SABERA’S POINT OF VIEW

Joyce!!!! Joyce!!!

Yes, Mama,” Joyce replied, exasperated.

“Joyce, did you see my gold earrings? The ones that my husband bought? I hope you didn’t steal them?”

“No, Mama. How can you say that? I’ve been working for you for so many years. You probably forgot where you left them again.” Joyce replied, willing herself to be calm.

“You know Joyce has been with us for years. She helps me so much, but I know she steals and then when I look for things, she returns them,” my mother said condescendingly.

Baboo rolled his eyes as Sabera’s weekly rant about the domestic worker continued.

“You know Sabera, Joyce is fantastic and has become part of our family. During Ramadhan, instead of increasing her workload with the endless dishes and pointless work, look at easing her day. We are Muslims at the end of the day, and a person’s akhlaq is shown by how they treat their workers,” my father responded gently.

You need to change, and maybe if you focus on other things instead of complaining all day long, you will see that there is so much more to be grateful for. Let us start together. Baboo said.

“Argh! Baboo, you are annoying me again. Don’t you have work to do? Paint a wall if you don’t but don’t ask me to change. I’m old, and you know my ways, and why should I ease the burden of Joyce? If I spoil Joyce, she will be like Taskeen’s helper, Anna. That one is so lazy; Taskeen does most of the work,” she retorted.

She turned her back on him and called Fatima. “Fatima, Baboo is annoying me again. He told me I’m hard on Joyce and must ease her workload. Can you believe him?!”

“As salaamu alaikum Sabera. Have you forgotten how to greet?” she replied, irritated.

“I see you are becoming the Grinch of Ramadan once again. Sabera, this is a month about compassion and love. Baboo is not wrong. Joyce is old, and she also has body aches and feels tired. Why must you cook ten million things and expect Joyce to clean? Helpers don’t revert because we set the worst examples,” Fatima said calmly.

“Do you know Fatima, I called you because I thought you understood me,” Sabera shouted as she slammed the phone down. “I won’t be attacked by stupidity; it seems the lack of food made them all holy now,” Sabera thought.

She remained irritated, and anyone crossing her path was dealt with harshly.

Sabera was glued to the television when the call for Asr was made. A sense of guilt washed over her as I realised that I had not gotten started on dinner. Still annoyed and irritated from the morning’s arguments, Sabera called Baboo and demanded he orders take out as she wouldn’t cook.

RAMADAN TIP:

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Do you know who is the bankrupt?” They said: “The bankrupt among us is the one who has neither money nor property.” He said: “The bankrupt in my Ummah is the one who will come on the Day of Judgement with prayer, fasting and Zakat, but since he hurled abuse at others, accused others of committing adultery without evidence, unlawfully consumed the wealth of others, and shed the blood of others and beat others, his good deeds will be credited to the accounts of others (who suffered at his hands), and if his good deeds fall short to clear his account, others’ sins will be cast on him, and he will then be thrown in the Fire.”   Sahih/Authentic. — [Muslim]