ISABELLA could hear the impatient honks from the car downstairs.
“Kaka Bell!! Hurry up!”
“Yes yess…” she replied hurriedly trying to concentrate on locking the main door. It was 5 minutes to Isya by the time Isabella got in the car. The usual religious songs were playing on the radio while she and her brother sang along to them.
“Whoaahh… talk about second day of Terawikh man!” Cars were overflowing from the compound of the mosque. Even from the shopping complex opposite it.
“Nahh… who told you to be late? I’m not even sure if we can find any space to park the car,” replied my dad. It’s amazing how semangat people are when Ramadhan had just arrived. It’s nice to see a lot of people walking around the compound of the mosque. Men with their Cara Melayu or Kain Sarong while women with their telekungs. You only get to walk around in telekungs in Mekkah. I tell you that.
It was Isabella’s first season of puasa here in Brunei after missing it for two years of “celebrating” it in UK instead. The difference is quite obvious especially the atmosphere. Here the government allows shorter office and school hours. Not to forget holiday on the first day of fasting and the never ending adverts on discounts in every imaginable stores.
---
Isabella was walking slowly out of the mosque, in a daze thinking about the food at the Pasar Malam and the Stadium. Suddenly a finger poked her hips. She barely had any reaction since she was immune to these attacks. She turns and sees a familiar face. Hazel shaped eyes, a cute little nose and that mischievous smile that has never changed since they were in Form 2.
“Laina! Ohmigosh! I haven’t seen you since you went to Phillipines. How are you?”
“Hey bebs. Doing okay. Back now for about a month. Going to uni soon. You?”
“Same here. Too bad I’m leaving right before Hari Raya celebrations man.”
“Awwhh. That’s too bad. Hey, you know what? I miss those times when we debate about stuff.”
Laina and Isabella used to spend hours discussing about random topics. Things like the society, the tree, about our life in this world and even about the reason people pick their nose during driving!
“Now that you mentioned it, I was going to say something about Terawikh. You know what? I think it is actually like a form of exercise!”
“What are you taaaalking about??”
“Think about it. You know how Terawikh is uber long, 20 rakaats? Imagine the fact that you fast the whole day, you metabolism becomes low. Then some people might eat their hearts out during sungkai and just sit or lie down after that. I presume Allah advices we should not just sit around like that… C’mon it Ramadhan. Lebih baik beribadah.”
“Hahahaha. You sound like those iklan on RTB about puasa”
“… I know right! ‘Inda bah kita aniiii. Aku ani kan becerita ganya nyaintaaaaaa~’”
By this time both of these two enthusiasts were making their way to the parking lot.
“But I get what you mean Isabella. There’s so much stretching, sitting down and standing up. I guess we can call it relaxed exercise. Like yoga or tai chi or something.”
“Especially good for the elderlies.”
“And it’s totally beneficial. Your body is moving and you’re also doing ibadah to Allah.”
“Ahh… but there’s also the fact that people do only 8 rakaats. What do you think are the reasons?”
“Well… there are a few. Firstly they might have other obligations and they still want to do this optional task, so this is an decision they can choose. After all, we want to make as much Pahala as possible. Secondly,”
“Isabella! Hurry up; it’s time to go,” the voice of Isabella’s mom was heard from their car of which she vaguely remembered its position. She looked around the dim-lit parking area and found her ride home.
“Mann… I gotta go Laina. Sorry. How shall I contact you? Same phone number?”
“Haha don’t worry. My parents are waiting for me too,” she points to a nearby car already occupied by her parents, “yes, same number.” She turned to leave but stopped. “Ooooh, facebook me!”
“Ooh great idea. Facebook is the penultimate socializing site man!”
Both of them giggled. It’s fun to be silly girls once in a while. Isabella skipped to her awaiting family and entered the car. She started her routine on changing from her telekung into her head scarf as they were going out to have a drink. Yet again.
Isabella took in the view of the traffic around the mosque. “Why do I have to suffer from going home late just cause of this minum, and then cook for sahur?” She started weighing out the reasons and consequences of the situation on the short ride to the usual café they go to.
