In your memory…

For all Muslims out there, Ramadan is both a month dedicated to Allah and to your inner faith. It possesses a certain kind of magic that generates the flow of kindness, love, peace and all things nice. We care about the people around us more than we usually do. We give without expectations and always in return receive generously. It’s a month of delightful memories.

As we grow older, we look forward to Ramadan more than we did the year before. A time of family gatherings where bonds are tightened and connections grow. The country becomes so intertwined and in sync it’s hard not to see the beauty in it. Just like you’ve found a secret doorway to an enchanted land where ribbons of sparkling lights encircle you. That was Ramadan to me.

On November the 2^nd, 2004, it was around the 20^th day of Ramadan when we heard the news. Our magical land of enchantment was forever changed. The country shed its tears. The beginning of the period of mourning had started. It was as if nature itself wept in grief. The flowers that filled up the streets of Abu Dhabi, the trees and the bright shining lights lined along the sides of each lane withered and died. Sorrow and heartache was in the air and we all breathed it in slow steady breaths. With all the anguish that was surrounding us at that time, the only thing that really pulled us through was Ramadan.

What warmed our hearts was that during this tragedy we were surrounded by angels who took our mourning and turned it into prayers, and with those prayers we picked ourselves up and repaired our magic land even though the scar of that day will always remain.

I dedicate this one to Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may his soul rest in peace. You were a father to each and every one of us and were one of the greatest leaders that the Arab world has seen. You have given us what can never be replaced. Our love for you will always linger and you will never be forgotten. In our prayers you remain.