Ramzan Weirdoes

Last evening while breaking the fast, I as usual read the dua of breaking fast. I was about to put a date in my mouth when I felt some thing wrong. My hand stopped at the distance. While focusing my eyes on the date, I couldn’t concentrate on the dua. I was not reading it correctly. I tried again. This time I tried to focus on each word. Oh what I was saying? It wasn’t the prayer of breaking fast. What I was praying for?

The actual prayer of breaking the fast is:

And I was saying:

‘O Allaah, I take refuge with you from all evil and evil-doers.’

This is the dua, which is said before entering the bathroom. I mixed both duas due to the same starting words. I am a big time stupid; I have realized it at once. I remained cursing myself on how blindly I just say prayers without concentrating on words.

But what can I do? We enter bathroom more than once in a day and we say Aftar prayer just once in a day. There is a strong probability of mixing both duas due to the similarity of starting words. To err is ….you what. Oh I don’t know how many fasts I have opened with this prayer. I am sure Allah have taken it correctly.

Muhammad Tariq

Who is Muhammad Tariq? You may not know him but people in our locality know this name very well, even haven’t seen him ever.

During Ramzan, there are used to be many social workers who volunteer themselves for the virtuous deed of waking people for the sehri. These includ dhool walas, dholki walas teen dabba walas, any other orchestra walas, molvis, beggars, etc. We are lucky enough having all of them at different times from 2:00 am to 6:00 am. I must admit how much punctual and hard working they are, even having such odd timings. After offering this duty whole Ramzan, they are used to visit at Eid day and demand for Eidi for their social work they have done passionately the whole month. Exploiting the opportunity, some irregular and unknown (rather unheard) sehri walas also come on Eid and ask for the money of their unasked and uninvited services. We used to argue with those.

Among all these, Muhammad Tariq (he often calls himself Tariq sehri wala as well) is a prominent figure. Why? Because of his unique style. To avoid the above-mentioned situation on Eid day, he is used to say “aa gaya Muhammad Tariq Sehri wala aa gaya, uth jao sehri ki tayyari karo” and dhunn dhunnnnnn. Although the last lines are merely heard but he screams aloud on “Tariq Sehri wala”. We have learned his name by heart. If anyone dares not to hear him properly, he has a tool with him as well. The teen dabba…..uffff…….I cannot tell you how much sharp voice this teen dabba utters when Tariq bhai saab hits it mercilessly with a stick. My brother is used to sleep late at night. Once he requested him not to beat the teen dabba. The great Tariq sab welcomed the request and promised that he would avoid it from now. Next night, he was still there with his shrieking voice and the lovely teen dabba.

All in all, I must admit the intelligence of Tariq Sehri wala. He found the excellent way of leaving his unforgetful name and style on our minds. I wonder if my brother also respects him for this. And I also wonder how my brother would receive him on Eid.

Forgetfulness

It takes time for getting used to the timing of Sehri and Aftari. In the first week of Ramzan, we were eating as quickly as we could, keeping an eye on the clock. The last few minutes are always crucial. Suddenly a molvi saab of a nearby mosque screamed; “Stop stop eating and drinking. Time for sehri is over. You are not allowed to eat or drink further”. We looked each other. According to our clock, there was still some time. But with the doubt that our clock might have told the wrong time, we stopped eating consequently. The molvi saab came again on loud speaker: “I am really sorry. I was mistaken. There is still 10 minutes left for Sehri”. What the……………….

In the remaining fasts, we did not believe in any announcement of Sheri and Aftari made by this Molvi. He has lost his trust. Although I am the one who stops eating in the end with the very last announcement made by any molvi of even a far away mosque and also the one who breaks fast with the very first announcement of it.