Impressions and memories of Ramadan by Abdulaziz Ali Omer

2013-07-16 18:40:00
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Abdulaziz Ali Omer



Abdulaziz Ali Omer
With an unforeseen arrival of fasting month, the Air is infused with the festive noise of children hitting the butts of tins and lids of pots . Their chants of Ramadan are not devoid of the Arab spring slogans. Children sleep when adults beat the drums to wake others for Suhoor – a pre-dawn meal or drink to give stamina during fasting.
The Air is also infused with the floury smell of spicy ripe Abri-that ubiquitous drink of Sudan red and white in colour. It is made of Dhurra or sorghum, the staple grain of the country. The beautifully-made Abri is an attempt to quench the thirst in the land of Sudan. In this land in Ramadan,2013 the clouds have revoked the promise of rain. I see lips of the devout in a whispered prayer for the fall of rain , the other rain that we knew heavy and thunderous. It is hot. The sky shows a blankness. The emptiness is a reminder of an atmosphere of Sudan described in the "River War' by Winston Churchill" The earth burns with aquenchless thirst and in the blue sky clouds scarcely obstruct the triumph of the sun". He who is defeated by the sun, is shaded by the trees and the hard fasting is a key to El-rayan. That is the name of a door of a wing in the hereafter paradise . It is reserved for those who fasted in the earthly life . The paradises have rivers running below them and only in Ramadan breathe their sweetness into belivers to refresh the faith.
Ramadan comes this year while the muslim earth soil and flesh is slapped by bullets. It is crying and bleeding because of the power lust. But ,muslim are not alone. Millions of thier brothers in Islam pray for their recovery and victory. Any muslim wish could offer a solace more than a mere prayer. God is great is the voice of dignity and hope. It will never ever be stopped . We hear it rising a loud over the bombing crash and raising us above the bloody reality.
In every Sudanese neighborhood, as the last sun-ray lighten the alleyways, calls for prayer echo from several minarets to announce the time of breaking fast a round 7:15. Large prayer mats are laid out to seat every one to breakfast together on the streets not in choking offices or mosques of definite religious denomination. The streets have the clarity of Air. They are narrow but wide with love. There is no paucity of foods and drinks. Street brekfast is a Sudanese habit that alleviates poverty. It reflects the eeath-flesh intimcay and the Sudanese community tolerance and solidarity. There is no evidence of beaucracy and sectarianism. First, many hands extend toward the plate of dates. Then ,they move to the rest of feast . this includes varity of local food, jugs of fruit juices and a lot of other sweet concoctions. The breakfast starts with water and adate .They have thier import. Water is the kiss of life. Dates were the blessed food of the virgin while breast feeding the Christ.
Ahmad Salih is a Sudanese pensioner .Yesterday, as he took the last sip of his breakfast coffee, "Do you remember Shiehk Mahjoub?" one of neighbors who broke his fast with us asked him. "yes, dear brother, I remember him.'' He replied. He wiped a hot tear that trickled on his wrinkled cheek, put down his coffee cup to savor memories. " Ramadan of 2012 was the last Ramadan left for him to fast. He smiled as if he realized he was going to be in the loving embrace of God. I saw him once stop out side a mosque with a rosary bead in his hand. He hailed me and then invited back to drink tea and eat some pieces of tasty refrigerated water-melon.
The pained look on the face Ahmad Salih ,the Sudanese pensioner was unbearable . The eyes of each man present was drawn toward a white man from England. His name is Angus Smith. They were happy for him to watch their religious practices. From my private conversation, I knew that he fasted every Friday although a non-Muslim is not obliged to fast. In an answer to what he thought of Ramadan, he responded "It is time for enjoying the very best of Sudanese hospitality and kindness".
By the end of Ramadan ,Muslim celebrate the breaking fast festival by giving alms to the poor first thing in the morning .It is a festival of "charity begins at home".