Monday 03 / March / 2025
We are now enjoying the blessings of the holy month of Ramadan once more as we fast during the day and enjoy the holy privileges bestowed on us during the night.
But make no mistake about it, Ramadan is not about refraining from eating the whole day but it has many health benefits as confirmed by medical experts and nutritionists. Voluntary starvation is an opportunity, too, to think of the poor people who are regularly starving because they cannot afford a decent meal in any single day.
That should encourage us to donate to the poor and the less fortunate because fasting is to remind us how it feels to go about our business without food all day long. The third element is to sit back and meditate by reflecting the graces of God where there are signs of his creations everywhere we go. Normally, we live in a very fast lane of life. Not only the physical part of it, like when we go to our offices or conducting our trades, but mentally, too, when our thoughts travel to areas that interfere with our health.
In this context, I personally take examples of real life events. On the first day of Ramadan, I was caught in a road traffic during the early hours of the afternoon. There was a long line of cars in front of me and I knew I would be stuck there for at least an hour. When the first pangs of frustration started to work their way into my nerves, I quickly calmed myself with a thought that there was no lunch waiting for me to hurry through.
So I composed myself and looked at the long line of date trees, the flowers and the occasional sand dunes as my car inched its way forward on the road. I also watched the birds who came sweeping down from the sky to land on the trees. Normally, I am not that attentive when I get stuck on a road. But the grace of a Ramadan’s day calmed my nerves while watching the creations of God.
When I finally got out of traffic, I hit the brakes just a few kilometers from my home, when a camel, who had no business to be there, crossed the street road. It stopped in the middle of the road, turned its long neck and looked at the cars as if to say to all drivers,” what are you going to do about it?”
Cars behind me honked furiously to scare it off but the animal took its time and was in no hurry to get out of the road. I enjoyed every second watching it knowing that I may never see an animal that size stopping the traffic. I also took a few photos of the camel to remind me of the occasion. When it finally decided to move to the other side, I was thoroughly entertained by its unexpected appearance.
Looking back now, I truly now believe that it was all part of the blessings of the month of Ramadan. We slow down a little bit being grateful that we are all well under the safety net of God, as part of his creations. So let us rejoice the rest of the month and look forward for Eid in the next three weeks and half.
