Ramadan, the month of mercy
The month we fast
And protect the body, fighting diseases and cells that might be cancerous or so.

It's not only about not eating
But about protecting what we see, hear, and speak, and being mindful

The timing is usually 5.30 — 18:30

Timings change according to sunrise and sunset.
But we have sabr (patience)
We don’t eat, even if it’s Halal

This shows us, for the sake of our Lord, that if we can keep away from Halal, we can learn to be away from Haraam easily

We, as servants, do our best to keep zikr on the tip of our tongues.

The Qur’an is recited.

Many people learn to memorize the Heart of the Qur’an — Yaaseen.

In the last 10 days,
Aitakaf — we seek isolation from the world, simultaneously seeking closeness to Allah
Even if we fell asleep, it's counted as a good deed

Islam is the way of life
It's made easy to practice, not hard at all

Our Lord doesn’t want anything from us
We need Him
Because He is the provider of life
Al-Aleem (The All knowing)
The Awwal (The First)
The Aakhir(The Last)
Ar-Razzaq (The Provider)
Al-Muhyi (The Giver of Life)
Al-Ghaffar (The All-Forgiving)
Al-Ghafoor (The Forgiver)

Iftar — the break of fast, before Mughrib
Alhamdulillah! Everyone sits together and shares the joy

After the 5 obligatory Salahs, Taraweeh is prayed — 8 or 20 rakahs are offered as Sunnahs

The month of mercy where we're forgiven

Laylatul Qadr —one night of Ramadan, considered as a thousand blessed nights. This single night falls on one of the odd nights of the last 10 days.

May Allah guide us, as always
May we not consider that the 27th is surely the Laylatul Qadr
Aameen Summa Aameen

After a month of fasting and helping ourselves
A celebration — Eid-ul-Fitr celebration 🎊🎉♥️🎉🎊
Where Fitr is given to those who need it

And And And
The elders give gifts to younger ones, and we meet our relatives, families, and friends and celebrate together
Insha Allah

Alhamdulillah for Everything

Ramadan Mubarak 🎉🎉🎉🎉

🌟This piece is published under Ramadan Musings

Read stories from Ramadan Musings on Medium:

Ramadan Musings

Ramadan was originally published in Ramadan Musings on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Not a sip of Sprite or of Fanta

Not a sip of coke or coca cola

Famously tasted, these carbonated drinks 🍷

Nah, not the taste of it at all
Wait, once I remembered, a cap of sprite, with salt

So it does mean the real taste
Never at all

In occasions, celebrations, or gatherings..
No never at all

Asked to take a glass or half
Advice I’m Glad I Ignored
It’s not that big, but for me seems like a world record to make
Never a sip at all..
Insha Allah

Alhamdulillah for Everything

This piece is written for Quirky Rants’ writing challenge — “Advice I’m Glad I Ignored”. We all have that one moment where fear was loud, but our inner voice was louder. Because sometimes the best thing you can do for your future is disappoint a few expectations. If you’ve lived that moment, tell the story your courage wrote.

Advice I’m Glad I Ignored — A Writing Challenge by Quirky Rants!

📌 This story is published under Quirky Rants — a home for unfiltered thoughts, everyday oddities, and real, relatable voices.
Want to share your story too? Join us here.

Quirky Rants — A Publication!

Advice I’m Glad I Ignored — A Writing Challenge by Quirky Rants! was originally published in Quirky Rants on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Is this my mistake that I’m a panther?

Is this my mistake
that I’m a panther?

I look special, have fangs to eat you up
Claws to strip every piece of you..
Is this my mistake
that I’m a panther?

I run faster,
climb on trees,
and hunt at night.
Is this my mistake
that I’m a panther?

You are so interested in me
that you put me behind a piece of glass,
every moment I think of scratching you and thus cannot gather a piece of mass(flesh)
Is this my mistake
that I’m a panther?

You think I'm someone your children must see
You pay for tickets to see thee

And I?

I sit behind the glass,
Sitting quietly because
You took away what was mine!
Is this my mistake
that I’m a panther?

