Ramadan 2008

[NicEgypt 0]

AND ALSO COZ I DONT WANT ENYONE GET CONFUSED JUST VISIT THIS SITE AND U WELL KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT RAMADAN

http://www.islamweb.net/eramadan/index.php

[merijan 0]

Ramadan is new to me this year. It will be kamal's first here. I don't understand much about it, and want to learn. But he is one that when asked to explain something about islam i get all confused even more. So please give me some advice on what to do. I've done some reading, and have been mulling over the idea of converting to muslim. i'm not sure what to do. Any help will be well appreciated! thanks.

Ramadan is a good time to start thinking more of Islam and what it could mean to you and also your husband will need your support since it is his first here. Its much harder in a non Muslim country. In his country everyone is fasting and its a big deal to have Iftars , gather with friends and family for iftars. U also see and hear the spirtual side on Tv, and its just everywhere. My first Ramadan was in Saudi with my prev. husbands family. One thing was that all the shops opened late and stayed open all night, and people where shopping at like 1am and so on. On tv they had the prayers of the Masjid in Mecca and it was very beautifull.

If you have questions we can give you our best answers, those of us who have converted/reverted to Islam. But all in all its a choice of the heart and we believe Allah guides those he wills. And I think Inshallah he will guide you and its very special. Because as a Revert/Convert we have EVERYTHING erased from our past and we start fresh . So its very special time. Anyway if you have questions just ask, Nobody is going to force anything your way but we would love to guide you if you choose.

Salam

Raelynn Aziz

[lion_lioness 0]

Salam all,

I am loving this thread and all the question and positiveness. Perhaps we can even have a weekly chat to talk about issues/questions as the holiday is approaching. I reverted three years ago and I don't think I have a tenth of my religion covered but inshallah I keep trying.

Bridget, I like how you eased into covering. My first ramadan in 2005, I didn't cover. In 2006 I'd cover in the weekend, but then I spent the last week in Jordan and covered while I was there. Alhumdulilah 2007, I covered the whole month. I started the first days by pulling my hair in a bun under the scarf and wearing a second scarf around my neck. After about a week I just went ahead and covered the traditional way. Ppl at work kept complimenting me on my new hats and how beautiful they were lolol.

[HLM 1]

Well i dont think ill be spending this ramadan in the US and i think im glad for one reason that Ramadan has this special beautiful atmosphere where all ppl r on the same path; u have all the support u need.

Olivia i know everyone answered u i just want to add that the quran is divided into 3O sections and u can see that on the margins not within the surah.. becoz it was done to make reading quran or memorizing it easier. A section can be composed of more than one surah. Mainly each section is about ten pages.

Women after birth have their cycles for a month so they re not allowed to fast or pray i think its Allahs mercy so to focus on the babies. If they re not having babies they re not allowed to fast nor pray during the week of their cycle then they fast the rest of the month n make up for that week later.

I usually try to read more than one section a day. The more times u finish the quran during the month the more the good points -called thawab or hasanat-. I want to add that this month is so blessed that anything u do for the sake of Allah their points r doubled up n more. Thats why ppl want to read quran n do charity n pray extra than the obligated so start collecting thawab for the afterlife.

Bridget mentioned that u dont just fast from food and that is always my struggle rather than being hungry she is so right... we also have to fast from our bad manners n our bad tongue- swearing or talking about ppl behind their backs- n that goes on all day not just before iftar also its a training so that after ramadan u wd try to keep this -now- cleaned; better mannered soul for the rest of the year.

Edited August 14, 2008 by HisLittleMasriyah

[NicEgypt 0]

Well i dont think ill be spending this ramadan in the US and i think im glad for one reason that Ramadan has this special beautiful atmosphere where all ppl r on the same path; u have all the support u need.

Olivia i know everyone answered u i just want to add that the quran is divided into 3O sections and u can see that on the margins not within the surah.. becoz it was done to make reading quran or memorizing it easier. A section can be composed of more than one surah. Mainly each section is about ten pages.

Women after birth have their cycles for a month so they re not allowed to fast or pray i think its Allahs mercy so to focus on the babies. If they re not having babies they re not allowed to fast nor pray during the week of their cycle then they fast the rest of the month n make up for that week later.

I usually try to read more than one section a day. The more times u finish the quran during the month the more the good points -called thawab or hasanat-. I want to add that this month is so blessed that anything u do for the sake of Allah their points r doubled up n more. Thats why ppl want to read quran n do charity n pray extra than the obligated so start collecting thawab for the afterlife.

Bridget mentioned that u dont just fast from food and that is always my struggle rather than being hungry she is so right... we also have to fast from our bad manners n our bad tongue- swearing or talking about ppl behind their backs- n that goes on all day not just before iftar also its a training so that after ramadan u wd try to keep this -now- cleaned; better mannered soul for the rest of the year.

