Sunday, May 12, 2019

Ramadan , Fasting And Story Of Two Days Fasting!



My  maternal   grand  parents   were  quite   religious    yet   friendly  to   us.

   Other  people  of  their   age  their   age   were   mostly   strict   and   commanding   for  their  grand  kids   specially .

Mom    was   so   much   close  to  her  father   than  mother   and   influence   of  his  personality   was   obvious   upon   my   mother's  nature.

Grandma    followed    religion   blindly    but   Grandpa    always   reasoned    his   religious   attitude.

He   always    pointed   that    how   religious   duties   mold   us   for   healthy   lifestyle    in   society.

He    had   quite   big   collection    of   books. Natural  history  and   history   of  world  and   beginning   of  civilization   were   his  most   favorite  topic .

Mom   never   went   to  school   but   she  was   astonishingly   wise  and  disciplined   in  her   pattern   of  life.

Before   our   early   teens   she    started   to   give   us   strict   routine   to   follow   so  we  can   be  habitual     of   all   kind   of   basic    things   that   could    shape   us   for   staying    in   right    path .

She   would   insist   to  rise   early   and  perform   morning   pray  ( around  4:am)   and   then    recite   holy   book Qura,an  every   day    regularly .

  
If   we   miss     something   there   were   certain  light punishments.

As   children    it   was   annoying   for   us   to   follow   those   duties    with   regularity . And   this   was   relief   that   mom   was   often   flexible   in   her   such   commands .


She   was   more  like  her  father   who  was  against   applying   religious   duties   strictly  .

He   had  thoughts  that   adopting   these   physical    exercises   was  secondary   thing.

First ,  an   empty   innocent   brain   must     acknowledge   the   LOVE   OF   HIS   CREATOR   FOR  HIM/HER.


Imposing    views   upon   raw   mind   can   turn   him  against   the  Lord   ,   because   without   realizing   that   to   WHOM   and  WHY  we  are    obeying   it   is   useless   effort.

Grandpa   would  always   answer  my  all   silly   questions   patiently.

Why   do   we    wash    ourselves   as   technically   before  prayers   grandpa?

Why   do  we   need   to   pray   five   times  ?


and   so  many   quires  that   poked   my  head  frequently .

Grandma   would   yell   and    say ,

" DO  NOT   QUESTION  ,IT  IS  SIN   TO  QUESTION   ABOUT   GOD'S   RULES"

But    grandpa   would   smile   gently   and   reply  affectionately  until   he  realized   my  satisfaction.

All   his  answers   point   one  thing   that     ALL  RELIGIOUS  DUTIES   ARE  WAY  TO  GET  CONNECTED  TO  GOD   AND   PAY  GRATITUDE   ,AND  ASK  FOR  GUIDANCE   AND  MERCY    FOR  LIFE  AHEAD!
Luckily   mother   was  not   the  exception . She   tried   to   keep   us  familiar   with  religious   side   of   our  lives   but   she   mostly  did   it  in  NATURAL  WAY.

As   kids   there   was  always   competition   among   children  of  village   to   complete   Holy  Qura,an   early   or  to  fast    more  than   others.

I   found   fasting  most   interesting    thing   to   follow   among  all   other   religious   duties   as  it  was   so  challenging .


NO  EATING   or  even  drop   of  water   FOR   ALMOST  16  to 18   HOURS! ( 4:am  to  7:30 pm)

So   i would    try   to  fast   during   month  of  Ramadan   eagerly  , but   due   to  my  poor  health  conditions  i  was  always  behind  my   cousins   and  friends .

Mother   never  pushed  me   for  fasting  when  she   noticed  that  it   effected   my  health   terribly .But   i  was  not  giving  up    until   i   start    getting   horrible   migraine   and  headaches eventually .

Still   i   continued     to  fast   until   it  went   beyond  my   bearing . Specially   headaches   and  dizziness   put   me  on  bed   and  even   after  ( Aftaar)  time  of  fast  breaking    i  would  remain  kind  of  fainted .

