Celebrations & Farewells

A celebration of ma3moul.

A celebration of arabic coffee.

A celebration of chocolate.

A celebration of money.
* * * *

A farewell to fasting.

A farewell to 3azayem.

A farewell to tarawee7.

A farewell to television.

عيد مبارك و كل عام وأنتم بخير

Memories From Past Ramadans

- Time of tasahour, me and my brother are eating

Me: When is the adhan?
Bro: We've got plenty of time.
Me: What's that sound?
Bro: I don't know.
Me: Well shut up then!
Sound: Haya 3ala il-salaah!
Me & Bro: [Choke choke, spit spit]

- Just before ifaar, all the family is waiting

Everyone: [Dying]
Adhan: Allah uakbaar ul-Allah akbaar!
Mum: [Saying du3aa2] Alahuma-
Me: [Glug glug]
Everyone: Hey, Khaled, you're supposed to say the du3aa2 before you drink!
Me: Oh, sorry.

Out Of The Battlefield

And back in. Fasting is hard, especially when you have to do it in summer. The day is hot and fasting is much longer. Even though schools and work places have shortened our time of torture, we still have to fast in hell for six hours.

Sleeping to pass time is not an option for me, as my body refuses to sleep during day time whatsoever, unless it's sick. Instead I either torture others in God of War II, build big armies against the computer in C&C Generals, or watch something on MBC Action.

Fasting makes a person angry, tired and frustrated. I always pass the fridge, open it and see the apple juice, take it out and get a cup, then I remember I am fasting so I get really angry. I get even more angry when I find out there still is a painful 4 hours or so to the end of war.

Just about everyone in Jordan gets angry when they're fasting. Those who smoke get angry, those old people get angry, taxi drivers get angry. The excuse of "ana sayim" is a one used alot to leave an argument, or "hala2 baftir aleek" is an excuse to start one.

People actually gain weight in Ramadan. You'd find this strange, but people will go mad when its iftar time. From mansaf to atayif, they eat them in tons and then go watch some Egyptian series on the TV.

This continues till tasahur, at which they go mad again, then go to sleep till noon. No tarweeh, no fajir. During the day they either sleep or watch TV.

Ramadan to many people is not a religious time. Its a time of hell on earth, when you have to make yourself hungry. Its a time when you have to invite the family over and eat in bulk. Its also named as the month of atayif.

So, my naseeha to you all is to think more about what Ramadan really means, and less about your stomach. By the way this post is making me hungry...