Daily Sip - Ramadan in a Muslim Country

In light of the holiday being discussed in the other thread, I thought it would be fun to see if there was a poem we could use for today's Daily Sip. This one seemed to do a good job of describing many of the customs that Sunshine referred to. You guys can tell me if it's accurate...

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Ramadan in a Muslim Country

A new night
of the sacred month
the thin slice of the moon; the crescent
visible only a few minutes
to the naked eye

A sight beautiful
signaling new,
fresh

Greetings one to the other: Ramadan Mubarakh

And a few hours later
sounds of drums
Wake up! Wake up!
have a meal,
a simple glass of water!
Before the first light,
before you begin the fast,
make the intention
Wake up! Wake up!

And the day progresses, a slowing down;
restaurants closed, coffee houses empty.

And workers begin their trek home early

Late afternoon, the specialty stores open
selling the special once a year snacks,
crowds flocking and moving hurriedly
collecting their Iftar (break fast)

And mothers prepare the traditional meals
taking extra time
for the fasting family

Only an hour before the sun sets
city streets empty,
as in a curfew,

And now only a few minutes,
family and friends gather around the table
making small talk
awaiting the moment...silence...

Allah-hu Akbar
Allah-hu Akbar
Allah-hu Akbar
Allah-hu Akbar
(God is great)

Ash-hadu an la illaha illal-lah
Ash-hadu an la illaha illal-lah
(I witness that there is no God except Allah)

Ash-hadu anna Mohammadan rasoolol lah
Ash-hadu anna Mohammadan rasoolol lah
(I witness that Mohammad is the Prophet of Allah)

Hay-ye alas-slat
Hay-ye alas-slat
(Hurry up for prayer)

Hay-ye alal falah
Hay-ye alal falah
(Hurry up for prosperity)

Allah-hu Akbar
Allah-hu Akbar

La illaha illal-lah
La illaha illal-lah
(There is no God except Allah)

And the siren, signalling the sun dipping below the horizon

And together, some with dates, some with a pinch of salt
"We take this food in the name of Allah, most gracious, ever merciful"

Prayers given
and later friends and family
mill around, some content
others tired, but all happy
on this day of Ramadan...
Peace

- Altaf Bhimji

Sib! You've made a very very kind move :) a huge thank you from me, for as one I really appreciate what you've done, that you're not even a Muslim..

I loved what I read, really! Especially the 1st part

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I will share this, that I've found :

Ya Ramadan!, by Noor Syed

In the name of Allah, the most Merciful, the most Kind

A blessed month is casting its shadow upon us
A night of this month is better than a thousand months
Bear with patience for the sake of Ar-Rahman
It's a continuous training to strengthen our Imaan.

Glory be to Allah who sent Ramadan as a mercy to mankind
Its a purification of our soul, our heart, and our mind
With the most sincere devotion and love we fast
To be cleansed and free from sins of the past

Glorified is He, who choseth this holy month,
To test our sabr and fill our hearts with warmth
Of his Divine Light, His blessings shall glow,
The Seer of the unseen, all He does know

Ya Allah! For thee, let my breath be more pleasant than musk
Ya Allah! For thee, let me be thankful when day turns to dusk
My thoughts and heart are purified, my eyes truly see'
This blessed month, the month of spiritual rhapsody!

Ya Allah! For thee, my life I shall live!
Ya Allah! For thee, my soul I shall give!
In the name of Allah, the most Merciful, the most Kind,
Praise be to Allah, who sent Ramadan as a gift to mankind

Eh, I'm a lover of rituals, in general. For someone who doesn't generally go to church, I'm a pretty traditional gal. ; )

I liked the first stanza as well.

Edit; lol Sib <3

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Ramadan is Here!!, by Asma Sadia

One night I heard a knock on my door;
Who can it be,I wasn't quite sure.
I open the door and am filled with glee;
The visitor ahead is no stranger to me.

I welcome the guest with utmost delight;
For I know it has come to give me respite.
An air of happiness fills the space;
My home now seems, a better place!

Have you any clue who this visitor could be?
Yes!its Ramadhan,the month of mercy.
The pious and righteous can't await its arrival;
Others seem to greet it, with waves of denial.

For Allah(SWT) we fast from dawn to dusk;
For Him our breath is the fragrance of musk.
The muslims who pray and fast with zest;
Are aware of the rewards of this month manifest.

Throughout this month we weep and repent;
Now is the time to strongly lament.
And those who shun this sacred month;
on the Day of Reckoning will face the brunt.

In the last ten nights,hides the Night of Decree;
Allah(SWT) then awaits for his slaves to plea.
The angels descend with Gabriel(AS) in the lead;
To check on the steadfast and record every deed.

A feeling of grief now fills my heart;
As the month of Ramadhan will soon depart.
So lets make a start and worship Him alone;
Now that the worth of this month is known

I really like the first couple stanza's as well. I especially like this part:

A sight beautiful
signaling new,
fresh

This describes the customs in a way you can almost visualize it, like you're there, and gives one better insight to the meaning of Ramadan. Thanks for sharing Sibs and you to Nana.

Sibby, thank you for sharing this! :)

Thanks 4 sharing :D

Thanks for sharing, Sibilly, and way to keep the Daily Sip relevant to PnQ times ;)

Ouch! I didn't read the last one Nana until now. And I loved it, I never read it before, actually, where did you get it from? :/