I   could  never   fast  for   whole   month (for females, 25 days as during period fasting  was  forbidden)   of  Ramadan ,Hardly  17    to   9 ,  it  was  embarrassing     front   of  friends  and  cousins    and   shameful   for  myself  then.


After   marriage   life  changed   in  many  ways . Hubby    put   me  on  proper   checkup  ,treatments  and  diet . His   effort   pulled  my   hemoglobin  from  7  to  9  .

In  2004   when   Ramadan   came  i  thought   i   would   fast   for  20  days  at  least.

One  day   when  i  was  fasting    and  along  with  it  doing  all   house   chores ,when   the  time  of   fast   breaking  came  close    and   i   was   excited   to   break  my  fast   with  juice   and  many  other   favorite   food .

Hubby   and  me   both   meant  to  sit   together   for  fast   breaking  .

But   that  day   hubby  got   call   from   one  of  his  friend  suddenly  and  left   in  hurry  by   saying   that  "there   are  20  minutes  in  fast  breaking  time  ,and  i  will  be  back  before  it"

Azaan   (call  for  prayer)   echoed   from   Mosque   and  declared   the  time  for  fast  breaking .

I   wanted   to   break  my  fast   with  hubby  so  i  waited  for  him  and  did   not  drink even  a  drop  of  water    out   of  growing   anger  .

Hubby    returned   after  almost   an   hour   and  told  that   his   friend   held   fast  breaking  party   so  i   broke   my  fast   with   all  friends  there .

I   was  so   angry    and  sad   that   he  could  have  inform  me  through  a  call  at  least   and  tell  not   to  wait.

So   inspite   of  all  the   apologies   and   insistence    for  having    food   i   did   not   eat    anything   nor  drank  water .

I  unconsciously   decided   to   sustain   my  fast   for  other  day   too   and  mostly   it  was  punishment   to   myself   for   my  expectations  from  hubby   rather  than   pleasing  God.


Second   day  i  broke  my  fast   in  almost   unconsciousness.  

Weakness   overwhelmed   my   body  and  my  head   was  blown  with   pain  and  dizziness . And  that   two   days  of  hunger  and  thirst    effected  my   body    for  long   time in  very  negative  way.

Me  and  hubby   returned  to  our   normal    relationships  within  3  days ,   though   physical   recovery   took   more  than   an  year.

Two   things  that   i  learnt  from  this  experience   .

One   that  i  was   dangerously   stubborn   and  stupid.

Second   that  i   polluted   my    worship   by  mixing   my   personal   feeling  in  it  as  fasting   is  considered  MATTER   BETWEEN   MAN  AND  CREATOR   PURELY !

But  i  added   my  anger  in  it  which  was  trivial  thing  to  do.

I  don't   fast  anymore  since  few   years  due  to   headache  that  follow    and  makes  me  unable  to  rise  from  bed.

But   i   believe  that  my  Creator  knows   us   through  our  intentions   not    just  actions .

To    connect    with   him   i   have  to   feel   his  presence   not   just  around  me  but inside  me!

And  i  do  it  with  my  each  breath!

And   i   think   bonding  of  soul   counts   far   more  than  mere  physical   exercise !

Lord   Bless  You  My  Precious   Friends!






      

24 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing the story of your experiences. I can only imagine how difficult the fasting was.

    Have a happy Ramadan..

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  2. Baili, I think your dedication to fasting is admirable. I like what you said about your attitude in your heart too. I knew someone who fasted her time. Instead of doing whatever she had planned, she would spend a certain amount of time in prayer. That was the way she fasted. I don't know if that is "correct" but I liked her heart perspective about it too. She would set aside the day and that was how she did it. Bless you!

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    1. You are absolutely right about my attitude for fasting dear Sandi!

      At my heart I longed for closeness to my CREATOR and I followed my heart to achieve it at any cost
      It was way to FEEL HIM not a religious duty

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  3. A blessed Ramadan to you and your family! My Rare One just got back from Istanbul with photos of a beautiful mosque she visited. Not the Blue Mosque, but another one.

