It's all of me: Memories of Ramadhan Past: 1423H Edinburgh

Assalamualaikum…

Hmmm the series continues…My first Ramadhan out of Malaysia… Ramadhan of 1423.

That was my first term at QMUC, and my first time ever being away from my family for a very long duration of time. It was around November 2002 if not mistaken.

Ushering Ramadhan was a memorable day for me, as I moved to Grainger Stewart Halls form Waverly Halls. I can’t afford paying GBP395 a month for this room…. Pity, I did not take any photos of the kitchen and sitting room...

So I sent in my request to the Accommodations Officer and got this room instead. And so, I moved in to this room on the day before Ramadhan if not mistaken..or was it on the first day. Anyway, I stayed in this room for the next 7 months, and I do miss this cosy little room of mine. The flat I stayed in consists of 3 rooms, shared kitchen and other utilities.

Well, Ramadhan in the winter months up north in Scotland is really fun, why? Well, it is not because the day time is shorter, but it’s the challenge to upkeep one’s fast. Eventhough Subuh was at 6 a.m, but in general in winter times, the fasting period is very short. As my memory recalls, the first Iftar was at about 4.20 in the afternoon and my Eid eve, it was 3.45 pm. Remembered that day when Zoody and I went to IKEA (More on Zoody after this) at about 4.45 pm after Iftar at Palmyra, a Halal kebab shop near the mosque, I confidently took the 37 bus towards IKEA, but the thing was, I slept right through the trip, only waking up and finding out we were elsewhere! Oh my! What a ride! I think we got to Peebles or somewhere in the outskirtd of Edinburgh, but we did manage to get ti IKEA at last.. and by 6 pm, IT WAS LIKE 10 PM! and the tempreature...FREEZING!

I wonder what my first sahur meal was. Huh I can’t recall, but all I could recall is the IFTAR at the Edinburgh Central Mosque. I would be at the mosque a few minutes before the Azan, and take my wudhu, do a 2 rakaat prayer and wait till the Muezzin announce the Azan for Maghrib prayers, sunset, where all Muslims break their fast. A plastic sheet is spread out at the back row of the mosque, and dates are placed on it. All Muslim brothers from all walks of life and nationality sit together and break their fast with a date or two and then proceed for Maghrib prayers. Beautiful! And after prayers, we would then adjourn to the next building for the meal, which consists of Rice/Bread and curry… cooked by this Pakistani Brother. He now has a small business selling Rice for lunch..very cheap as well that’s 3 quid for rice and curry, and the portion is HUGE! ALLAH IS GREAT!

Does this Pic look familiar? hehehe..get the recipe from my friends BLOG by just clicking on the picture...Lets u ols!

Anyways, fasting on my own without my family is compensated with having new found friends alongside you. Well, it is NOT that bad fasting away from Malaysia… Breaking fast at another Malaysian home would cure that homesick. Especially when it comes to PROPER KUIH MELAYU!!! Even though I was in SCOTLAND, it was my rezeki to get Seri Muka, Pulut Panggang, Mee Rebus, Mee Rojak. I would have to give credit to Kak Fiza, Kak Rose, Kak Aida Ariena, Kak Aida Ustaz, Kak Nini and Abg Sham as well as Kak Saba Abang Lan for having me over at their place often for Iftar or weekend meals. Not forgetting Anis, Noi, Oja…heheh…

These pics were taken during a buka puasa session at Anis's, Noi n Oja's flat. A year after that, I moved in to the flat 2 floors above this one.

This Ramadhan too had destined me to meet Mahmud Zuhdi (cream Baju Melayu), UKM's Law Fac PhD candidate.

He is a mutual friend of Rashid (my former coursemate in ITM) and that is how I came to know about Mahmud's whereabouts in Edinburgh. He stayed at the top floor in Zone 1 (Peter Geddes Halls Of Residence if not mistaken)...very posh room he had, overlooking Princess Street. We became good friends ever since and we really enjoyed each other's company till the day I came back to Malaysia. He is finishing up his PhD by March 2006. Good luck Zoody! That Ramadhan too we had fun going about Edinburgh exploring new things (Zoody is more adventurous compared to me, so he was the one who brought to ALL SORTS OF PLACES) *havesla mak pech lubs...pech ker? ekeke... So it was that Ramadhan as well that I exposed him to the Malaysian Community!- During a buka puasa do organised by EMSA *mati la mak, apakah maksudnyer itu? hehehe... The pictures below was taken during Ramadhan that year, and the one on the right hand side actually was in HARIAN METRO Eid Greetings in Malaysia! heheh..Cik Najib texted me to inform about it..hehe..Gila Glamer u ols....