“Kaka Bell!! Hurry up!”
“Yes yess…” she replied hurriedly trying to concentrate on locking the main door. It was 5 minutes to Isya by the time Isabella got in the car. The usual religious songs were playing on the radio while she and her brother sang along to them.
“Whoaahh… talk about second day of Terawikh man!” Cars were overflowing from the compound of the mosque. Even from the shopping complex opposite it.
“Nahh… who told you to be late? I’m not even sure if we can find any space to park the car,” replied my dad. It’s amazing how semangat people are when Ramadhan had just arrived. It’s nice to see a lot of people walking around the compound of the mosque. Men with their Cara Melayu or Kain Sarong while women with their telekungs. You only get to walk around in telekungs in Mekkah. I tell you that.
It was Isabella’s first season of puasa here in Brunei after missing it for two years of “celebrating” it in UK instead. The difference is quite obvious especially the atmosphere. Here the government allows shorter office and school hours. Not to forget holiday on the first day of fasting and the never ending adverts on discounts in every imaginable stores.
---
Isabella was walking slowly out of the mosque, in a daze thinking about the food at the Pasar Malam and the Stadium. Suddenly a finger poked her hips. She barely had any reaction since she was immune to these attacks. She turns and sees a familiar face. Hazel shaped eyes, a cute little nose and that mischievous smile that has never changed since they were in Form 2.
“Laina! Ohmigosh! I haven’t seen you since you went to Phillipines. How are you?”
“Hey bebs. Doing okay. Back now for about a month. Going to uni soon. You?”
“Same here. Too bad I’m leaving right before Hari Raya celebrations man.”
“Awwhh. That’s too bad. Hey, you know what? I miss those times when we debate about stuff.”
Laina and Isabella used to spend hours discussing about random topics. Things like the society, the tree, about our life in this world and even about the reason people pick their nose during driving!
“Now that you mentioned it, I was going to say something about Terawikh. You know what? I think it is actually like a form of exercise!”
“What are you taaaalking about??”
“Think about it. You know how Terawikh is uber long, 20 rakaats? Imagine the fact that you fast the whole day, you metabolism becomes low. Then some people might eat their hearts out during sungkai and just sit or lie down after that. I presume Allah advices we should not just sit around like that… C’mon it Ramadhan. Lebih baik beribadah.”
“Hahahaha. You sound like those iklan on RTB about puasa”
“… I know right! ‘Inda bah kita aniiii. Aku ani kan becerita ganya nyaintaaaaaa~’”
By this time both of these two enthusiasts were making their way to the parking lot.
“But I get what you mean Isabella. There’s so much stretching, sitting down and standing up. I guess we can call it relaxed exercise. Like yoga or tai chi or something.”
“Especially good for the elderlies.”
“And it’s totally beneficial. Your body is moving and you’re also doing ibadah to Allah.”
“Ahh… but there’s also the fact that people do only 8 rakaats. What do you think are the reasons?”
“Well… there are a few. Firstly they might have other obligations and they still want to do this optional task, so this is an decision they can choose. After all, we want to make as much Pahala as possible. Secondly,”
“Isabella! Hurry up; it’s time to go,” the voice of Isabella’s mom was heard from their car of which she vaguely remembered its position. She looked around the dim-lit parking area and found her ride home.
“Mann… I gotta go Laina. Sorry. How shall I contact you? Same phone number?”
“Haha don’t worry. My parents are waiting for me too,” she points to a nearby car already occupied by her parents, “yes, same number.” She turned to leave but stopped. “Ooooh, facebook me!”
“Ooh great idea. Facebook is the penultimate socializing site man!”
Both of them giggled. It’s fun to be silly girls once in a while. Isabella skipped to her awaiting family and entered the car. She started her routine on changing from her telekung into her head scarf as they were going out to have a drink. Yet again.
Isabella took in the view of the traffic around the mosque. “Why do I have to suffer from going home late just cause of this minum, and then cook for sahur?” She started weighing out the reasons and consequences of the situation on the short ride to the usual café they go to.
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