A night rain syndrome

‘How is the fasting, Hajiya Bint.’ My neighbour Habiba said as soon as we exchanged the salams. ‘Alhamdulillah, its actually going too fast for my liking. Can you believe it’s almost two weeks gone already? May Almighty Allah enable us to reap all it’s rewards and benefits.’ I answered. ‘Amin ya Rabb. I’m sorry I […]

‘How is the fasting, Hajiya Bint.’ My neighbour Habiba said as soon as we exchanged the salams.
‘Alhamdulillah, its actually going too fast for my liking. Can you believe it’s almost two weeks gone already? May Almighty Allah enable us to reap all it’s rewards and benefits.’ I answered.
‘Amin ya Rabb. I’m sorry I came to you so close to cooking time. But I won’t be long, I just want to ask you for a tailor’s address. I need to change mine.’ She explained.
‘Really? And I thought your tailor sews the most elegant styles for you. I always look at the clothes you wear and say to myself you are a very lucky lady because he makes your clothes to perfection. Why are you changing him?’ I asked.
‘Because I can’t afford him Bint. It’s as simple as that. The money my husband gave me for sallah clothes barely covered the purchase of the materials. The kids and I all have to do with fewer Eid clothes than normal,  and yet he won’t give me more for sewing when I told him we had run out of money after buying the clothes. Now since I’m being forced to pay for the sewing I have no choice but to go for someone cheaper. My regular tailor is very good but he doesn’t come cheap. I have to look for an alternative to him.’ She declared.
‘So this new austerity anthem has reached your house too. Only yesterday I was telling my sister, on phone, how Tahir cut down my sallah clothes allowance by 50 percent and did the same for the kids. To my surprise she said Tahir was better than her husband, at least he still gave me something.  She said her own husband gave money only for the kids’ clothing and said there wasn’t enough to include her. Can you believe that? And now you. It seems like this new phrase ‘times are hard and there is no money in town’ is like the proverbial night rain that pours everywhere. Almost every man you see today wants to hide behind the dollar rate and say there is no money.’ I complained.
‘But why should they be doing this to us?  How can they be so ungrateful to Almighty Allah for His favours, that in the very month when they should be most generous, they decided to be stingy.’ Habiba accused.
‘Yes, its ironic isn’t it? But may be they are really in financial distress. Let’s not be too hard on them. I mean If they were very generous without any prodding before, maybe there is truth in their claim that they have no money now. Let’s just be a little more understanding and manage what they gave us.’ I suggested.
‘Honestly Bint, it will be hard for me to understand this drastic descent to austerity because my husband is still working where he was and he is being paid well. He hasn’t been in any debt or any other financial trouble to warrant him treating us like this. For some reason I can’t understand, he seems to derive joy out of making me use the little money I have on running the house.’ Habiba alleged.
‘Really, I thought this is the first time. Anyway what Tahir said to me when I protested last week was that there are many competing demands for the same funds so we have to make  sacrifices so that others will be fed. And you know by time he mentioned feeding others, I totally grew weak. It made me feel so trivial and uncaring. I mean if its a choice between buying me more clothes and feeding those who can’t afford to feed themselves, then my choice is definitely to feed the needy. I have myself participated in such feeding programs both at an individual and at a group level, you know through our NGO, the Ladies Parliament. I know how essential it is, expecially in this blessed month. That was why I gave up nagging to Tahir on the issue.’ I explained.
‘Maybe your husband has the feeding of others as his reason or excuse not to give you more money. Mine didn’t say anything apart from there is no money in town. Can you believe that he actually cut down on even our Ramadan grocery shopping allowance. Honestly I don’t know what he’s trying to prove. But I believe he has chosen the wrong time to become a miser.’ She observed .
‘You may be right Habiba but just remember having new Eid clothes is not compulsory nor is eating delicious and rare dishes during Ramadan also necessary. What is essential is observing the fast and engaging in good deeds. So please let’s not lose sight of the big picture, which is striving to win the pleasure of Almighty Allah in this glorious month. Those eid and iftar traditions are good but they are not the aim of the fast. Therefore  forgive and forget your beloved husband’s financial wrongdoing by keeping the true goal Ramadan in.mind.’ I advised.
‘Ok Hajiya Bint, I’ll try, but I know its not going to be easy.’ She agreed, reluctantly.
‘Meanwhile let me give you the number of a few tailors you can try till you find someone whose bill you can afford. Take heart. No problem ever lasts forever.’ I urged, with a smile.