Mahadi said this Ramadan is special as it has given people the luxury of spending time with their family.
Singaporean Jeffry Mahadi and his wife Linda Jeffry are making the most of this Ramadan with their sons, 19-year-old Aqil and 15-year-old Hakim.
“It is the togetherness in doing things – something we could not do earlier. Previously, we would be rushing to work or schools and never really got time to do things together. On weekends, we would be out for Iftar with friends or eating at restaurants. This year, it’s all about being with family and worshipping Allah. It’s a truly unique and beautiful experience indeed,” Mahadi said.
Mahadi said this Ramadan is special as it has given people the luxury of spending time with their family. “I am able to experience calmness, especially while praying, as there is no stress of going somewhere. I pray with my sons and wife together, and this feeling is definitely special. We can truly feel at peace and see the blessings that we usually took for granted, thanks to the restrictions that have been put in place to prevent the spread of Covid-19. There is always wisdom behind God’s every decision and we just need to stay positive and patient in these times to experience the change,” he said.
Mahadi said the family not only eats and prays together but also cooks meals together. “We spend most of our time praying and enjoying the process of preparing Iftar and Suhoor. Earlier, it was only my wife who was responsible for cooking and cleaning, but now, we are all here learning to experiment new recipes with her. From cooking to cleaning and setting the table – everything is done by all of us,” he said.
“The most special part about this year’s Taraweeh is that my sons lead the prayers as Imams of the house. They take turns to lead the prayers on alternate days. This is a very rare opportunity to see my sons do it as being an Imam and leading prayers can be a daunting task. The way my kids are doing it gives me immense happiness. We also revise our Quran recitation during the prayers,” he added.
Talking about staying connected with family and friends, Mahadi said: “Technology is a big boon, especially during these times where we are fighting a pandemic. Although physically we are at a distance from our friends and relatives, we talk to our families and relatives in Singapore at least twice a week, through videoconferencing on Zoom or other apps. Distance has made our hearts fonder and closer to each other.
“Since we cannot exchange food these days, my wife and her friends exchange pictures of Iftar dishes and recipes through video conferencing,” added Mahadi.
Linda prefers to stick to healthy and traditional Singaporean food items. “Our Iftars are healthy as I often bake dishes. I make local dishes such as rice porridge (Bubur Masjid), roti john (street snack), mee rebus (noodles with special sauce) and mee soto (noodle soup).
“We, as a family, have realised how well we can make nutritious food at home. Eating home-cooked meals also helps in saving money that we usually spend while eating out,” she added.
“The pandemic has changed everything and slowed us down. The pace of life had become very fast and we weren’t able to catch up with our own family members. I take this as an opportunity to value and realise the countless blessings Allah has given us such as loving family members, nutritious food and being in a comfortable home.”
