تزک جلالی

Sighting the Ramazan Moon

The month of Ramazan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is considered as the most holy and sacred of months.

Every year. On the 29th and sometimes the 30th of the eighth month. Most muslim families in South Asia climb onto their roofs to look for the new moon. We did that as well. About half an hour before sunset. We wall went on top of the roof. And there we all looked towards the west. The dying glow of the setting sun. Where the new moon will be seen. And yes we saw it. It was a wonderful "pehli ka chaand" or the first days moon. The very light and delicate white curve in the sky.

My family prayed for a good ramazan. And thanked Allah for the beginning of the auspicious month. I was just thinking about the whole concept of religion. Why people believe what they believe? Why are they told to believe? Why do all religions champion the cause of the oppressed but cause oppression on their own.

Well tomorrow will be the first Roza (Fast) of Ramazan. All muslims well be supposed to stay without food, drink and well ;0 sex for the duration of daybreak till sunset. I will not keep the Roza. I have never missed any Roza in the last few years as I was very strict in observing the Roza. But not this year.

I love the concept of Sehri(Pre Sunrise Meal). Everyone getting up in the middle of the night. Cooking and eating. Actually feeding like hell since you wont have anything else to eat OR drink till sunset. And I love the specific things that we cook for Sehri that we dont have usually in normal times. Pheeni is one of these things that I love.

Same goes for Aftari(Post Sunset Meal). Everyone ravenously hungry from the Roza. Eating hurriedly but not too hurriedly because the elders kept telling you not to eat fast as it is bad for your health. And then there are all those specific Aftari collection of foods. Fruit Chaat, Dahi Bhallay, Jalaybee etc etc etc. Wow. I am already hungry ;)

posted by Jalal @ 19:56