Ramadhan in Iceland...
(The Holy Mosque in Makkah During Ramadhan Month) Marhaban Ya Ramadhan...Welcome, Ramadhan...
I've been wanting to post about this since the first day of Ramadhan. But I couldn't find the time to do it...been very busy lately with all the work. But finally i managed to write something about it.
I was thinking how different will Ramadhan be for me this year since it's the first time outside Indonesia. Actually, I was in Mekkah for 2 weeks a few years ago during Ramadhan (it was the most spiritual experience i've ever had!!!), but it was with my family...and everybody is a moslem there.
In Islamic calendar, the date changes not by midnight, but by sunset..and the first day of Ramadhan in Iceland came by the sunset last Saturday,September 23rd. But the fasting starts on September 24th in the morning. In Iceland, the fasting now starts around 4.30am until sunset (around 7.45pm).
Just 2 hours before Ramadhan came, i was still trying and trying......and trying.....to find if there's any place to pray Tarawih (extra praying in the night; only in Ramadhan) in Reykjavik. But my calls to the moslem place here were never picked up. I also felt that day was just as "Saturday, September 23rd", not as "1st of Ramadhan".
But around an hour or so before sunset, SUDDENLY somebody answered my call and told me a place where i can go to pray Tarawih everynight.
I had some fears in the last few days that I wont be able to "feel" Ramadhan like how I used to experience in the previous years because I'm "alone" this time.But when Ramadhan finally came, I realized that there are no differences...and by that, I mean I actually feel something extremely extremely different compared with how i felt just a few minutes before.Tear of joy, excited,happy,relieve....I just can't describe it. There are no words that can explain it, we need to invent the word first.
I went to the place in the night and met some people from Palestine, Syria, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Iceland, and one Indonesian guy! :-) We prayed together and then sat down and talked for a while, drinking tea.
When i got back home, i started to think that the fact that I'm "alone" this Ramadhan might be better than ever. Because i could explore, reflect, and learn more about the meaning of this month and all its beautiful secrets, waiting to be revealed.
This month is a special month. It's NOT a month of not eating nor drinking during the day.
It's a month of full of reflection
It's a month to read and learn more about the Qur'an
It's a month of forgiveness
It's a month of hope
It's a month of passion
It's a month of caring
It's a month against all bad thoughts
It's a month to feed your soul even more
It's a month full of respect
It's a month when the first verse Qur'an was brought to The Prophet Muhammad (SAW)
It's a month to clean your soul
It's a month full of joy and happiness
It's a month full of humbleness
It's a month of gratefulness
It's a beautiful month.
Marhaban Ya Ramadhan...I hope your spirit will stay with me for the months after Ramadhan and for the rest of my life
In Islamic calendar, the date changes not by midnight, but by sunset..and the first day of Ramadhan in Iceland came by the sunset last Saturday,September 23rd. But the fasting starts on September 24th in the morning. In Iceland, the fasting now starts around 4.30am until sunset (around 7.45pm).
Just 2 hours before Ramadhan came, i was still trying and trying......and trying.....to find if there's any place to pray Tarawih (extra praying in the night; only in Ramadhan) in Reykjavik. But my calls to the moslem place here were never picked up. I also felt that day was just as "Saturday, September 23rd", not as "1st of Ramadhan".
But around an hour or so before sunset, SUDDENLY somebody answered my call and told me a place where i can go to pray Tarawih everynight.
I had some fears in the last few days that I wont be able to "feel" Ramadhan like how I used to experience in the previous years because I'm "alone" this time.But when Ramadhan finally came, I realized that there are no differences...and by that, I mean I actually feel something extremely extremely different compared with how i felt just a few minutes before.Tear of joy, excited,happy,relieve....I just can't describe it. There are no words that can explain it, we need to invent the word first.
I went to the place in the night and met some people from Palestine, Syria, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Iceland, and one Indonesian guy! :-) We prayed together and then sat down and talked for a while, drinking tea.
When i got back home, i started to think that the fact that I'm "alone" this Ramadhan might be better than ever. Because i could explore, reflect, and learn more about the meaning of this month and all its beautiful secrets, waiting to be revealed.
This month is a special month. It's NOT a month of not eating nor drinking during the day.
It's a month of full of reflection
It's a month to read and learn more about the Qur'an
It's a month of forgiveness
It's a month of hope
It's a month of passion
It's a month of caring
It's a month against all bad thoughts
It's a month to feed your soul even more
It's a month full of respect
It's a month when the first verse Qur'an was brought to The Prophet Muhammad (SAW)
It's a month to clean your soul
It's a month full of joy and happiness
It's a month full of humbleness
It's a month of gratefulness
It's a beautiful month.
Marhaban Ya Ramadhan...I hope your spirit will stay with me for the months after Ramadhan and for the rest of my life
still smiling,
ali
"The most excellent struggle is that for the conquest of self"
- Prophet Muhammad (SAW) -
posted by ali @ 5:22 PM
9 comments
9 Comments:
I'm smiling with you
Some of my AI teammates used to fast though they are not muslims. But as you said, to feed more to the soul.
Though it is not possible for me right now, my mum might think I am slowly committing suicide or something. I'll be reading your reflections then. ;)
Ali, why don't you join this: http://ramadan.nomadlife.org/
I'm smiling with you as well :-) Wish you much strength and quiet moments for self-reflection....
Thank you for your insights on Ramadan. This year I got to know more about it, and appreciate it better, mainly through some of my Moroccan friends and blogs like yours.
May this month bring you serenity.
Smiling with you too.
Selamat Puasa Ali Zaenal...
semoga diberi kekuatan.
Hey.
Glad to see that you are faithful to your beliefs even in a totally different environment. I know I have waned a bit last year but now I am back on track. :)
Cheers,
Erica
Li, gw disuruh baca apa nih???
Oo blognya Ali...posting comment ah! ...mm...
Since we're in highschool together, I'm not his closest friends though..
Having a little conversation through Y!M few days ago..
And now, I just realized that he's a good writer! hehehe...
Keep up the good work Ali!
I'm looking forward for new updates!
Oia, jgn lupa buka puasa Trb+Glt di tempat lo ya, Li..!!!
Brrr...hahahaha.... ;P
Met puasa Ali..
Cheers,
Pinot
John: I hope you're also smiling when you hear the "kupu-kupu" song :)
Jingwei: Halmen told me you went to see tarawih praying :) How was it? and thanks for the ramadhan blog link ;)
Carissa and Marie Claire:
Thanks a lot. I hope we can all learn new things from it.
Freddi: Tidak ada kata terlambat..Selamat puasa juga ya pak...semoga puasa kita diterima Allah SWT.
Erica: Cheers to you back Erica :)
Even though i don't put comments all the time but you should know that I've always read your posts. Thanks.
Pinot: Hohohoho...Yeah,kita seharusnya lebih banyak ngobrol ya dulu..hehehe. Flat gue kalo dipas-pasin dan tiap orang gendong satu orang muat kok buat buka puasa TRB GLT :-)
with smile,
ali
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