Ali comes up with creative ideas to make Eid special
Nishaat Ali comes from a creative background where she uses her skills and talent to make important occasions special and beautiful. This Eid, she has come up with artistic ideas to mark Eid with her family and friends.
“Every year, we challenge ourselves to do better and more appealing Eid decorations. We have a theme colour for each year. This year its purple and white,” she said.
“And we will have hand-made decorations like Eid Banners, Food and Snack Cards and etc. We even make our own Digital Invitation Cards and virtually send it around to our family and friends.”
Ms Ali also said they were planning on changing up their menu this year.
“It will give off a more Pakistani Vibe and Taste. More variety of dishes will be added InshaAllah (God’s will).
“We have finalised and prepared the dishes this week. The sweets prepared are ras-gulla (my favourite), laddoo, lakdi mitai, gulab-jamun, samosa, barfi and many more. Whereas, for the food, we will be preparing Pakistani biryani, palau, chicken nibbles, kababs and etc.”
She said in her family, Eid-al-Fitr was seen as a time for celebration, with Muslims uniting with friends and family to express thankfulness to the Almighty Creator after a month of introspection.
“This holy occasion reminds my family to be grateful for what we have and to share with those who are less fortunate,” she said.
She said this year of Ramadan was a very peaceful month of her family.
“We devoted ourselves into as much as spiritual acts as we could. After our sehri (intention to fast), my family and I pray our first Salah of the day which is Fajr and then read our Holy Book (for 30 to 60 mins). “Afterwards, we prepare for our day. The kids go to school and the adults go to work. It is important that we try our best to pray all the five salahs for the day (it is not only during Ramadan but throughout the entire year).
“When everyone is back home and it is time for Iftari (breaking of the fast), we are either invited to our neighbours’ or family’s place to break our fast or invite our family and neighbours to our place or break our fast at our own respective households.
“After iftar, we pray our fourth Salah (Magrib) and again devote ourselves to do any acts that cleanses our spirit and makes us remember our maker. This includes reciting the holy book, Dhikr, reciting naat and nasheed to just simply reciting salam / having milaad at home.
“Apart from that, this year, our family has really invested to Zakat (Charity) which is a very essential act, especially in the month of Ramadan.”
Ms Ali said she had donated some amount of charity to her little Muslim brothers and sisters in Palestine who lost their homes and parents during the unfortunate war.
“This was my first time to perform Zakat as I am earning now and I am eligible to do so. InshaAllah (Hopefully) with my Zakat, I will be able to feed at least a good number of orphans in Palestine.
“My parents, like every year, have also donated their money to the unfortunate brothers and sisters in Fiji. “We hope that this Eid brings love, joy and peace to all the families both locally and international. May the almighty guide and protect us all the evil and the fire of Hell and may we prosper and succeed in our future endeavours through his blessings.”