Roza Kushai

First Fast Observing Celebration

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In the month of sacred Ramadan, I often remember my childhood passed by very happily in my home town,Lucknow.The rainbow of innocent caravan of sweet memories flashes before my eyes. I wish to share my first fast keeping celebration because every one’s childhood is full of priceless treasure of loving memories of innocent activities, a lot of wonderful and cheerful moments!

At that time, I was around eight-nine years old when pious month of Ramadan came out.It was really hot. I used to wake up every morning at dawn without any effort by mother. As a matter of fact, the delicious smell of potatoparathas fried in desi ghee and milk with pheni made me wake updaily at suhoor time. Besides, those days, at the time of suhoor, some dedicated individuals used to pass through the streets to wake up people every morning by reciting Sehri-songs intheir melodious voice.They chanted the suhoor Naghme (Lyrics)with their Duffle saying:

“wake up sleepers, wake up from the sleep of negligence, it is time for suhoor, Shaitan will seduce you, beware of his temptations and allurement. This is a blessed month by Allah ,you may not get lucky again, gone time will not help you” and some more motivating words full of deep devotion.

Those people used to show their skill of playing the duffle, chanting in devotional and melodic tunes with a beautiful and heart touching Manqbat, Naat and Hamd in a loud voice. It is so loud reminder of holy hour that we were made to get up for suhoor without fail.

I tried to sleep early every day after doing suhoor, but my mother insisted to offer Namaz with her and then I was allowed to go to bed.

In those days, it was a common practice,to some extent,atradition to deliver iftar atthe mosque before the evening prayer. It was my duty to deliver iftar in the mosque everyevening .I used to Stay there for participating in the community breaking fast and offer Maghrib Namaz in the mosque.