“For me, this Ramadan, was one of reflection of the past”

By Mona Rahman (@naeema_mnr) | Kingston, Ontario

The first night of Taraweeh prayers, I looked around the packed masjid and missed those whom I had spent Ramadan with growing up.  We have all scattered around the land, the continent, and even the world.

Being an academic town, housing Queen’s University, RMC and St. Lawrence College, we also had a partially transient community growing up, hosting students from all over the world, many of whom had gone back to their home countries.

This year, we also lost a few of our senior generation i.e. the Uncles and Aunties.

Planning to visit cemetery after Dhuhr. Leaving at 1.45 pm from ICK (inshaAllah). Come along and revive a Prophetic tradition! #FinalAbode

— Sikander Hashmi (@kingstonimam) July 14, 2013

Growing up, we didn’t have a masjid per se; our activities were held at various places in Kingston, mainly at the Queen’s University campus.

We looked forward to potluck iftars on Saturdays on campus at the International Centre, as well as daily Taraweeh prayers, also held on campus.

Alhamdulillah, we always seemed to have been blessed with at least one person who was Hafiz-ul-Qur’an who could lead the prayers.

One year, there were three brothers who rotated through the month.

As the community grew and expanded into the suburbs, a second jama’a was held at someone’s house in addition to the one held on campus.  We were a close-knit community of several families, who truly felt like an extended family.

After Ramadan, ‘Eid Salah was held at a bigger room on campus and there was yet another potluck Eid dinner to look forward to or picnic, depending on the season.  Picnic season also meant dessert at the farm of one of our community members or dessert at pony rides!

Alhamdulillah.

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