'HisLittleMasriyah' very good answer

[amal 4]

I've looked at some of the sites recommended but I get overwhelmed and intimidated by the information made available.

Liv, if I could give you any advice at all in learning Islam, it would be to take it very very slowly. Think of 1 question and learn all u can about that question. Take a day or 2 and focus on just that. Once that makes sense, move on to your 2nd question and study and learn allll about that one as you did for your first question.

If you try to learn it all at once, it is very overwhelming and intimidating. Trying to learn too much at one time almost made me turn completely away from Islam for good. Alhamdulillah I took a break and when I was ready, I eased myself back into studying 1 subject at a time. This way I could learn about what I had questions on. It helped me to get a full understanding of Islam from many different directions. I will be happy to talk to you sometime if there is anything I can help you with.

Terrie, you too girl. I have not had time lately to be in yahoo after work but I should be back soon. I just have to get my schedule worked out again. Please do not hesitate to ask questions. I love talking to people about my ideas and the way I understand it.

Amal

[nunyab 0]

wow.... this is great brother's and sisters!! Ok my first as a muslimah do I send gifts to my husband's family for Eiid?

[HLM 1]

wow.... this is great brother's and sisters!! Ok my first as a muslimah do I send gifts to my husband's family for Eiid?

it wd be really nice if u do...the prophet 3alayhi as-salatu was-salam encourages giving presents.

[nunyab 0]

wow.... this is great brother's and sisters!! Ok my first as a muslimah do I send gifts to my husband's family for Eiid?

it wd be really nice if u do...the prophet 3alayhi as-salatu was-salam encourages giving presents.

cool give me another reason to shop.. .lol

[amal 4]

Rajaa, I'll tell u what we do for Ramadan. We eat Before sunrise. Fast all day. When I get home from work (if we don't meet with friends) I set out dates (to break fast with) and start preparing soup (usually more broth than anything). Then prepare the actual meal. The meal after Maghrib, during Ramadan, is usually something different than we normally would eat on normal days. We have the whole 9 yards including special sweets (ie sweets that we don't normally have). Then when it's time, and we break the fast with a couple dates and get our tummies ready to accept a buttload of grub...we start shoveling it in!!! It really is a special time. My husband does not function if he doesn't have soup before the meal during Ramadan.

Hope this helps

amal

[S and S 12]

Rajaa, I'll tell u what we do for Ramadan. We eat Before sunrise. Fast all day. When I get home from work (if we don't meet with friends) I set out dates (to break fast with) and start preparing soup (usually more broth than anything). Then prepare the actual meal. The meal after Maghrib, during Ramadan, is usually something different than we normally would eat on normal days. We have the whole 9 yards including special sweets (ie sweets that we don't normally have). Then when it's time, and we break the fast with a couple dates and get our tummies ready to accept a buttload of grub...we start shoveling it in!!! It really is a special time. My husband does not function if he doesn't have soup before the meal during Ramadan.

Hope this helps

amal

I tried doing like you mentioned because my husband recommended that. Unfortunately my stomach shrinks so much that if I just eat dates first, it is like my stomach shrink wraps around them and I can't eat anything else, I just feel sick. Soup is not so bad to eat first, but most of the time I found it easier to just start shoving into the food or I wouldn't be able to eat much. Of course last year the area I was in the sunset didn't come until 7:45pm. If I could I would try to eat a little more before bed, but sometimes couldn't get more than a snack. I had to go to bed early since I had to be at work at 6am (which was right when fasting started). This meant I had to just force in what I could and even then I wasn't getting even 1000 calories a day.

[nunyab 0]

What is the name of that soup??? I forgot and I want to learn to make it.

[Henna Rose 0]

I spent last Ramadan in Morocco with my husband and it was truly an incredible, beautiful experience! Breaking the fast with Harira and eggs, cooking with the family. We visited different homes and it almost seemed like the Christmas month (minus all the ridiculous commercial aspects) with relatives visiting and sleeping over, preparing sweets together, buying new clothes at the end of Ramadan and gifts.

I am blessed to have shared these memories with my husband

[Henia 11]

This year I have a lot of questions and I am curious to know more about it.

How do you section off reading the Quran?

Do you read as much as you can each day?

Which versions do you read the English one or the Arabic one?

What do you do about children and fasting? Do they have to fast too? What do you do if your children are not Muslim?

What do the women do who are having babies during Ramadan? They can feed the babies right? Do the new mothers get to eat so they can support feeding the new babies?

I have so many questions. Sorry if it's bothersome.