My freedom,
Distances laid in my forests,
My Kingdom,
Lands I conquered,
My liveliness,
Hustle in me running through my veins,
My contempt,
Food by having the hunt,
Is this my mistake
that I’m a panther?

Just like me are you—
You have more developed heads,
I have more developed claws!

You are my food
And I’m your eyes' (interesting to watch)
Is this my mistake
that I’m a panther?

Yes, thank you for keeping me safe.
Thank you for the food you give me.
Thank you for the medicines to save me.

But I want to be free!
I want to learn by doing — just as you do.
I want to roam the nights hunting
— just as your Soldiers do.
I want to be open, & have my space
—just as you have your homes.
I want to stay somewhere where I can see more like me
— just as you cannot sit with a single person the whole day.

I want to be free!
Just let me.
What have I done to you?
It’s the nature’s cycle, if I had eaten you
I want to be free,
Roam in my forests
— just as you do in your gardens

But I want to return to my home
where you stop killing my hiding places
Those long-short trees

My habitat’s loosing
My habits are too
The wonder of seeing a rabbit,
And running behind a few!

This mining, urbanization
Just broke my home apart
Isn’t just like your neighbour broke into your house, even though they knew this is your lovely place and space,
Then give you place to live in their homes,
breaking every sofa of yours??

Isn’t it silly!?
I had a mean and you took it away
Letting me live on yours..

You broke the source
and think of becoming mine?

Oh, what can I say—
If I killed one of the humans who fed me everyday?
You would put me a tag as a traitor
And call me—Jis thali mein khaya usi mein chhed kar diya

[P.S I know what the italics words mean better than You do — A common Hindi proverb that means "to pierce the very plate you ate from," referring to someone who harms their own benefactor.]

But you did that with me instead.
You enjoy the woods, camps, fruits, oils, medicines,and seeds,
Teach your children to be away from deforestation!
But even they learn things from adults! as they grow up!!

For your kind information
WILD ANIMALS LIVE WITH WILDLIFE
NOT IN A ZOO, bcz I don’t live my life there, mai bhi zindagi kaat raha hoon [I’m not living life, I’m just here where I can do nothing but be a spectacular spectacle for ur spectacles]
[P.$ just like you, when you don’t feel like it⬆️, when you’re in the wrong room, or feel uninterested. But I cannot leave the room at all]

But still, you have both the choices — my life’s and yours..

The Love I Never Spoke Out Loud, bcz I couldn’t speak at all!, forget speaking loudly!!

Maybe one day, you’ll have to Google me up and listen to the roars of mine, or ask AI to generate an aesthetic pet panther!, Big Cat, etc..

Oh, what have I done to you?
Is this my mistake
that I'm a panther?
Or is it yours because you're a human?
— just as you forget to think before you take action
— just as you forget than you could have saved a soul

Take the right action or forget me..
Yes, don’t you dare regret for my existence’s end else..!

Thank you for reading!

We can do anything with we have..

so we must do something right with what we have and what else we can!

Let’s get united #Save Aravalli #Save Environment #Save🧬

bcz they might not have a voice, but their absence might clear out our existence!

Thanks for nurturing my saplings 🌱

Alhamdulillah
Love, SS Writes...

Tagging Itz.Ruhma I , Ayah_H , Rishita Sharma💗 , Hoorain Zahra , and Harleen Kaur !

Read Silence….. if you want to know that silence is not what u think of it is.. and surely there’s more!

So, go on read it and tell me what else I missed or something that you found interesting in it..

....SILENCE....

This piece is written for Quirky Rants’ February Writing Challenge — The Love I Never Spoke Out Loud. Write the story your heart protected for so long, the one that lived in pauses, glances, almost-moments, and unsent words. If this prompt stirred something within you, don’t let it fade back into silence. Write it now.

The Love I Never Spoke Out Loud: A February Writing Challenge

📌 This story is published under Quirky Rants — a home for unfiltered thoughts, everyday oddities, and real, relatable voices.
Want to share your story too? Join us here.

Quirky Rants — A Publication!

