The citizens of the federal capital are all set to observe fasting during the holy month of Ramadan amidst skyrocketing prices of daily commodities and unscheduled power outages.
Though not having the privilege to sight the much controversial moon themselves, the Muslim inhabitants of the metropolis relied on Ruet-e-Halal Committee Chariman Muftee Muneeb-ur-Rehman who had declared on Tuesday that the first day of the holy month would be on Thursday.
With the moon-sighting issue sorted, the unwavering faith of the Muslim inhabitants of the metropolis pulled them to mosques late on Wednesday night to offer ‘traveeh’ and seek forgiveness from the Almighty for year-long sins.
While the relatively more pious thronged mosques to connect with the Almighty, others remained busy connecting with people, exchanging pleasantries and wishing each other a blessed Ramadan. The cell phones kept buzzing while facebook statuses kept piling up one after the other – the celebrations were in order.
Abdul Wahab, who had come to the Faisal Mosque to offer traveeh told Pakistan Today, “Muslims should use this month to re-evaluate their lives in light of Islamic guidance. We are to make peace with those who have wronged us, strengthen ties with family and friends, do away with bad habits, and clean up our lives, thoughts and feelings.”
Like last year, prices of Ramadan-specific foodstuff including sugar, ghee, cooking oil, pulses, spices, fruits and vegetables have been raised with the advent of Ramadan while the government tires itself with tall claims of providing relief to the masses in the shape of Ramadan bazaars.
While the poor kept scratching their heads, fantasising about the food-less blessings the month promises, the affluent remained busy shopping till late, buying traditional Ramadan foodstuff.
As those aspiring to observe a fast or two swarmed the markets with pockets oozing with green and blue currency notes, the shopkeepers drooled as they made deliciously fattening delicacies like samosas and katchoris.
People were also seen complaining for failure of government to check price hike and profiteering. They said prices of many commodities that remain in high demand in Ramadan have increased almost doubled as compared to previous months.
During a recent survey, a vendor of a private establishment in the G-9 Markaz told this scribe that a large number of customers had swarmed his stall to buy religious headgear and attire for the approaching holy month
Mushtaq Ahmed and Sabir Hussain of the G-8, area expressing their joy said that Ramadan is one of the blessings of Allah Almighty and in this month parents should encourage their children to read the Holy Quran, to offer their prayers on time, give charity acts to win the Almighty’s favour.
Sarfraz Ahmed another resident of G-7 said, “Ramadan day starts with the traditional drummers waking the people for Sehri. All across Pakistan many affluent people arrange Iftar for the underprivileged and travelers.”
Hina, a housewife said that preparations for the evening’s Iftari meal began as early as mid-day. “Every home is sure to have dates and pakoras (fried vegetable snacks) to break the fast,in fact Iftari would be incomplete without them!”
“People also enjoy fruit chaat (spiced fruit salad) dhai bhaley (spicy dumplings in yoghurt), and who could forget the samosas,” she added. photos by sajjad ali
During Ramadan, blessings shower down in such abundance, that it seems that the doors of blessing have become wide open. According to a hadith, Paradise is perfumed and decorated for the believers just before Ramadan, and on the first day of Ramadan Allah instructs the angels to open the doors of Paradise for the believers.
Suffer from kidney disease? aussie naturopath tells all – how his patients avoid dialysis
Comments are closed.