I think if you make a plan ahead of time ... small and and spread out it helps ... instead of trying to read as much as you can at one time - Quran burnout ... eventually you would just give up and quit right?! For me, I planned reading 2 short pages after fajr (or during fajr since if I give birth I won't be praying then) ... then 6 pages during the time my husband goes to Tarawee ... maybe for some reading Quran during that loooooong wait for iftar ... could calm some down but maybe just make others more nervous.

Or if you are avid reader, section off chapters ....

Obviously optimal way is reading the Arabic version .... but if you cannot then reading English is fine. I have Quran with both Arabe and English ... so I will recite the Arabe then read the English for the full meaning.

Children and Ramadan ... well they say by age 7 you should starting encouraging the children to pray and fast. And I guess Ramadan is one way to do it! Here in Algeria, before Ramadan children get a gift for those who have the intention of fasting ... thus encouraging them to! And also in my husband's family children get extra special gift for Eid if they fasted (not really if they did all the fast for beginners but that they tried) ... children also play these cute games "Who is fasting" whatever ... probably won't not fly in the US but they seem to like it here LOL!

I mean if your child tries ... to fast for day or half or even few days ... mach'Allah ... work up slowly you know! I think it is more about intention here!

If you go the afer iftar prayers (Tarawee) try bringing your children ... to they can see what you are doing. Surely tiring for small children the long prayers but I think if they are even there ... they soak in the enivorment.

If they are not Muslims obviously cannot force them, esp older ones ... but I htink useful and good to show them what you believe and are doing .... with games or activites exploring Ramadan.

If you are planning gathering for iftar ... then include them in the meal preparations or decorating the houses. Here they do tacky Chirstmas decorations for Ramadan but like in Egypt they do nice lanterns (fannouss)! I have also seen mobiles online.

Also good idea for children to get grasp of the charity side of Ramadan by talking about the poor, visiting the poor/orphaned and maybe even putting together collections or volunteering.

For Eid children usually get new clothes which they wear on Eid day but many also give money, gifts and candies.

Some links to help with children:

http://raisingmuslims.wordpress.com/2008/08/12/ramadhan-lapbook-pics-printouts/

http://www.ezsoftech.com/ramadan/ramadan15.asp

http://www.qss.org/articles/ramadan/8.5.html

And two activities:

Ramadan Calendar Chain

-Cut colored strips of construction paper into approx. 8" lengths.

(30 strips for each child) · Glue or staple strips of construction paper

into a chain.

-You will need 30 links (rings) in your chain. One for each day until the end of

Ramadan.

-Make a pretty pattern, alternate the colors of the rings.

-You may attach the completed chain to the bottom of your designed mosque

in project one or to other designs, e.g. a large crescent, or a star..

-Hang it on a wall or in a doorway.

-Everyday neatly tear off one of the rings all the way to the end of Ramadan.

Remind the children that Ramadan can be either 29 or 30 days

Charity Decorated Jar

Ramadan is that time of the year to rememer most the poor and the needy.

Charity is a big part of the celebration of the month of Ramadan. Ask the

children to bring a jar. Explain to them that in the jar they will collect coins

for the whole month of Ramadan. Help the children decorate the jar, using

colorful stickers of their choice. Let them collect coins in it , either from

their allowance or make an arrangement with their parents to give them

some of the change they have in their pockets, every day.for the remainder

of the month. At the end of the month, let the children count the change

and give it to the mosque or any other charity organization that helps those

in need.

Of course women can, should and do feed their babies LOL! Some very religious zealous women will try to fast but this is not required since Allah(swt) made this religion easy for us. You get more benefit from taking care of yourself and baby during the time of pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding. You will gain no rewards if you fast during menses ... so why do it?

[Henia 11]

wow.... this is great brother's and sisters!! Ok my first as a muslimah do I send gifts to my husband's family for Eiid?

You could but you donnot need to. They mostly give gifts to children. Some men give gifts to their mothers, sisters and wives ... but not all!

Before Eid, we buy the children a new nice outfit (and some other clothes too) which they wear on the Eid day. I know we give gifts to our children, plus have little gift bags filled with cute pencils, gum and candy for children who stop by during Eid (since on the day of families usually visit each other) Some other relatives give small coins.

Usually the gift in NA that is given between families and friends are the the gateaux (cakes) ... Days or nights before Eid women sit up preparing these cakes ... only to give them away on Eid day. Kinda like "who can make the best one" type of deal here!

But with that said ... nothing stopping you from making your own traditions!

Rajaa in Morocco they make Harirra for Ramadan while in Algeria they make Chourba hamra ... in the ME they have their own versions too!

Recipe for Harirra is in Sultan's Kitchen or just googled it!