Zuhair Sulaiman returns to Daraya, Syria, after years in exile for his first Ramadan in over a decade. Despite his relief at coming home, he feels an intangible loss during this holy month. His experience reflects a mixture of joy and nostalgia as he adjusts back to life in his homeland.
Zuhair Sulaiman and his wife are eagerly waiting in their living room for the call to prayer to signal the end of their fast during Ramadan. After years of exile, Sulaiman returned to his hometown of Daraya following the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar Assad in December. Having lived in Egypt and Lebanon since 2014, this marks his first Ramadan celebration in Syria in over a decade. Despite the joy of returning, Sulaiman feels that something is absent from this experience.
Zuhair Sulaiman’s return to Syria for Ramadan highlights the complex emotions surrounding homecoming. While he expresses happiness to be back after years abroad, a poignant sense of loss accompanies his joy. The significance of observing Ramadan in his homeland underscores both the relief of returning and the nostalgia for what was lost during conflict.
Original Source: apnews.com