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  4. It is all too complicated for me. I believe in a higher power, I do not get wrapped up in man's interpretation or "Laws".

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    1. You do absolutely right dear Joe!

      I was rebellion inside but I had love and respect for my parents and grandparents

      I tried to keep balance between both worlds I was living in INSIDE AND OUTSIDE

      Until I was married and on the edge to gain freedom for expressing myself

      I am raising my children in freer environment than I had

      I am trying to give them vastness of view so they can see things in clearer way though they should know that balance in every aspect of life is key to peaceful life

      Delete
  5. I would find this fasting very difficult if not impossible to do. Thank you for sharing your stories about it with us.

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  6. Thanks for sharing how the fasting works.

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  7. Blessings on you and your family, Baili.

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  8. A friend was visiting. As he and my husband talked I went to serve coffee for them. They were sitting outside. I gave them their coffee. The friend took a sip and suddenly spit it out. I thought I had made bad coffee. He informed us that it was Ramadan and he was fasting. He hoped he had spit it out soon enough to negate taking it in by mouth.

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    1. Dear Emma this is pleasure to know that your husband has a friend from different culture which shows your openness and ENLIGHTMENT to me :)

      It happens to most people in beginning of fasting month specially when they are new to practice fasting
      But our Lord is merciful and knows us more than us
      He will never punish for something that accidentally happened instead of intentionally

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  9. Yes baili, you are rightm he knows us (Every hair onour heads) and your experiences were all part of coming closer to Him, and how wise to know your limitations, no point in risking health to prove anything, blessongs to you for Ramadan, we are travelling to a muslim country next week and I will enjoy hearing on the loudspeakers around town the sound of the call to prayer, I have always found it very special altough not a muslim, it feels like coming home somehow.

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    1. Dear Betty visiting to different countries and various cultures sounds always BEST WAY TO KNOW CREATOR AND HIS CREATIONS

      Call for prayers has certain fascination for me either specially in morning and evenings it stir spiritual being in me so deep

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  10. I am inspired by your strength and dedication, such a hard time you had. What an amazing story of strength and perseverance, thank you for sharing this.

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  11. A blessed Ramadan, dear friend! I wish all the best to you and your family. Thank you for sharing your story with us. Fasting takes a lot of dedication.

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  12. How sensible of you to not fast when fasting makes you so ill.

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  13. Concordo também que o Criador conhece as nossas acções. E não serão essas que contam, muito mais que o jejum?
    Gostei de a ler.
    Uma boa semana.
    Um beijo.

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  14. I hope your Ramadan brings you happiness. :-)

    Greetings from London.

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  15. Lovely Baili...I would have been angry too, but I don't think I'm that stubborn! ;) I would have headed for the cheese tray pronto!! I fast every week, but not like you do, and it's not for spiritual purposes. It's just to keep my body on track. I eat maybe 500 calories one day a week and it restores my digestion.

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  16. Visited Dubai and Abu Dhabi during Ramadan.
    Unique experience.

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  17. A blessed Ramadan to you and your family, Baili, and it is goo that you are no longer fasting as your health is surely more important. Stubbornness often brings the worst results as you experienced. I agree that we are known by our actions and our devotions, and you are a beautiful person.

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  18. Wishing you and your family a blessed Ramadan.

    All the best Jan

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  19. Thank you for sharing your experiences with Ramadan, Baili. You were blessed with a wise mother and grandfather. I've been trying to imagine what it would be like to abstain from food and water from sunrise to sunset, and I admire the devotion and dedication that this would take. I'm relieved to know that you are not fasting, because I was worried about your health and I know how important your faith is to you. Your Creator knows your heart! Your heart is faithful, loving, and good. Blessings to you and your family.

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  20. Wishing you a blessed Ramadan! Thank you for sharing your experiences Baili! Take care of your health! Big Hugs!

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