Roze Kadri: Reflecting on moving from Ramadan ... into the rest of the year ...

What a wonderful celebration! We want to thank the dozens of Muslim men, women and young people who shared their stories during this month of fasting and reflection!
    We’ve heard from readers around the world who have enjoyed “reading along with our neighbors” day by day — and that’s why this project is so important! As we learn more about our neighbors’ daily lives, whatever our faith may be, we discover that we share a lot of spiritual values.
    We’re going to wrap up this Ramadan series with one more personal story today.
    BUT, we plan to keep this Web site open. The inspirational stories will remain here if you care to come back and reread them. Soon, we plan to rename this Web site SharingIslam.info and we will continue to welcome stories about Muslims, talking about our daily spiritual challenges and joys.

Today, we’re sharing a final Ramadan reflection from Roze Kadri, a medical research coordinator in a division of the Wayne State University School of Medicine. Like so many American Muslim men and women, she balances a challenging professional life with time for her family and her community. (That’s Roze with her family in the photo at right.) Here is her reflection on the conclusion of Ramadan …

The Quran says: “Ramadan is the (month)
in which was sent down the Quran, as a guide to mankind, also clear (signs) for
guidance and judgment.”

    This
month is indeed blessed for this reason and because the devil is
constrained during this time, improving our ability to perform good deeds and
refrain from misdeeds. It is said
in religious circles that everything we do, every good act we commit, benefits us. Praying,
alms-giving, even smiling to another person or educating ourselves, etc. — all positively benefit our soul
from God. The one thing that we do
just to honor God for being God is to fast during Ramadan.
    Every year, Ramadan seems
to feel a little different. Maybe it’s because the fasting time is
dictated by the lunar cycle and it varies; and so, too, do our activities and
schedules from season to season. The
name “Ramadan” refers to the 9th month of the Islamic
lunar calendar, which happened to fall exactly on the 9th month of the American
Georgian solar calendar, September, this year. That is rare! That celestial phenomenon won’t happen again for more than three decades.
    I am pleased this year that I have tried in
earnest to fulfill my religious duty. It has not been challenging. But now that fasting is over, I feel
more of a sense of loss than relief.

    Here’s what I will miss:
    I will miss waking my children up for a pre-dawn meal when they are all still
sleepy and mellow.
    In the months to come, I will miss most
of the members of my family breaking our fasts together around the dinner table
instead of catching a bite while on the run, in the car, at different times, and with other
people.
    I will miss trying to make
a fulfilling meal every meal.
    I
will miss baking sweets.
    I will
miss feeling like I have pleased God by fasting and supporting my family’s
efforts to do so.
    I will miss
feeling good about whatever donations I have given to charity knowing that the blessings of these gifts are increased during Ramadan).
    I will miss the increased congregation
with all of my friends gathering to break fast together.
    And most of all, I will miss the
constant reminders of an Almighty’s presence.

PLEASE, share your thoughts—and your stories.

    We have convenient links on this page—above at right to share
your Comments or to share this story with a friend—and a link at left
to “Share Your Story” with us.