray more often at the masjid rather than their homes and people are willing to indulge 2 hours of their time for ‘taraveeh’. 

The only delicacies that are relevant to me are the fried items (samosa,bhajji and dahi bada) during Iftar.

As a child, I was always excited for Eid because I received money and got to try many more delicacies. But as I grew older I started to realise the worth of every blood-related bond and started spending more time with my relatives. 

I even visit my great grandparents in the old-age homes. I’ve realised they feel lonely as they are not visited very often and with only very few auspicious ceremonies to meet them, I try to make Eid a special day for them when indirectly, their smiles just make my day better.”    - Tasneem Fatima

A day of celebration

“Let’s own it, I love cooking. And I will always swear by saying, this month brings out the best of the inner chef within me. 

Cooking for the people that I love and for the hunger pangs, of course, it is like all these efforts of putting together a good meal are taken a notch higher in the pious month of Ramadan. 

It’s silly to think people cut down on eating during this month, in fact, I believe it has given me reasons to eat better, healthier and richer. 

To know that your metabolism can relax for hours and rejuvenate, even as an amateur I would only want to fuel my system with best.

Eid isn’t just one day; it’s the feeling that grows, taking baby steps, every passing day of Ramadan. 

The initial excitement proceeds to morph into a shopping frenzy and how every small detail on the dress I wear for the festival, makes me feel happy about the way I look. 

It’s a day of celebrating who we are as individuals and how our souls harmonise when asked to interact. Eid is about that cheerful vibrancy to every colour of life.” -  Emaan Sajid

Mesmerising festival 

“Although being a non-Muslim it is quite surprising to see my participation in the Islamic culture. I just think it is fascinating because the month of Ramadan is so colourful and cheerful. 

There’s the festive vibe to it and everyone seems to be celebrating no matter what sorrows and tragedies have passed. I’ve grown up in a very open culture so visiting my Muslim friends throughout the month is a must. 

Eid is like a ritual and the time of the year apart from all the festivals that I celebrate that I find time to dress up for. Islamic delicacies are a must and they are just heavenly. On the day of Eid everyone looks happy and like cheerful, glam dolls. 

All religions have their roots sprouting from goodness, I try to use this festival as an opportunity to engage in good and kind acts with my Muslim friends, who always have a plan laid out. 

It indeed is a heartfelt, truly mesmerising festival.”    - Tejaswini Dugani

Charity and generosity 

“In the month of Ramadan all Muslims fast from dawn to sunset. It is said to be a time of spiritual discipline of deep contemplation of one’s relationship with God, extra prayer, increased charity and generosity, and intense study of Al-Quran. 

But, if that makes it super serious and boring, it’s really not. As for me, it’s a time for celebration and joy, to be spent with family, friends, relatives and loved ones. 

During Ramadan-al-Kareem, life changes from top to bottom for a month. This month dramatically alters our routines and schedules; from a tight sleep schedule to hunger for extended hours, reduction in consumption of junk foods to a technology diet, withdrawal from caffeine addiction to long standing in Taraweeh prayers at night, extensive listening and reading of Al-Quran. What a change indeed!

With a joint family, the happiness of celebrating Eid only gets magnified and multiplied for my family, and to see everyone together is a delightful sight. 

Not to forget, it is a festival that unites the globe, after all. A balanced Eid is an essential, as much as it is important to meet those that you share family relations with, I always like to surprise old friends, with small gifts and by paying them homage, of course.

Never denying the fact that all their houses are always frothing with the best food. Eid is that day of the year, for when you give love, you receive love. 

When you celebrate, there is no one who will not want to participate. And to add to the celebration, our adults get generous and shower us with money. 

This Eid, I have made a resolution to spend a portion of the money that I receive for the welfare of those who need it. 

New equipment or something branded always has my heart with glee but fixing a similar smile on many faces will only add to my happiness this Eid. 

May yours be as giving and full of gratitude for everything that the Lord has gifted us.” -  Othman Akheel