The 15th day of Ramadaan is upon us and by sunset tonight we will cheerfully be saying: “Alhamdulillah, ons is oppie berg.”
Die 15de pwasa, aka boeber aand, is a very important night, as it marks the halfway mark of this holiest of months on the Muslim calendar.
It’s also a milestone for those fasting for the first time. I’m talking about the children and those boetas en tieties who embraced Islam recently and are experiencing their first Ramadaan.
You can all feel proud that you have climbed that mountain and now you are on top of it. Believe me, nou raak dit net easier, from now on you will be rolling down that berg like roeties, insha Allah.
I remember when I was a laaitie, die 15de pwasa basically meant I made it already.
The term oppie berg makes you feel like you are on top of the challenge, as if you have already conquered your task, all that’s left now is for you to end off strongly, and you will reap the rewards.
For us as laaities that meant kwaai labarang klere and lots of money from well-wishers who are proud of your achievement.
Now as an adult, I know the reward is even sweeter - that of the forgiveness of the Lord, and the promise of eternal paradise.
For me, back in the day, boeber aand had a more authentic feel to it.
I think that the significance of the boeber has died out a bit, because is noggie eens drie dae innie pwasa nie, dan maak ons al boeber.
The beauty of boeber back in the day was that you only got it on 15de pwasa, it was like your reward for reaching that halfway mark, a tasty, sweet, milky treat for the pious ones who climbed the mountain.
I always look at life in the same way I watch a show; if the first half is bad then it had better have a good second half and a phenomenal ending.
The holy month of Ramadaan works much the same way, if for any reason you are not “oppie berg”, don’t give up and think it’s now pointless because you missed one day. Remember we are judged by how we complete our actions, not by how we start them.
BOEBER AAND: Enjoy it, mense
I have often heard people say to each other: “Jinne, jou pa (of jou ma of broer) is niks lekke as hulle pwasa nie.”
In most cases I found the “patients” to be smokers or Coke drinkers, and their inability to fast has absolutely nothing to do with actual medical conditions, but everything to do with nicotine cravings and sugar crashes.
I have seen people snap innie pwasa maar na daai boeka entjie is hulle heelwat fine.
Smokers, please make sabr (have patience), and remember if you feel like biting someone’s head off, why you are feeling that way?
Also, wag maar tot na boeka tyd before making any vital decisions.
For many, the month of Ramadaan is a spiritual turning point, and for that reason alone, we should not judge anyone who suddenly starts wearing a doekie, or coming to mosque.
While you are judging (and paving a way to jahannam), God could be forgiving these souls.
Ramadaan for Muslims is also about social consciousness when we dig deep to assist the poor and needy.
But sadly, for some, when that new moon is sighted on the last day of the fast, so do we forget all we’ve learnt and done during this beautiful month.
When Ramadaan ends, so do the food parcels to mense. When Ramadaan ends, so do our salaah, our good deeds and doekie-wearing days end.
On Labarang, we turn away the hungry beggar knocking on our doors.
However, as Muslims, we should be generous, charitable and helpful all year round, nie net innie pwasa nie!
If we can create a “Ramadaan Drive”, then we can create a “January Shoe Drive”, a “February Food Drive”, and so on and so forth.
If we can send koekies to our neighbours in the pwasa, why can’t we greet them and send them cake after Ramadaan?
Boetas en tieties, remember that we once lived in a place called Kanallah Dorp, and if we want to remain better Muslims after Ramadaan, then we need to revive that way of living. With that being said, slamat virrie boeber aand en lekke pwasa verder.