The Desi Taraweeh (aka tarabee namaz)

AA

Justice demands that I, or someone, write on the bona fide desi taraweeh experience. The following is an attempt at doing so:

Uncle G. You gotta love him, right? He's the dark-skinned uncle who usually stands in the second, third, or even fourth row during namaz. You can recognize him with his Jinnah-style topee, old gray slacks that he wore when his now 18-yr old son was born. Somehow, these pants still fit him despite his rather large, protruding, and unsightly gut, which is thankfully covered by a white button-down shirt Aunty G bought him for his 53rd birthday. Coincidentally, Aunty G bought the shirt at Kohls. Anyway, you can spot Uncle G in a crowd easily because he generally has a big, warm smile on his face as he drinks chai and chats with other uncles. When drinking chai, he uses that large gut of his as an amazingly effective replacement for a tea saucer. Don't worry, though, the hot chai doesn't burn through his skin, because underneath that white button-down shirt, Allah has protected him with a jungle of hair that covers only his belly button.

But the easiest way to recognize Uncle G is during the blessed month of Ramadhan and specifically in taraweeh. He's the one, when the congregation 'sings' ameen in unison follows his 'ameen' with a loud, thick belch that almost convinces you to do ghusl. But this belch is truly amazing! Because, within seconds, you are miraculously taken back in time. To be specific, you are taken back about two hours in the past to when you ate your iftari. Suddenly, you are aware Uncle G also had, mashaAllah, a great iftar filled with salan, chowall, pakoras, and samosas filled with onions. Okay, may be not samosas filled with onions, but at this point in the prayer, that's what you feel!

Fortunately, you, the supplicant trying to please his Lord, are used to this test of patience and have come to accept this as part of a 'normal' taraweeh salat....oops, I mean taraweeh namaz when desis and especially Uncle G are present. But this spiritual moment doesn't stop there...

After a few other rude awakenings (i.e., more belching from Uncle G that has now taken you back to what you had for opening iftar to your main meal and, yes, even to your lassi and kheer), you find yourself coming out from sajood. Uncle G, instead of following your lead and everyone else's by standing up for second rakat, however, remains on the floor. Unfortunately, you cannot help to notice this and are first initially alarmed because perhaps, azubillah, Uncle G hurt himself when trying to lift his body and stomach back up. Before you break your namaz, you quickly realize while briefly looking at Uncle G's bold spot (his Jinnah-style topee fell down while in sajood), that he is actually finishing up his prayer by sitting down. Yes, the same uncle who has the energy to sprint to the buffet line at Shahi Nehari and knock down a few children on the way, has become exhausted and is now forced to pray the way most, if not all, Aunty G's pray.

To Uncle G's credit, however, this Aunty G-prayer style may not happen immediately. What I mean is that Uncle G may have actually tried to get up, but was unable to. Scientifically, it's impossible and your heart goes out to him for trying. I mean, for his skinny legs to push up against an object (his stomach) that carries a tremendous gravitational pull to the earth's surface is simply not possible! So, eventually, he is forced to give up and remains on the floor. I guess, then, it's not his fault, right?

At this time of the prayer, you just finished saying the final salaams. Your concentration was killed, but, hey, at least you went through the motions...!!



:) Ha ha