Ramadan Reflections: 30 days of healing from the past, journeying with presence and looking ahead to an akhirah-focused future

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Many people also go to the mosque for the evening prayer and there is usually good atmosphere. Many of the mosques provide the iftar meals in the mosques and this is mainly funded from the donations made by the people.

Ramadan Reflections is pretty much a roadmap for our lives; the reason, the seasons, the battles, and Our Merciful Lord, Whom she proudly shows off by some of His Magnificent Names and Attributes and Whom I proudly love more. This book is a keeper. You can keep returning to it over and over, as you grow and develop and find new meanings to each chapter/topic previously read. I will be the first to admit that I am def more inclined towards reading fiction and that I usually have a hard time finishing nonfiction books. But truly this book is diffferent!!! Each chapter speaks to you and makes you reflect upon your own situation. You are then invited to think differently; take yourself from where you are now to where you’d like to be. The second chapter does this effortlessly. When you read this book it invites you to lovingly change for the better for your life in this world and the next.

How Ramadan is observed

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. She has written the book in a relatable way to the Holy Month of Ramadan and which I find can be used in any month of the year. I wish I had this book, Ramadan Reflections when I was a teenager. I would have learned concepts and had reflections that would have shaped me to be a better young woman then, leading to a better older woman now. This special book is an ocean of gems and a fountain of hope. As mentioned above the dates of Ramadan change every year. For religious matters, Muslims follow a lunar calendar - that is one based on the phases of the moon - whose 12 months add up to approximately 354 days. That's 11 days shorter than 365 days of the standard calendar. As a result of the Islamic calendar being based on lunar (moon) cycles, this means the exact date of Ramadan and its subsequent celebration Eid ul-Fitr is subject to change.

The book truly is healing and spiritual- I found myself crying and reflecting often- and the slowing down and really reflecting on powerful parts of our deen was so warming to my heart and so powerful in inspiring me to feel spiritual. Cleanliness is an indispensable fundamental of faith in Islam, both physically and spiritually. We cleanse our minds and bodies before and during prayer five times a day, and many Muslims around the world take this purification further when practising special occasions. One great example is the people of Indonesia at the beginning of Ramadan. Padusan (meaning ‘to bathe’ in Javanese dialect) is a deeply embedded purifying tradition in which Indonesian Muslims cleanse themselves just before the Holy Month of Ramadan begins. This ritual is intended to purify the body and soul before starting the fast. 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. I feel like I’ve put myself through something that is challenging but hope to complete the month as a better person. I would like to wish everyone Eid Mubarak –& hope you have a blessed and safe Eid with your family and loved ones.”I didn’t go into this book expecting a literary masterpiece 🤭— and I didn’t get that— but I was surprised how tender, insightful, and intentional the writing is. I’ve listened to the author speak on her podcast, HonestTeaTalk, and her writing reflected the kind way she speaks. It is written in 3 parts, with different energy levels and 10 chapters (days) in each part. Each chapter is on the important issues that affect us daily such as forgiving others, responsibility, love, life auditing, difficulties, hope and private deeds. The parts and chapters of the book cover our past, present and future and I found this to be very comforting and helpful. You need to be patient with yourself. Some days, despite your efforts, will not go to plan. You need to trust when Allah intervenes and turns your plans upside down, placing you on a different path. You need to be patient for the answer to your du’a. You need to be patient when you feel you are doing this alone, unsupported. You need to choose patience because patience is always needed on any journey and this journey of God-consciousness is the most intense, most surprising, most beautiful and yet testing journey of them all. Know when you choose patience, really choose it from deep within, know “Allah is with the patient” (Surah Anfal 8:46)”

The practice of religion in Indonesia is frequently mixed with old traditions, cultivating unique practices and rituals. Such is the pre-Ramadan tradition of nyekar. This word comes from the root word sekar, which means flowers, and the verb nyekar, meaning to spread flower petals (on a burial ground). This is an act of paying respect to departed family members. According to early Javanese beliefs, the month of Ramadan marks the start of a new life cycle and the completion of the previous one. 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! Secondly, we see at the very heart of fasting in the Islamic tradition is the idea of a shared heritage. Muslims fast, the Qur’an tells us, just like the peoples of the past. Fasting, in some form or another, is a feature of every major faith on Earth and unsurprisingly, every major faith outside of Earth too. Thirty days without food and drink (not even water) from dawn to dusk in Ramadan may seem quite the challenge for the average human but it’s got nothing on Kahs-wan, the test of maturity for young Vulcans who must survive ten days without food, water, or weapons in Vulcan's Forge. Likewise, in Deep Space Nine we get to witness the fright of Worf’s Kal'Hyah, the four-day Klingon bachelor party that consists of fasting while facing trials of deprivation, blood, pain, sacrifice, anguish, and death. Fasting is also common practice in Bajor, they even have a month-long fast during the Bajoran Time of Cleansing — sound familiar?

Origin of Ramadan

Prayer commitments – Muslims will try and participate in additional prayer during the month which might require frequent breaks. It will be good to open a conversation and set expectations to avoid any impact on business activities. Energy levels - fasting can impact people differently, and long periods of fasting during the day may result in low energy levels. Short walks to get some fresh air is common practice. Firstly, we learn fasting is a prescription. Much like other forms of ritual worship, human or otherwise, when the formula is followed the believer is given the opportunity to experience spiritual healing and growth. We see this time and again across Star Trek, from Klingons to Kelpiens, rituals offer meaning and a sense of sacredness to one’s being. early start and up before dawn ensuring I had Sahūr - the meal consumed early in the morning by Muslims before fasting. I ensured my Sahūr was wholesome, and I drank plenty of water. The most common question I was asked was ‘ not even water?!’ – yes, not even water and it was the no water that was making me the most nervous. I’ve never been a fan of guided journals. I felt it would be like a chore doing as the journal tells you. But I was proved wrong by Aliyah in the Ramadan Reflections journal. Wow. From the very first day where we learn to reflect into our past. How often do we truly sit and think about our actions? Think about how we have sinned in the past and how it has affected our lives. I’d say hardly ever. But Day 1 — there I was sat dwelling deep into my past sins. Reflecting truly on myself on a whole new level.