The Love I Never Spoke Out Loud: A February Writing Challenge was originally published in Quirky Rants on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

I thought we were meant to be for each other
I thought we would conquer the world together
For you by my side—my greatest earthly companion,
I thought I was connected.
I thought I was going to get complete.
I thought I was going to get fulfilled.
You took away my pride.
You took away the moments I could have cherished.
You took away what was meant to be mine!

I still see you every "single" day
Happy, sad, gloomy, and finally regret..

I know u’re gonna read this
But seriously, without you - it’s gonna be tough living in this modern era..
Bcz your roots are spread all through me — telling me that u’re mera(mine).

My peace, my trust, my honesty
— all went in vain
All I hated is the waves you send like rain!
If I ever see you again,
surely, for 'now' there’s nothing I can gain!

My eyesight, my memory, my thinking capability 
—sit on the verge to have a brink of death 
But I see you yet,not a moment to review other things to let
I’m still unto you!

First "thing" I saw today was you.
The last "thing" I saw yesterday was you

Seventeen years of what I’ve live with Almighty’s grace, Six- I spent with you.
I stuck on the race,
seeing the world through you.
I thought this was the right way,
Bcz I heard you say!
You told me that it was the right time to connect!
But you were wrong and I was correct!
But you never let me agree

I learnt that you weren’t meant to get all —
the focus on you
the prices spent for you
the streaks of togetherness with you!

How dare you — 
come so close?
take away my peace and make it yours?
ask me to waste time on you?
to take my decisions on behalf of my flu?
[🪴What is meant by 'flu' here?]
take the truth away from me, and let me sneeze- acchoo! ?
take the trust of my family, friends, and fraternite in your game?
All of this merely for 'my' fame?

Now,I realised that—
It was my mistake to — 
give you another chance!
to take another of your glance!
to choose you over my productivity!
to have chosen you over others who "actually" cared for me!

To my dear saplings 🌱(readers),
If you guessed it right 
who is this "thing" for whom I thought 💭 —
'Always knew that loving you was wrong’?
If you’re thinking so thoughtfully,
Confused and want to know the answer awfully, 
Lemme break my silence for you,
And fill you with verges of hints
to hunt this "thing" down..
You’re looking at it - if it’s in your hand -The illusion of faking reality that u’ve been shown, 
in the beautiful skies, the vast seas, and the open land!
Take your time and let ME know (And YOURSELF too!)
in the comment section below!

Thank you from ME and YOURSELF for nurturing my saplings 🌱!
Love, SS Writes...

Tagging Itz.Ruhma I

💘 This piece belongs to the February theme — Febloved February — by Quirky Rants — a month of confessions, clumsy falls, and pink skies. Find the prompt below!

Previously on Quirky Rants…

📌 This story is published under Quirky Rants — a home for unfiltered thoughts, everyday oddities, and real, relatable voices.
Want to share your story too? Join us here.

Quirky Rants — A Publication!

Febloved! was originally published in Quirky Rants on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

instilled in my heart,

The fire of will,

running through the veins of my art,

The fire of will,

the spark that rose,

The fire of will,

that brought my lost hope,

The fire of will

that rose and shone—

showed me how to

fly over my dreams.

Forced me to think

over and beyond.

Forced me to learn

truth and how wond(wonder).

Forced me to love

what is right & not wrong!

Let me grow and fly,

fly so high that u cannot catch thy..

Let me explore and implore—

Implore with complications

you cannot store (keep up with).

Let me sigh,

& learn from mistakes,

under the umbrella of the Almighty up high (highest)!

Let my freedom:

freedom to speak,

freedom to share,

freedom to glare(observe).

Let us unite all and never fight,

never shall we have a sight of war tight!

Let us light-

The fire of will that will we never kill!

Let us go,

reach that — that place we all so desired & deserved!

Peace, comfort, fraternity

Complete, and filled with serenity..

The fire of will that I don’t will to let go, or let die my knight,

Let us all feel it and let us fly up so high — beyond infinite.

under the umbrella of all Allmighty's lovely plight!

The will of fire,

of unconditional desire,

of no more suffice,

and no more ice.

Let us grow,

may be slow,

but to never stop,

and simply keep on the hop..

Comment: What’s the spark that sets your soul on fire?

