Writing on the Wall

It has become a routine matter in our lives every year that we literally sweat for Eid moon sighting. Every year Ramadan starts and ends with confusion. Its actually quite ironic that in this digital age in which there are countries trying to explore the darker areas of space and we the muslims of India and pakistan still depend on a 70 year old feeble cleric to resolve this obligatory matter for us . The matter is daunting and distressing now as this year we witnessed a feud here in pakistan between the govt minister and clerics. The science ministry lead by ‘not so popular’ Fawad Chaudry declared Eid few hours before the route hilal committee who gets salaries for the only job they almost fail every year to do so. This year it was more baffling for them as they took almost 5 hours to announce the Eid in a perplexing manner as the cleric leading the committee looked fragile and unclear while announcing the festive day. And if that wasn’t enough , a sectarian rift started immediate

Nobody knew that a time will come upon this generation which will force the people to quit all the things they were once addicted to.   The advent of Ramadan 2020 fetched concerns, anxieties and reminiscences from the past.   Ramadan in Muslim countries is like the biggest festival time which is full of colors, cuisines, rituals and joys. It has a different sense and significance for people of different age groups. The old fellows find this holy month an opportunity to seek clemency and salvation with a series of sacraments.   The month of Ramadan literally lure people towards the mosques for daily prayers, they keep fasts throughout the month, offer congregational Quranic recitations and sit in the Aitkaf (people sit in isolation for 10 days and pray). The children, on the other hand, perceive this as the month of festivities.   As they hear that Ramadan is here, they start compelling their parents for shopping and toys and obviously the scrumptious cuisines are a perfect d