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Curiously, the Qur’anic injunction for fasting the month of Ramadan touches on a similar thread of commonality. God says, “...fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may be mindful of God.” (2:183) Let’s break this down. The Muslim holy month of Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and traditionally begins and ends based on the sighting of the new moon. This year, Ramadan is expected to run from Wednesday 22 March to Thursday 20 April 2023, which falls in the revision and assessment preparation period for many students. Since getting this book I've read through it twice- it came to me at a time where I was working through some things and I really valued the experience. As Chief Executive of Barnardo’s, I’m especially concerned about the long-term impact of this loss on children and young people.
Ramadhan is a core practice in Islam and Is mandatory on all able-bodied and minded people. There are many exceptions related to health and medication, as well as dispensations for travel. The duration of the fast is from the dawn till sunset. It is desirable to wake up in the morning before the dawn to eat something before the fast begins. The fast should be finished promptly on sunset. Although the focus of the fast tends to be on abstaining from food and drink, people fasting also need to abstain from other activities which are mainly considered morally undesirable or religiously sinful. Prayers that you have made, are making and will be making flow in sync with Aliyah’s own and some sections were so uncanny in how similar her reflections were to mine. Obviously hers expressed far more eloquently than mine! It is so beautifully written that I can’t even find a genre for it – snippets of her life like an autobiography, sincere Duahs like a book of supplication, space for reflection like a journal, advice to get closer to Allah like a book of guidance, quotes from The Holy Quran, scholars and hadith like a book of knowledge. She has been blessed to write this book and any reader of it is blessed to receive it. The manner in how Aliyah interacts & converses with the reader in such a intuitive, effective fashion; its engaging & manages to capture the heart.Having spent time with the Muslim community, I have learnt that there are a number of considerations that can be made, where possible, allowing both a professional and spiritual focus during Ramadan. Fawaz: Right, how do I deal with having lessons all day long? This is something I’ve gotten used to over the years, even outside of the fasting month. Teachers actually get so that they forget or don’t get to eat, so in a way Ramadan simplifies my day for me. With that being said, if you’re not fasting then definitely keep yourself hydrated. We could all drink a little more water! Salam Ramadan! There is something about the words across the book that touched my core. I yearn for what Ramadan Reflections has reminded me of and opened my eyes to. I plan to keep teaching my children from this book. Aliyah's ability to write clearly and eloquently is outstanding, and while at times I had to re-read sentences, it was to enable me to extract every drop out of the gems she uncovers for the readers throughout the book. She speaks to me like a longtime friend who knows me well, yet with the wisdom of a great-grandmother from another time.
Due to the strong emphasis that the month of Ramadan gives to the revelation of the Qur’an on the Night of Qadr, this month has been marked across the globe as the time where Muslims give their special attention to the recitation and reflection on the Holy Qur’an. Out of all months of the year, Ramadan is the most month where the Qur’an is being read and recited. The month of Ramadan is seen as the Spring season of the Holy Qur’an. With a chapter set aside for each day of Ramadan and divided into parts, representing how The Holy Month is divided – it makes it so easy to digest but fulfilling every crevice of your soul at the same time. There is space for journaling – and even for someone like me who finds this difficult, Aliyah’s pointers are very easy to follow and make you interact with your own emotions. She takes you on a journey of story-telling, reflection and making Duah as you go along. But there is no compulsion in any of it and you will find that through taking it in your own pace you will achieve more, than you set out to, with this treasure of a book. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. The exact dates of Ramadan change every year. This is because Islam uses a calendar based on the lunar cycle. A very comforting part of Ramadan Reflections came quite early on regarding LOVE, particularly the love for oneself. Not the egotistical, self-obsessed, proud version so commonly plastered all over social media nowadays. But the private kind, a connection between oneself and the Lord, one that promotes knowing one’s value and self-worth, all written in the most humbling words. I challenge you to not feel moved! I think this is a book I will return to, not only during Ramadan but at any time of the year when I consciously want to reconnect to Allah and worship more meaningfully.
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When Eid arrives, it’s lovely to celebrate with family and work colleagues and it’s nice to suggest a celebration to colleagues who has been fasting. After Eid, I really appreciate that cup of tea in the morning and enjoy the novelty of being able to eat during the day. Monday, April 12 th, 2021 marks the ninth month in the Islamic calendar when for thirty days, over 3.5 million American Muslims will fast and “yes, even forego water.” Ramadan for Muslims world-wide not only is one of our five pillars[1] or religious tenets, it is also an opportunity to reset, renew, and rejuvenate your spiritual connection to God ( Allah) and use the physical pangs of abstinence, hunger, thirst during the daylight[2] hours as a tangible reminder of your spiritual connection to something bigger than your body’s physical needs. However, as a religious minority it is often harder for us to do this. Living in a non-Muslim community means that we are squeezing in prayers between work meetings, breaking your fast at your son’s baseball games, or “listening” to the Quran[3] , at stoplights while rushing to your next appointment. Not necessarily conducive to that whole spiritual awakening we are supposed to be experiencing. For our family, knowing that we cannot stop our every-day lives to dedicate it solely to religious practices, we try to fit in the intent behind Ramadan in a more practical application whenever we can. Charity: As one of the main five tenets fitting in additional charitable efforts during this month can be a welcomed experience to all. After supporting our local Mosque, our family usually chooses a few charities to support either financially or with our physical time. In volunteering we are taking the meaning behind this month of connection to reconnect with ourselves as a family and to connect with the community as well. (Note: we are supporting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and you all are invited to our virtual iftar.) What a book! Each word in Ramadan Reflections should be written in gold! A masterpiece. I couldn't stop reading it as it felt like it was written for me, I felt so sad when I finished reading it.
Most people at work recognise Ramadan, and want to support you, they ask questions, and I enjoy those discussions. At night, we have lovely feasts with family and friends, which I appreciate more than ever since the pandemic, and we are able to go the Mosque and pray in congregation again which is nice. Ramadhan used to be a time of trepidation and caution for me when I was young. I am a big foody and not being able to eat or drink during the daytime hours FOR A WHOLE MONTH! was daunting. However, I always used to get through it. What I learnt over the years is that Ramadhan is like no other month, there is a collective spirit in people partaking in this annual blessing, people are blessed with patience during this month that helps them endure the fast.This is the word that comes to mind when I think about Aliyah Umm Raiyaan's Ramadan Reflections. With her earnest, and at many times vulnerable, voice at the centre it's intertwined with the classical wisdom of old as well as the wisdom of recent. She's written it in such an intimate way that you almost think she's penning down your own thoughts. SubhanAllah. It's this layering of voice and experience that makes this a timeless piece- that of course I pray continues to earn her ajr until the end of time. Having had the experience of the second read through, I feel confident in saying that this will easily become the kind of book people will choose to dip in and out of many times and read over again, as there will always be some lesson or comfort to take from it. Despite being an avid reader, I haven't managed to complete a book in ages. However, I found myself captivated & so immersed from the onset. Irrespective of our own faith or no faith, we can all share in that reflection on hardship, hunger and suffering wherever it lies. We might pause and ask what difference we can personally make in our local communities as well as across the world.
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