b3 b0rn.. c0nf0rm, b3 si|3nt .. di3

i think i came to the realisation that fasting is one of the tenets of islam only when we came back from papa’s posting overseas. i do have vague recollections of mama & papa refraining from eating, but never actually made anything out of it. we did have fun though gathering at malaysia hall and getting all dolled up in our baju kurungs to celebrate with the other malaysians.

i was already 8 by the time we were back on tanah malaya, and as such had a late start (worse for ayu though as she was already 9).. mama had somehow managed to persuade us that this is part of our ibadah (apart of the requisite 5x day solat) so as dutiful children, we woke up at that ungodly hour to stuff our face with iftar sahur spread.

i did remember though that mama promised that if we were unable to last the whole day, half a day of fasting should be sufficient as a start. that became the rock in my attempt of being a good muslim child. so for the following few weeks… true to what mama had said, i did fast for half a day… from the time i left for school until we came back….

only catch was – i was in the afternoon session! .. so i’d happily grab something to eat after mama headed for work and left us at our own devices before the school bus was due to pick us up. i remember scavenging the kitchen for food – any food, since of course, no lunch was prepared… i even recall having sugar cone slathered in jam as a snack.. our appointed childminder never knew as she who would check on us every hour, having her hands full with iqmal who at 5, was placed at her house.

then when i arrive home from school and mama questioned whether i managed to fast that day, i would proudly say ‘puasa setengah hari!’ … and she would take it at face value.

it was only the year following that i truly understood what mama meant by fasting for half a day.. though i only managed to fast the full month once i turned 10…

now, what’s your story?