Sunday, August 8, 2010

RAMADAN MENJELANG

Assalammualaikum Wr Wb....

"Wahai orang-orang yang beriman!
Kamu diwajibkan berpuasa sebagaimana diwajibkan atas orang-orang yang dahulu daripada kamu,supaya kamu bertaqwa."
Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayat 183

Dalam masa beberapa hari lagi, umat Islam seantero dunia akan menyambut
kedatangan Ramadan bagi tahun 1425H.
Kita pasti, ramai yang menanti kedatangan bulan suci ini.

Menanti untuk menambah pahala masing2 dengan melakukan amal ibadah kerana sesungguhnya amal ibadah di bulan ini lebih fadhilat dan pahalanya, dibandingkan dengan bulan2 yang lain.
ATAUPUN
sekadar menanti untuk menghitung-mundur akan datangnya detik 1 Syawal supaya dapat meraikan Aidilfitri dengan penuh meriah.

Yang mana satukah anda tergolong?
Cuma Allah dan anda sahaja yang tahu akan jawapannya.
Yang pasti, Ramadan datang setahun sekali.
Nikmatilah ia sebaik mungkin.

Maafkan kita kerana akan bertukar dalam bahasa omputih.
Hehehe...kadang2 benda macam ni lagi efektif kalau kita luahkan dalam bahasa omputih.

 For me, Ramadan serves as a reminder that the 2 most beloved person in my life 
are no longer around.
Arwah Atuk and Arwah Nenek.

I lived with them all my life till their passing.
They raised me up.
Fed me.
Educated me, ukhrawi and duniawi.
Everything that is required from every parents in bringing up their children, they did it.
Even more actually, to the point that I am utterly spoilt.
No.
I don't blame them.
Even a single bit because they have rightly shown me what is wrong and what is not.
It's purely me who chose the former.

This Ramadan will be the 6th without Arwah Atuk and will be the 2nd without Arwah Nenek.
Missed and am continue missing every single thing regarding
Ramadan that evolves around both of them.
Here's a list of things which will forever be etch in my memory.

1) Atuk's korma submerged in a glass of magnolia's strawberry milk for break fast.
Weird but true. He learned drinking it while he was working in Jeddah in the 80's. AND korma must be nothing else but Ajwa'.

2) Nenek's Bee Hoon soto for break fast.
It may seem normal for everyone else but try having Bee Hoon soto for break fast, 
30 days in Ramadan straight.
My grandmother does that ever since I can remember.
She said it helps to ease the stomach after a day of fasting.
 
3) Atuk's sudden burst of temperament, which is sparse,
but definitely once in Ramadan EACH year.
He is a cool guy, controls his temper very well but IF it burst, jaga2!!! A definite test of patience and endurance for us in the house if he gets angry, especially in Ramadan.

4) Nenek's trips to Bazaar Ramadan.
It was the one at Jurong West every single year. 
Although there is Bee Hoon soto, that is for her.
NO WAY is whoever else in the house going to eat that, 30 breaking fast straight. LOL!
The trip is also to purchase food for sahur.
My family is kind of weird because we have the basics for breaking of fast
but a spread for sahur.
Will come to that in my future post.

5) Atuk's Quran recitation every night in Ramadan.
When I was a kid growing up, it awed me because he not only could recite the Al-Quran fluently but at the snap of the finger, he could recall verses plus it's meanings.
When I was able to recite on my own, it still awed me because of his commitment and consistency in reciting the Al-Quran every night of Ramadan without fail.

6) Nenek's contribution to TAA via telephone on the 1st and 15th Ramadan.
Yours truly will be the one pressing the numbers for her while she holds the receiver and listens to the 'Thank You' message on the other line.
She insist that I start pressing the numbers after she finished her niat for sadakah.

7) Atuk's out-of-the-blue cravings for certain food which MUST be fulfilled if one wants to avoid memory Number 3 from happening.
Karipap daging Onan Road (must be rectangular in shape), beriani dam (the meat must be submerged in the rice while cooking and in the packets as well), air kathirah from this particular lady in Bussoroh street, to name a few. It was World War 3 with only one party attacking and bombarding (him) and the other party (whoever else in the house) suffers in silence when we couldn't get him  piping hot Vadei one particular Ramadan.
There was Vadei. 
But not piping hot. LOL!

8) Nenek being the one to shout SAHUR SAHUR!!! but through phoning all her kids and simply saying, "Bangun...sahur"
She never fails to do this, again, for as long as I remember, EVERY day during Sahur time, in Ramadan.

It was hard breaking fast for the first day, the year he passed on.
Everyone was there on the dining table except for his seat which remains empty.

It was a terribly difficult sahur during the first day of Ramadan for me last year 
as I have my sahur totally alone.

This year, I am ultimately in gratitude towards Allah, 
syukur sesyukur-syukurnya
because, even though both of them are no more,
at least, I still have the rest of my family with me.
To all Muslims out there,

HAVE A BLESSED RAMADAN


Wassalam

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