Clap 👏 as much as you can to keep my will of fire instilled in me.. and to remind yourself that “that” spark’s still alive and only needs recognition to let it flow through your veins!

And follow SS Writes… on https://medium.com/@sswires

📌 This story is published under Quirky Rants — a home for unfiltered thoughts, everyday oddities, and real, relatable voices.
Want to share your story too? Join us here.

Quirky Rants — A Publication!

The Fire🔥 of Will was originally published in Quirky Rants on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

My Pillow Recorded My Dreams — A Writing Challenge

Imagine this. You fall asleep drooling on your pillow, blissfully unaware. Next morning, your pillow whispers, “Hey, I recorded last night’s dream. Want me to play it?” Suddenly, your nightmares about riding a giraffe to meeting your ancestors or arguing with Albert Einstein about toothpaste are not secrets anymore. They are tapes. And those tapes can be played.

Hmm, If I were to write about my pillow recording my dreams, I would want to see dreams myself.. because we forget most of them..

Dreams are not the ones u see when u're asleep

Dreams are something that doesn't allow you to sleep..

Supposing they allowed me to sleep, I would

wanna see them..

What if my pillows secretly recorded my dreams and nightmares?

Oh my that's adventurous.. and amazing and crazy!

I don't know where I'll land up.. seeing my old home connected to my play school..

From attending online classes to seeing a person I never saw..

From sleeping in my dream to seeing the scene a while ago that was gonna happen and thinking I already did it!

From getting lost to returning back, Alhamdulillah

I would witness many things... The details I didn't know...

The pillow might send my dreams to Dreamland and nightmares to maybe Nightmare-land?

There could be some secret agents who might sit and watch our dreams all throughout the night and then doze off, like owls..

Wait, now people have started to sleep in the morning, afternoon, evening, midnight, but rarely at night.. Very unhealthy though!

Then the question would be, there are so many secret agents just to see dreams? Dreams that are incomplete, that are senseless? no offense, no meaningful too, All night or whatever time!

But what will they do?

Sell our data to MNCs?

Send cookies?

Hack our dreams?

Just to watch to get entertained?while eating popcorn 🍿?

They seem foolish anyway...

What if the pillows secretly met underground, no sorry, under the bed and chatted all day.. ? Fine, the time until their sleepers returned.. and had a Pillow - fight, about whose tape was better?

But the question was- What if my pillow secretly recorded my dreams and nightmares?

If it did it secretly I wouldn't know itself..ha ha!

#Challenge accomplished Alhamdulillah

Silence is the noise you hear at night. It is the pin drop SILENCE you hear when your teacher says- Is in this a class or a fish market?

Silence is the peace you’re feeling when some things are sorted off. It is what gets a closure, and indeed it is much of pleasure. You concentrate when silence is there !

The famous riddle- what is broken when you say its name?

The scream of your class monitor

The beast of powerful people, and ordinary alike

All answers I prefer to be acquired at most fear - Silence - The quiet atmosphere!

You sleep when it's silent

Yes it does match with RESILIENT, which helped me remember its spelling in 8th grade

Silence is a situation which helps you to be productive in this present NOISY & OVERSTIMULATED era of social media

You meditate in silence

Cats, dogs, and other predators walk SILENTLY before hunting, placing each paw with precise quietness.

Silence is when you have got nothing to say- when you add a new thought/ talk about a topic in your mind,

When you listen to the jokes made by your so called 'FRIENDS',

Or when you’ve seen the truth of life’s end - DEATH!

A fear of a loved one, for a loved one, when they go mute, and hence the life's end! - Silence

SILENCE helps in voice modulation while public speaking, the stress on words, or a simple pause when you allow the listeners to reflect, and catch up to what you just said.. you get your speed in control, and your breath also gets a chance to regulate uniformly, and automatically… thus you are filled with calm and composure...

SILENCE is your weapon in communication

Your mind waits for the saamne waala to answer and when you ask a question and- if your mind is addicted to noise, And when there is no response or no answer, you get stressed and worried, I mean you can’t keep quite at that point in time, you get your mouth speaking to fill in that silence, because you can’t tolerate it

When speakers take pauses - you get uncomfortable about - Ah! Why are they not speaking!

