Fasting outside Ramadhan

Dinner at Damansara Utama

Fasted today after a nice dinner last night with sister Nurin and kids. Fish bihun (rice vermicelli) in salted vegetable and milk soup. Sounds rather weird, if you try to imagine what it tastes like. Well, its seasoned with tomatoes and maybe some vinegar to make it lightly piquant. I prefer lightly cooked fresh fish slices but most restaurants often deep fry the fish fillets.

Milk and Fish

Milk is optional but its rather nice with the chicken stock. Maybe fish stock but it didn't seem fishy. Did read somewhere that we should not mix milk with fish - probably some adverse chemical reaction.

Crazy Packing of Dates at 5am

Suddenly woke up at 5am. Full of energy and decided to repack my box of dates into individual 1 kilo packs. Loose packs usually sell well as some people like buying a variety of dates for the home. Guess its more fun that way. Decorated some with bits of satin ribbon and lace to give it a festive touch. I charge a little extra for this time consuming exercise but its solitude and peaceful. Gives me time to think and plan. This year I seemed to be so busy that I did not even have time to inform some regular customers that I have dates for sale.

Go with the flow

Think I shall just go with the flow - whoever needs dates may give me a call. Sure I appreciate the extra business but I do not like to make people obligated. People who call me are people who really are interested to purchase and they are interested to give me support. After all, they can buy any kind of dates from many shops and supermarkets anywhere. Alhamdulillah! I appreciate their patronage and kindness. You all know who you are! Thank you, jazakallahu khairan.

Minimum orders only

This season, though its before Ramadhan, sales have picked up. It really feels great to get decent orders - not the usual one kilo Mariami, 2 small boxes of Samin rotab or a box of Lyna. People are ordering by the carton - maybe because I appealed for orders of at least minimum half a dozen or half a carton. I do not like to increase the price although petrol and toll as well as time is affected. Alhamdulillah some people do give very BIG tips! Super!

Maybe they know its kind of heavy work carrying cartons and cartons of dates all over the place. One carton can be 6 lbs or more. But its good exercise and carrying heavy loads can be good for strengthening our bones. Allah is so Merciful - he rewards his slaves who have to do heavy physical work with endurance, good health and strength, insha Allah.

People do not have to go slow in Ramadhan

Just do what we had been doing all year and even more in Ramadhan! I decided to sell dates to earn extra income since I do not bake anymore. It has its own challenges but definitely I have more time to do my ibadah and also make it affordable for me to give away dates to share during iftar. I try to maintain my prices year after year. It is a form of good deed too, I want more people to afford to buy good tasty dates easily. What great opportunities to earn extra pahala. When I give away a tray of cakes, maybe only 20 people may get to share it. Extra income in Ramadhan helps us to do more charity and be more generous to friends and family.

Big returns insha Allah

Dates? Many people can have dates for a small sum of money. So when we offer dates to people in hope of reward from Allah, give good quality dates, not ask what is cheaper and yet nice. Cheap and nice seldom goes together as the supplier knows about supply and demand. Rotab dates are nice but do not go for the sticky sweetened dates sold in a huge pile. Not natural and not healthy. Eat less eat better.

Give what you like for yourself

Do not give what you yourself do not like to eat. Poor people also deserve good food. Halal and toyyibah. Just because they need our charity does not mean they should get cheap stuff. Are they not your brothers and sisters? Give less, give better!