20.8.12

reflections & intentions

5 times a day . 2012


i was honored to be asked by art dubai to contribute a post for their ramadan special on their blog. i came up with the illustration above & the short write-up found below. to view the actual post, click here

"ramadan for me acts as a reminder to strive even harder to reach faithful bliss & become spiritually content. life’s distraction’s throughout the year unfortunately gets the best of me, pushing faith to a secondary & sometimes (dare say!) tertiary level! so when Ramadan knocks at our doors for its annual visit, i sit back & reflect over how i have treated life & what can be done better.
abstaining from food is the least of my woes during the holy month. Being a heavy eater was never really my thing to begin with! it’s abstaining from life’s other vices that are quite challenging. & with this year’s summer heat, jumping out of lazy mode is quite difficult. but i guess this is what it’s all about. figuring out solutions to daily woes.
For me, i think the most important thing is intention. during Ramadan, my actions reflect the good intentions i want to live by. in life, i think i’m generally a nice person (i hope!). But during Ramadan, i constantly keep myself in check & try not to step any inappropriate boundaries. simple tasks like breaking fast with the family, trips to the mosque, keeping track of the 5 daily prayers, giving to those in need, mean nothing if your intention is not genuine. so for the holy month, i choose to do these things & more, because i want to. And i hope to continue with the same intentions once ramadan is over."

i hope everyone had a pleasant ramadan & a great eid with family & loved ones.