And when they speak, you become all ears, all (the) year, wanting to listen to them, with all your will...

That’s the power of silence- when you speak less and listen more, and speak only when necessary, and stay silent, and when you break your silence, and strike with your perfect words, others can’t say anything but stay silent!

Shhh! The child is asleep.

Shhh! Principal is coming!

Shhh! It's a surprise

Shhh! Can't you be quiet, I am studying now!

Shhh! The tiger will move away

Shhh! Listen carefully- Do you hear SILENCE? (I mean it - depends on your environment)

Shhh!

The absence of talk, the no response times, and not interested seasons - all are forms of silence.

SILENCE shows that your loved one is in a problem, or has a problem with you..

SILENCE was when humans didn't know how to communicate

SILENCE was when there was no voice against the British

SILENCE was when Hitler killed the Nazis!

Yes, there were voices! Because they thought it was right, and what they did was right!

Similarly, Yes I don’t mean that what Hitler it was correct, but one thing you can learn, Yes from this man, and that he did not care what those voices said, and all he did what so listen to his mind, because he thought he was right. He didn’t care what other said...

I literally don’t mean to tell that - He simply didn’t get corrected, maybe by his elders! I am not sure at all,

But I can say that, He was determined that he was right.. but when you put yourself, in a situation, think ethically also...

It simply doesn't mean that if the majority does it, it is the right thing to do!

SILENCE is when the whole class wastes time - talking and chit-chatting, waiting for the teacher to enter the class, while YOU plan your day, SILENTLY!

YES, the SILENT K*LLER!

They say - people who are silent, speak less, with quality and clarity, and these are the ones you need to fear ! Because you can’t read/predict it what they will do next!

PS:You saying nothing, but your actions define well!

What I know of silence is a stare of two cats to begin a scratching session!

When mind feels clarity - in oneness - in silence, because it’s the source of peace through your Creator

Religion instructs to pray in SILENCE.

Death asks to mourn in SILENCE.

And we don't meant(famous dialogue (data) by your dear "friends" - I don't know how to do it...) answers in SILENCE.

Environment explains through SILENCE.

Animals start through SILENCE.

But, we, humans stocked with violence, start with VIOLENCE.(!)

You are irritated when machines screw your mind with - ZZZZZzzzzzzzzzz.....

You are uncomfortable when there is silence, as to sit quietly without touching your phone.

Silence in exam hall

Silence in prayer hall

But violence in party hall- why ? Lack of brotherhood and hatred within the loved ones - family!

In a haunted place, silence haunts you the most

In darkness, you see no one, and because there is no sound, and you think there was a sound

Yes, hallucination!

If I had to say more about silence, I would say- A quiet solo picnic or a solo adventure- Just you and your thoughts…

Being silent is being clever, being away from Twitter chatter

Being silent is being powerful, to have the reigns of others in your lather

Being silent is being silent, so that they can't predict your next move

Being silent is being effective, to get their tongues running themselves, to fill in the silence, that you created

Being silent is being the one to love yourself, to say no to what is not right, to say no to- what majority does is always right!

Being silent is being focused

Being silent is loneliness sometimes,

When there is no one to listen to your voice, except for your Lord, or when you feel like journaling or writing your diary- I’m sure you wouldn’t want anyone around!

Thieves come in the dark, we say. Why? - ....Silence....

You cannot answer a question in the class -....Silence....

Never heard your voice, never uttered a word - ....Silence....

Many medical conditions include symptoms of silence- depression, Alzheimer’s, The voice box' silence, severe throat infection - ....Silence....

It's a problem when a dog never barked, when a koel never koo-d

What else comes in my mind when I think of silence is- silencer! It is never silent, except when you turn it off... Yes the ones in bikes and other motors! The one that gives burns, if you are not careful!

Being alone is not losing people

Being silent is not losing social access,

It is BREAKING the connections with the wrong persona,

and meeting the REAL you

Simply WITHOUT noise

That's the art of being SILENT

I BELIEVE THAT IS ALL I KNOW ABOUT ....Silence....

But if I were to be as more,

My mind's silence silences...