With Ramzan entering its last daha (10 days), there is more focus on spirituality. While Muslims congregate in large numbers in the small hours for tahajjud prayers in masjids across Hyderabad, others, to bring about a stronger connect with God, have left their homes to practice etekaaf and to live in mosques.
“Like the previous years, I am going to go to the neighbourhood masjid for tahajjud prayers. Tahajjud is a tradition of Prophet Muhammad. The significance of these prayers is to worship Allah, and later to ask him for what we want, to supplicate, when all else are asleep,” says Mohammed Sami, a businessman, adding that arrangements for women have been made is several mosques across the city.
The last 10 days of Ramzan are slightly hectic for Mohammed Waseem, an entrepreneur who lives near Noorkhan Bazaar. Soon after breaking the fast and praying maghrib (post-sunset prayers), he leaves for taraweeh, the special night prayers. Once he is back, he spends some time with the family and retires early to wake up around 2.30 am to ready himself for tahajjud.
“Tahajjud prayers begin around 3 a.m. and we get it done before sehri. The last 10 days are special because each odd night, that is 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th and 29th of Ramzan, Muslims are engaged in prayer for laylatul qadr, in which supplication and seeking repentance is important,” he says.
Others like Muhammad Haseeb, who works for a financial institution, have left for etekaaf. “Etekaaf entails living in a masjid for 10 days, engaging in worship and having little to do with the outside world. Remembrance of Allah, recitation of Quran, namaz and supplication are done throughout the day,” he says.
