I don’t have the stamina of my pious brethren in faith, who stand their nights in prayer.
My Ramadan is characterised by working days fasting, and evenings nursing the headache that’s accompanied me for weeks.
It wasn’t always so. In the early years, I’d be breaking my fast at work, then returning home for an evening spent at the mosque.
It’s not that I was any better a believer then. It’s just I was a single man, seeking some sense of community. Indeed, we had a nice, humble fraternity then.
Maybe I was humbler too. Those fasts were pretty easy then, mid winter, the days so short. We’ve been through some hard fasts in the two decades since.
Now we’re returning to those shorter fasts once more, but my lethargy remains. I find it hard to stand the night in prayer as we used to.
May God grant me strength and stamina, and a return to good health so that I may make better use of this blessed month. May I too stand my nights in prayer.
Last modified: 14 March 2024
Āmīn to your du’ā’. Yes, the body takes its toll over the years and what was once easy in our youth becomes a challenge in our middle-age. May Allāh grant you strength and accept what you can offer.