#Culture
Ramadan, An Old Friend Is Here
Today a friend asked, “Ready for Ramadan?”
I am never 100% ready but this year I’m not having anxiety (you know the kind when you want to impress a guest and have a hundred things to do to get things just right).
I feel like an old friend is coming over, someone who won’t mind the dishes in the sink or won’t comment on the weeds in my lawn.
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She likes me, warts and all.
It is long friendship, 33 years for me, where you don’t have to explain, you just know each other.
I can pull out the everyday mugs and hold long deep conversations with her about what is going on in my life and my heart. Someone I can relax with and enjoy her company.
Emerson writes of friendship: “What is so delicious as a just and firm encounter of two, in a thought, in a feeling?”
We will cry together and I will give to her and she will give to me and even if it’s not all good, it’ll be good.
Sometimes, I’ll have to share her with others; I like showing her off because she is so good to everyone she meets.
She will change my routine and I will love the change because I love being with her. She knows I need it.
When she is around the world slows down, priorities change and most things don’t matter any more. I just want to spend time with her.
She is tender. She soothes me – so the things that normally irritate me, don’t bother me anymore.
She knows I am sick and I need help and she came without asking. She is like Maulana Rumi says, a friend that gathers when you fast, for “when you’re full of food and drink, Satan sits where your spirit should, an ugly metal statue in place of the Kaaba.”
She builds me up, brags about me, makes my small acts so much bigger than they are, so that even my normal acts of worship when presented are augmented many, many times over.
She will stand and clean up without embarrassing me.
She will remind me what’s good about me and help me shed off the hate I have internalized.
She will help me work through my guilt and heal my relationship with the One I love the most.
Allah sent her exactly when I need her the most. I will be replenished and ready to face the rest of my life.
She is here and we are catching up on everything that happened last year.
Ramadan Kareem, Ramzan Mubarak
Keep supporting MuslimMatters for the sake of Allah
Alhamdulillah, we're at over 850 supporters. Help us get to 900 supporters this month. All it takes is a small gift from a reader like you to keep us going, for just $2 / month.
The Prophet (SAW) has taught us the best of deeds are those that done consistently, even if they are small. Click here to support MuslimMatters with a monthly donation of $2 per month. Set it and collect blessings from Allah (swt) for the khayr you're supporting without thinking about it.
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Wael Abdelgawad
May 29, 2017 at 1:23 PM
I like this, it made me smile. “She knows I am sick and I need help and she came without asking.” What a beautiful way to look at Ramadan.
Raya
May 29, 2017 at 3:40 PM
This touched me at the right time. may Allah reward you, this just made my Ramadan direction shift for the better.
saeed Muhammed lawan
June 1, 2017 at 2:43 AM
So inspiring!
Sadia baig
July 26, 2017 at 12:17 PM
beautifully written ! MA SHA ALLAH may ALLAH bless you this article has made my ramadan better
Sarah
April 23, 2018 at 9:01 AM
This is beautifully written and came at a time when I need to hear this the most, you have helped me put my ramadan perspective in the right place. Jzk