(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) The now 33-year-old Tunisian national Ines Amor began fasting for the holy month of Ramadan at the age of 14. However, looking back at all the years she has fasted since, Ines realises that the real virtue of Ramadan is only fully understood when one gets older.
"When I was a young girl, I would fast because everyone else around me was doing it. In fact, I would not fast all days religiously," she said. "As I grew older, I became more responsible and realised Ramadan is a responsibility towards God."
When Ines turned 19, she faced an epiphany. She said, "Fasting and the experiences during the holy month became a truly spiritual experience."
Ines grew up in Tabarka, a coastal town located in north-western Tunisia, close to the border with Algeria. The media professional told Khaleej Times that she sincerely misses observing Ramadan with her family and friends back home. In a bid to relive the Ramadan in her hometown, Ines has stocked up her house with intricately designed Tunisian ceramic plates.
From Tunisia to UAE
"I miss playing with the neighbourhood kids before Iftar, waiting for the sound of the cannon, breaking fast with my family and friends, going for prayers together, etc," she said.
At 19, Ines felt proud that she can fast for 30 days without any gaps. "I know that in the beginning, I wasn't serious. After a while, I started feeling proud and I also felt a deep sense of calm," she added. Though the first two to three days continue to be challenging, you become more used it as the month progresses, she said.
Reminiscing her days of fasting and Iftar in Tunisia, Ines said: "Ramadan is the best month and everyone waits for it. We have a lot of traditional dishes we have during Iftar, and even the plates we have it in is different. I keep a lot of blue ceramic Tunisian plates in my house, because it reminds me of back home. Moroccan tea is also a mandatory drink during Ramadan," she added.
"Observing Ramadan has helped me become a more mature individual. Today, I fast because I want to fast and it brings me closer to the Almighty," she stated.
When Ines moved to the UAE 13 years ago, it was during the holy month. Sometimes, she would be asked to work even during Iftar. She said: "The first year was challenging as I was far away from the family and I didn't have anyone to share Ramadan with."
However, she began spending more time in mosques and would go for prayers every Friday. "A good thing about this country is that there are a lot of mosques. I would spend time in mosques during Fridays, and that's when I realised the beauty of Islam," she reminisced. "I realised that my religion is very simple and it can be practised by following a few basic rules. There is nothing complicated about it. With consistency, religion becomes a habit," she said. After this realisation, living and observing Ramadan for Ines in the UAE became easy as well. "The more I practiced, the more I realised that good deeds could be done throughout the year," she said.
A Tunisian Iftar
Traditionally, Ines keeps the Iftar simple. As per Islam, wasting food is a sin, so Ines and her husband stick to having shorba (Tunisian soup) and breek (samosa) and Tunisian tea. "These dishes are mandatory in every household. We have bigger meals after the Taraweeh prayers, where we consume salads, pasta, shakshuka (poached eggs in tomato sauce) and some sweets," she explained.
However, right from childhood, Ines has loved the last five days of Ramadan as it is when she feels most spiritual. "In the last five days, the doors of paradise are wide open, and we tend to pray a lot more. It is the most beautiful time during the holy month," she said.
MENAFN1805201800490000ID1096879201
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.