The newness of New year

The English calendar has taken another roll and it is new year across the globe wherever the gregorian calendar is observed.

I remember as a child New year was no less than our birthday for us. It was all about new clothes,  new accessories, lots of sweets and candies, the last day of school vacations and lots of fun, games and wishes.

A few years yonder as little girls and boys, it gained more priority. What with all the new year plans and resolutions, and heedings from teachers and parents to make this occasion an opportunity to excel, improvise or change for better. Lots of resolutions were made and broken, lots of goals were set and accomplished/abandoned, and lots of promises were made and kept.

As we grew into teenagers and our avenues and dimensions expanded, group resolutions and plans were made, diaries and notes kept, memories were captured in words and images and greeting cards and gifts exchanged. New year became a time to let bygones be bygones, reconcile differences among friends and mend broken hearts.

image courtesy: www.gettyimages.com

This ritual continued more or less unaltered through our college years, and then suddenly, stealthily all definitions changed as life changed gears, and new year plans, resolutions, exchanges and all seemed childish.

But the joy and hope of new beginning remains and my wishes on new year are more heart-felt and sincere. New year means new endeavours, new interests and renewed hope and confidence to me.

And I have planned a whole month dedicated to bring in the new year, connect the past with the future and glorify the gifts given to us and the inspirations that enlighten us. There would be a very special dedication to a wonderful legend, few expression of talents, and a very unique series of guest-blogs spread across the month from some really wonderful friends I met last year.

Of Yom Kippur and Yom Arafath

Today is Yom-Kippur, or the Day of Atonement for the Jews world over. The holiest day in their Faith, when all the Jews gather at synagogues to atone their sins, seek Divine forgiveness and please the Almighty so their names may be written in the book of Life for their good deeds.

By co-incidence, today is also Yom-e-Arafath or Day of Atonement/Repentance for Muslims. It is also the holiest day in Islamic Faith, when all the pilgrims to the holy city of Mecca assemble in the holy-plains of Mount Arafath to atone their sins, seek Allah's mercy and pray that He be pleased with us in this life on earth and ever-after. The rest of the Muslim community the world over enjoin the pilgrims spiritually world over through Fasting (optional), prayers and observing certain restrictions as is binding on the pilgrims.

Yom Kippur is the last day of the 10-day period starting from Rosh Hashanah (day one of Teshrie, 1st month of Hebrew calendar when the Almighty begins to write fate of individuals in the heavenly books). People’s fates are sealed on Yom kippur. Jews observe Fast, spend their day in synagogue prayers and abstain from work and all physical pleasures to please the Almighty on this day.

Sharing similar beliefs is the performance of Hajj, where the Pilgrims to Mecca forfeit all earthly chains, abstain from all physical pleasures and spend their days in prayers to please the Almighty, and muslims across the globe bond with the pilgrims by observing certain restrictions as the pilgrims, and spend the day in prayers, from the sighting of the crescent of the 12th month of Islamic calendar, Zil-Hajj till the three-day Festival of Sacrifice (Eid-ul-Azha), which commences on the 10th day of the month.

It is assured by the Almighty that whoever successfully complete their Pilgrimage in true Faith and it is accepted by the Almighty, all their sins are forgiven and they return from the plains of Arafa as pure as a baby emerges from it's mother's womb.

Allah knows better His will behind this phenomenal co-incidence between the two Faiths which are brethren-by-Books, yet divided by conflicts. But, if we are to see, it looks like a divine message of harmony and peace for the two communities and to show how both are more similar than different to each other.

Wishing a peaceful Yom Kippur and Yom Arafath to Jews and Muslims all over the world.

Of Yom Kippur and Yom Arafath

Today is Yom-Kippur, or the Day of Atonement for the Jews world over. The holiest day in their Faith, when all the Jews gather at synagogues to atone their sins, seek Divine forgiveness and please the Almighty so their names may be written in the book of Life for their good deeds.

By co-incidence, today is also Yom-e-Arafath or Day of Atonement/Repentance for Muslims. It is also the holiest day in Islamic Faith, when all
the pilgrims to the holy city of Mecca assemble in the holy-plains of Mount Arafath to atone their sins, seek Allah's mercy and pray that He be
pleased with us in this life on earth and ever-after. The rest of the muslim community the world over enjoin the pilgrims spiritually world over through Fasting (optional), prayers and observing certain restrictions as is binding on the pilgrims.

Yom Kippur is the last day of the 10days period starting from Rosh Hashanah(day one of Teshrie,1st month of hebrew calendar when the Almighty begins to write fate of individuals in the heavenly books). The fates are sealed on Yom kippur.
Jews observe Fast, spend their day in synagogue prayers and abstain from work and all physical pleasures to please the Almighty on this day.

Sharing similar beliefs is the performance of Hajj,the fifth tenet in Islam, where the Pilgrims to Mecca forfeit all earthly chains, abstain from all physical pleasures and spend their days in prayers to please the Almighty, and muslims across the globe bond with the pilgrims by observing certain restrictions as the pilgrims, and spend the day in prayers, from the sighting of the crescent of the 12th month of Islamic calendar, Zil-Hajj till the three-Days festival of Sacrifice (Eid-ul-Azha) which commences on the 10th day of the month.

It is assured by the Almighty that whoever successfully complete their Pilgrimage in true Faith and it accepted by the Almighty, all their sins are forgiven and they return from the plains of Arafa as pure as a baby emerges from it's mother's womb.

Allah knows better His will behind this phenomenal co-incidence between the two Faiths which are brethren-by-Books yet divided by conflicts... But if we are to see, it looks like a divine message of harmony and peace for the two communities and to show how both are more similar than different to each other.

Wishing a peaceful Yom Kippur and Yom Arafath to Jews and Muslims all over the world.