Ramadan Mubarak

Ramadan is all about family gatherings. It starts from day one of Ramadan when everyone calls each other on the telephone to wish each other ‘Ramadan Mubarak’. Next you are invited over to break your fast. There you meet the extended family, people you haven’t seen for years and people you would rather not see at all.

Ramadan is all about family gatherings. It starts from day one of Ramadan when everyone calls each other on the telephone to wish each other ‘Ramadan Mubarak’. Next you are invited over to break your fast. There you meet the extended family, people you haven’t seen for years and people you would rather not see at all.

Families can be strange and it’s no exception in Somalia. This mother-in-law dislikes her daughter-in-law but has to tolerate a few hours of dinner with her; this guy hates his cousin because she’s vulgar and rude; this uncle dislikes his wife because she complains too much. But miraculously, they all come together for iftar and tolerate each other, just like you would tolerate a stone in your shoe.

Well it is Ramadan and we should all forgive each other, I hear you say. But some people can forgive but never forget- a Muslim doesn’t fall into the same hole twice, right? By opening borders with certain people after forgivness, they may take advantage and re-start their campaign of hurtful words and gossip. So, many people remain friendly but at a distance. And others just give their salams, say Ramadan Mubarak and concentrate on the glorious table of food prepared for them.

It’s a tough business, making a family and trying to maintain it. We all have a responsibility as members of a family. The least we can do is show up for iftar, grin and bare it, even if you are uncomfortable, even if you feel like they are draining you slowly, opposite to the effect of sitting with people you love, who don’t drain you; they give you energy and a beautiful sense of spirituality. Now that is what family should be like.

But you go for God, despite not wanting to see this person, or not wanting to see these people show off. You go because you wish you could be a good example to them, because they don’t take Ramadan seriously- they think it’s just about abstaining from food and water and nothing else.

Ramadan is so much more than that. It’s about purifying our souls. That after we break our fast, we are still actually fasting in a sense that our eyes won’t watch something unlawful, our legs won’t walk to a place that is unlawful, our hands won’t touch something unlawful. It’s about re-connecting with God, it’s about training our will power and submission towards Him. It’s about forgetting the material world a little and getting in touch with our souls.

In Ramadan we force each other to see family we don’t get along with for His sake, so that He may have mercy on us. But do we necessarily have to be friendly with these people, can we just be conservative and professional? Because you fear that their attitude may bring you down, you fear they are a bad influence.

So, let's welcome the holy month of Ramadan and everyone should be ready, and please don't skip fasting one day, unlsess you're very ill. Good luck! and be happy yaah guys.