UAE | Heritage and Culture

Hoping next year will be even better

She doesn't need self-help books or disciplinary diet programmes. All Samina Alexandrovna Khan does is talk to herself, while seated at the dinner table.

  • By Nasheet Jaffer Khan, Community Solutions Editor
  • Published: 00:30 September 12, 2008
  • Gulf News

  • Samina with her sister Yasmeen. For a determined Samina, fasting gets easier with every passing day.
  • Image Credit: Vazhisojan/Gulf News

 

She doesn't need self-help books or disciplinary diet programmes. All Samina Alexandrovna Khan does is talk to herself, while seated at the dinner table.

She shuns all thought of food. She has to achieve the "perfect first fast" for Ramadan.

From the next room, Samina's mother, Salma watches. She's contemplating whether or not to tell her seven-year-old daughter that she has an audience. "It was a lot of fun, watching Samina talk to herself. She constantly encouraged herself, saying she would make it through. It was so adorable," Salma said.

New Muslim

A new convert, Salma, originally from Russia and married to a Pakistani, says fasting during Ramadan and educating her two daughters about it were important tasks. She said: "I am relieved that Samina made it. My other daughter, Yasmeen, is just six. It will be her turn next year."

When Salma spoke to Samina about the importance of fasting during Ramadan, she did not expect her advice to be followed promptly. "The night before the first fast, I didn't think that Samina was serious, so I did not wake her up for suhour. The following morning, she started crying because I had not woken her up. She observed the fast the next day," Salma said.

Salma said it was a proud moment for her, as it wasn't easy, owing to the hot weather conditions. She said: "It was very exciting for me. I was proud of my daughter for taking the decision."

When Salma did try to tell Samina that it was okay to break the first fast, mid-way, she was met with a shocked expression. "I wanted to keep the entire fast. I am big enough to do it. Once, when Yasmeen was eating in front of me, I yelled at her and asked her to stop - it was making my fast difficult," Samina said.

Young and determined, Samina said since she had been fasting for a few days, it had become easier.

And hoped next year it would be even better.

 

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