ABU DHABI // For Aya Sakoury, Ramadan evokes memories from her childhood in Cairo when she would gaze into traditional lanterns, known as fanoos.
“The best memory I have when I was a child is my parents buying me a fanoos,” the 24-year-old public relations executive said.
“I used to wait for Ramadan just to have a new fanoos and add it to my old ones. They used to have new designs in different colours, and Ramadan songs. It meant, and still means, a lot to me.”
The fanoos are hung on balconies during Ramadan and serve as a centrepiece on the dining table when families gather to break their fast.
Ms Sakoury, an Egyptian, lived in Cairo and Tabuk in Saudi Arabia before moving to Abu Dhabi 18 months ago.
She said that last year “was my first Ramadan away from my family and my home and I was on my first month in a new job”.
Despite not having her family around, she says she enjoys all aspects of the holy month.
“It feels so special,” she said. “As if Ramadan is a painting. You can’t enjoy the beautiful painting if some details are missing.”
Ramadan is all about fasting, praying, taraweeh, gatherings, good deeds, reciting the Quran, and the fanoos, she said.
“I love the challenge of fasting because every time I do it, I learn and realise how people suffer because of poverty and how they feel almost every day in the year, not just one month,” Ms Sakoury said.
“Fasting feeds your brain and emotions. Fasting means you are not allowed to get mad, hurt someone, gossip, be mean, be selfish, be rude or arrogant. You are not allowed to waste your precious time on meaningless things.”
She believed Muslims should use the holy month to strengthen their faith and relationship with Allah.
“We don’t miss the chance to give sadaqa [charity] and help people who are in need,” she said. “Be merciful because Ramadan is the month of mercy.”
Despite not getting the chance to spend Ramadan with her family this year, she said the holy month has still been memorable for her.
“My Ramadan this year was full of blessings,” she said. “Allah granted me wonderful friends to spend my Ramadan with.”
rruiz@thenational.ae