Gratitude Journal 28.06.11 - Little Girls and Eid Prep

Little Lady is not very well at the moment, but that has not stopped us from taking very short trips out to buy her shoes and bangles to go with the lovely Eid outfit her grandmother brought her from Pakistan.  A nice little ritual that the two of us share in the run-up to every Eid, usually leaving the boys at home for a chnage.

She must have watched me often enough, because she laid her stuff out and took this picture.

The kids have been asking me for circa two and a half months "how many days to Eid now?", and in the last month they have been asking me every few hours.  I have banned them from asking me more than once in a day telling them the answer has not changed in two hours.  I love their excitement though mash'Allah.

One or two more days to go till Ramadan ends and as ever I feel I could have done more to make the most of this month (I might have done more if I wasn't moving sand around the garden).  Insh'Allah may Allah accept what each Muslim has attempted for His pleasure this month - the hunger and thirst, working as normal through long hot days, the sharing of meals at iftar (fast breaking), the long nights of prayer, the broken sleep, the paying of zakat (alms) and the increase in sadaqah (charity).

How do you explain to someone who is not Muslim, who can only sees the challenges of this month, the sweetness of this month?  The sense of brotherhood that increases amongst us and the sense of satisfaction at the end of each day and the benefits the discipline of this month brings in out lives?  You would never guess we are sad to be coming to the end of it would you?

"Oh you who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that you many learn piety and rightousness" (Qur'an, 2:183)


Narrated Abu Huraira(r.a): The Prophet (PBUH) said:"... whoever fasts during Ramadan out of sincere faith and hoping to attain Allah's rewards, then all his past sins will be forgiven." (Sahih Al-Bukhari).


Narrated Abu Huraira(r.a): The Prophet (PBUH) said: "Allah the Majestic and Exalted said: "Every deed of man will receive ten to 700 times reward, except Siyam (fasting), for it is for Me and I shall reward it (as I like). There are two occasions of joy for one who fasts: one when he breaks the fast and the other when he will meet his Lord" (Sahih Al-Muslim).