The essence of Iftar... in your point of view

Hello Readers. Welcome back to The Fantasist. I haven't written a blog post in over 4 months. School had taken over and other problems had started. As you all know, a lot has happened in 4 months. I hope that everyone is safe and sound in their homes.

4 months flew by pretty quickly and it's finally Ramadan. Ramadan Kareem to all! I'm sure I speak for everyone when I saw that this Ramadan is going to be very different. For starters, all prayers happen at home, rather than in the masjid. There's no school anymore, so it's more easier and relaxed for everyone fasting.

Now, me and my family, most of the time, have a very relaxed and 'harmonious' Ramadan. Not all the time, but we do try to. But there's a specific routine and tradition that's embedded into us that we unknowingly follow. And with that, I'd like to start today's blog post about what Ramadan, Iftar in particular, feels like in our house.

I want you to read this paragraph and imagine it in your head. Take a minute after reading and close your eyes and let it all sink in. Let's start:

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You check the time.' Its almost 6!', you say to yourself as you leave the work you're doing. You then proceed to walk towards the kitchen. You hear a loud grumble from your stomach.

Two steps ahead and you smell the spices and the Shan masala. You smell the delicious aroma of curry and the blend of tomatoes, garlic, onions and spices. You take a sigh of satisfaction. 'Biryani!' you note to yourself.

You walk closer to the kitchen before hearing the sizzle and pitter-patter of chicken rolls and beef samosas frolicking in the oil. You step inside the kitchen and see it filled with dishes and ingredients. You see your mother tossing and turning the rolls.' Go sit on the table' she says. Before you leave, you have a temptation of getting a peek of the biryani. You sneakily lift the lid of the pot to have a look at the flawlessly set white rice along with the few grains your mum coloured pink. You see the sprinkled fried onion on top, which has perfectly browned to perfection. It smells divine. You switch a glance at the rose-coloured milkshake at the side of the counter before you walk out the kitchen and towards the dining room.

You hear the soothing voice of your dad reciting the Quran. His voice echoes through the house. You simply can't stop thinking of the food as you seat yourself down at the table. First thing you see are all the plates stacked on top of one another and the sauces and 'chutneys' resting at the side. You see your dad's papers with the supplications written on them, put neatly to a side. Your sisters come and seat themselves down one by one. One of them brings a mountain of golden brown rolls on a large white plate. She puts the plate in front of you. Your mouth starts watering. You smell the butteriness of the rolls. Yum.

Your dad starts reciting the supplications and prayers. You and the rest of your family slowly join in. You know all the supplications by heart since you've been reading them with your family for as long as you can remember. You all read the traditional Ramadan supplications with him, with your mind at peace. It gives you the nostalgia of every other Ramadan you've had with your family. You feel the love and connection between God, you and your family. You feel blessed.

It's been 10 minutes or so now, and your dad glances at the clock before reciting the final supplications. You look at the clock yourself. 'How much time?' you whisper to your sister. She shows you two fingers, without saying anything and continues on with the supplication. You wait impatiently. Your eyes are locked at the rolls in front of you. 'It's almost time.' your mom says as she gets the milkshake ready by plopping in a spoonful of basil seeds followed by the creamy pink rose milkshake. She slides you and your dad a glass. You take a sniff and smell its sweet rosiness.

'Go check outside for the adhan' your dad tells you. You slowly get up from your seat, not before snagging a roll or two and placing them on your plate. 'Just in case' you whisper to yourself.

You step into the balcony and hear the silence. You hear the birds, few caws and few chirps. The sunset looks like bursts of golden yellow here and there melting into a beautiful caramel horizon. You take a sigh of relief as you feel every burden and hunger sliding away. You make your final,

personal prayers all alone. A few seconds later, you hear the peaceful voice of the adhan. You stand there a little longer for confirmation. 'It's time!' you excitedly say to your family as you enter back in and close the balcony. What looked like rolls and samosas on the table, now look like golden treasure. You mutter the supplication of opening your fast, silently before you chomp down on your roll and let the flavours flow... 'Alhamdulillah' you tell yourself.

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Did you feel it? This is how an iftar at my house goes. There's ups and downs and mishaps, but in the end, everything works out. Yours might be different, but everyone's is unique and special in their own way. Ramadan is a time where everyone automatically sets into this routine embedded into our minds, at least in my family. It's like you know what to do, exactly when you need to do it. There's always sleepless nights and sleepy days. But when Iftar comes around, everything seems to be well managed. Same goes for suhoor. There's always other traditions and routines that we follow, but that's for a part two! Tell me below how your iftars go too!

Ramadan is not a materialistic thing. I can't give it to you and you can't give it to me. But you can surely show the spirit of Ramadan through anything from a small deed or a big act. Make this month memorable, not only for being 'the Ramadan in quarantine' but for being the most wondrous, spiritual, devoted and grateful Ramadan yet for that is my opinion about the truth behind a perfect Ramadan. Show the world as a connected community through the true essence of this holy month and its beauty. For now, stay cautious, stay home and practice the precautionary measures. We can surely overcome these difficult times together.

Stay safe, stay home and thanks for reading!