Eid-ul-Fitr '07

O children of Adam, we have provided you with garments to cover your bodies, as well as for luxury. But the best garment is the garment of righteousness. [Al Qur'an: Al A'raf (The Heights):26]


Days and months spent preparing for this auspicious day drew to a close on 13 October. I must admit I had enjoyed every moment of the preparation. It might sound a bit cliché but what makes Eid-ul-Fitr auspicious to me is the fact that through all the time when I prepared for it , I knew that I am giving – and nothing beats the satisfaction that comes from this act. Although a lot of the time I spent preparing for Eid-ul-Fitr involved shopping for my family but hey, charity begins at home! This year I didn’t shop much. Nor did I buy household items. Maybe because these items, which I had bought prior to previous Eid-ul-Fitr are still good. Preparations for my family included: all the necessary clothing for my mom and sis; cookies (bought, not baked) for my mom; new RM 1 & RM 50 notes; and a princess gown for my niece that I had always wanted her to wear. Of course, it goes without saying that preparations need not only refer to material things; I managed to fast for 20 days and had also paid the zakat that was due.
So with all these things taken care of, I headed home. On the eve of Eid-ul-Fitr, my mom and me were busy busting our asses in the kitchen, preparing for the dishes. As I sat down on the floor in the wet kitchen, peeling layers and layers of onion skin, I started to reminisce about past Eid-ul-Fitr. Despite all the enthusiasm that was manifested through my preparations, I felt a bout of profound sadness. Something was missing. My dad.
I remember vividly, when my dad was around, he would be the busiest person in the household. He would be busy mopping the floor, grating the coconut, weaving the ketupat leaves, boiling the ketupat, throwing the garbage and setting up oil lamps (pelitas) around the front yard and lighting them up. Besides these images, I imagine despite his busy-ness, he would also find the time to play with my niece who, until now, refers to him as ‘Tok Dad’. And my niece would no doubt, be busy following him around, asking questions inquisitively while my dad answers as truthfully as he could.
I guess Eid-ul-Fitr is not the same without my dad. Abah, there’s a big gap in Eid-ul-Fitr that can only be filled by you. May God bless your soul. Amen.

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