EIDI – A GIFT
It was 10.30 in a certain Doshomi morning (the last day of Durga Puja i.e. Dusshera) and amidst all the dhaak beats, onjoli, dhunuchi naach (and the sheer madness of it all!)—it was almost a miracle that I could feel my phone beep. Expecting a familiar concerned message from my folks enquiring about my whereabouts, I was pleasantly surprised at the name flashing on my phone screen. It was a DM from Murtaza. Now, Murtaza and I are Pj-loving pen-pals from two different countries, following each other on social media, who often engage in a friendly banter or two, recommending all good stuff i.e. books, music etc. to each other but mostly sharing tons of laughter together!
But that morning he had something else on his mind. Apparently, the guy wanted to wish me a “Happy Dusshera” and had left me the warmest message ever. Given the cliché that we practice different religions and come from almost rival countries—his gesture was rather overwhelming. And it had managed to make me so incredibly happy that I remember gushing about it for a long long time to come.
So this year, on the month of Ramadan, I rather bugged him to teach me his learning from their holy book so that I get to know their culture, their festival—a bit better. But because he couldn’t scoop out time from his hectic schedules and I wouldn’t let go, Zahid (another dear friend of mine) came to my rescue— teaching me some of his (and mine too, now) favourite lessons from the Qur’an, some of which, I’ve shared below.
Each—so profound, so earnest and so humbling. And all these learning, I call them my Eidi—the gift of lessons. And this Eid-al-Fitr, I only hope that the blessings are endless and that we keep loving, learning from each other, every single day for the rest of our lives.
P.S: Eid Mubarak, aap sabko.
(Wishing all, a very blessed Eid)
P.P.S: This one is to you both—Murtaza and Zahid, for being the kindest and the most compassionate, always.
