This Ramadan...

I will miss:

• My friends in Toronto
• Hanging out @ aunty Naheed's and her iftars with the girls
• Taraweeh @ Masjid Toronto and all the beautiful reminders
• Walking to the masjid with Rehan, and sometimes detouring through Tim Hortons on the way back
• Sister K, who's always looking for me at taraweeh whenever she wants to know which page of the Qur'an we stopped
• Biking to the masjid clad in helmet and all, and beating Sawitri (ocassionally) to the bike post we share from across the mosque :)
• Inviting my non-Muslim friends/colleagues over for my Ramadan iftars
• Massive MSA Iftars @ UofT downtown
• Hosting iftars for my friends
• Iftars with organisations I've been part of
• Shorter fasts
• Qiyam with my favourite people
• Praying 20 rakaat (most mosques in UAE pray 8)

I will not miss:

• Being away from my family in Ramadan for 6 years
• Kids wailing and running around in the Masjid (it's the same everywhere)
• Taraweeh with one of the most beautiful recitation I've ever heard. The Shaikh @ Masjid Hammouda is out of this world! Mashallah
• Looking at my watch to start and end my fasts, but with the azan
• Working during the month
• Washing dishes late night

I know I'm missing lots more from my list...

I returned from taraweeh a few hours ago. It was nice, so many women mashallah, but too many children. I spoke with my friend, who's the imam's wife, and luckily Canadian, to do something about the kids, and she said, "yea, we'll have to get organised". Just when I thought no more babysitting during Ramadan or managing women...

So we formed a "Canadian team" and came up with an action plan. This mosque is so unique. It's the most beautiful masjid in Al Ain, especially at night, with an active Imam, great accommodation for women, and it's only getting better. And it's a 3 minute drive from my place :)