Having Meal Together

Growing up as a kid, my mum and dad always emphasized on the importance of having meal together, as a family.

Everyone must turn up during dining time and tv was a no-no during meal time, let alone having my meal in front of the tv.

This is the time when I love the most. Other than scrumptious food cooked by ummi, everybody is catching up with everyone. Since all my siblings were sent to boarding school (one still stuck there), sitting together and chit-chatting once a month becomes a special event for us.

We learnt manners during dining time. Recite the du’a before eating, take the nearest lauk first, do not put the left arm on the table, let the parents take the lauk first etc. Dining is one of the times where parents hone the children’s manners.

Now as a young adult, I still feel the importance of eating together with friends / housemates. I see it as important as solat jemaah for strengthening the ukhuwwah.

Even now, I hate eating alone. I rather starve than eating alone. I just feel awkward and should I say, eating alone in a crowded cafe / restaurant is a manifestation of loneliness. A bit exaggeration there, but that is what I feel.

But now, we tend to look meal as just a meal. We sometimes eat, while fingers of the other hand busy typing something on the laptop. It has become just another habit in our everyday life. No essence.

Appreciate ur meal people, appreciate the time you spent for eating and drinking. It may sound as no big deal but taking care of simple thing like this may change your life. Insya-Allah

This is just a random post after watching this video by Bro Hamza Yusuf.

Aisyah Abd Razak
National University of Ireland, Galway
Setiausaha ISMA Galway
Blog: Kisah Kisah