A Ramadan Sunday Marked by Faith, Loss, Friendship, and Late-Night Worries

It was as early as 5 AM when I got up. As Ramadan is going on, I need to wake up very early for the meal called Sehri, which is an important and obligatory part of fasting. My parents called me as well, but I was already awake. After getting up, I purified myself by performing ablution and then had the pre-dawn meal.

At around 5:43 AM, the time for the pre-dawn meal was over, and after that we cannot eat or drink anything. It was then time to go for the morning prayers at the nearby mosque, just a few metres away from my home. After returning from the mosque, I went back to bed for some more rest.

It was around 9 AM when I woke up again. As it was Sunday, I was at home and had enough time to complete my daily tasks. I was basking in the bright sunshine and had taken out my book to read some chapters of Indian Polity to understand more about the Indian administrative structure and how such a huge country is governed.

While I was reading, my brother called me to inform me about the death of a young woman. It was a complete shock, and I could not absorb the news at first. I went out to confirm it and met a man from that neighbourhood who verified the news. It was truly heartbreaking. I returned home to inform my mother and grandmother, and it was equally shocking for them.

Later, it was time to offer the afternoon prayers. After praying, I went to take part in her last rites. My friends and I had to wait for almost two hours, and only after she was buried did we decide to leave for Sheikh Nooruddin’s shrine at Charar-i-Sharief through a shortcut route where we usually go to offer prayers. Being there during the holy days of Ramadan felt special.

We waited for the late afternoon prayer and, in the meantime, fed the large flocks of pigeons that are always present there. After praying and spending some quiet moments inside the shrine, making our wishes and prostrating in reverence before Almighty Allah, we left the place. This time, we returned home through the longer route, covering more than 20 kilometres.

We have been together since childhood, and we always enjoy each other’s company. We remember old days, laugh at our memories, and continue to create new moments together.

By the time we reached home, it was time to break the fast. The death of that woman, who was a neighbour of my maternal home, had deeply affected my mother, and the whole village was in shock. After breaking my fast, I prepared to go for the evening prayers.

However, my sister-in-law was not feeling well. She was experiencing very fast palpitations, which made us worried. We waited for some time, hoping she would recover, but when she did not improve, we decided to take her to the hospital. My brothers, my mother, and I accompanied her. The doctors examined her and gave her medication, after which she started feeling better.

It was around 10:30 PM when we returned home. Since it was already late and we had not had dinner yet, we ate quickly and then went to sleep, as we had to wake up again early for the pre-dawn meal.