MAGAZINE
mbmuslima ISSUE#twenty5
The magazine for those who choose to define themselves through the Creator, not the creation
"Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may attain taqwa." [2:183]
The Ramadan Issue August 2011
Ramadan is to your heart like water is to a flower
Ramadan 1432
Ramadan Kareem from MBMuslima. May Allah SWT grant us steadfastness in our siyam (fasting), patience in our salah (prayer), humility in our zakat (charity), and righteousness in our actions.
Please keep the MBMuslima Team and our families in your dua.
Photographer: Rachid Lamrabat
ISLAMIC evolution.
Your iman (faith) is like a flower, requiring nourishment Ramadan is it’s best supplement Ramadan is to your heart like water is to a flower Nourish up and boost your spiritual power
THE GLOBAL MAGAZINE FOR MUSLIM WOMEN EVERYWHERE MBM is a global contemporary magazine for Muslim women that keeps the guidelines of Islam embedded in every single page, between every single letter. The teachings of the Qur'an and Al-Hadith are very important to the magazine. MISSION STATEMENT To foster an environment of dialogue and connectedness for the entire Muslim Women community at a global scale.
EDITOR IN CHIEF
RELATIONSHIP & FAMILY SPECIALIST
Sister Yasmin Essa
Sister Tayyaba Syed
ASSISTANT EDITOR
MARRIAGE SPECIALIST
Sister Nur Soliman
.
Sister Fatima A. Khan
VISUAL PHOTO ARTIST
HALAL CULINARY SPECIALIST
Sister Meriam Essa
Sister Yvonne Maffei
LAYOUT & DESIGN
FREESTYLE COLUMNISTS
Sister Yasmin Essa
COVER PHOTOGRAPHY Iperl Dreamstime.com
Sister Amani Zidan Sister Jennifer Fawzy Brother Kyle Smith ProductiveRamadan.com ProductiveMuslim.com
FRENCH COLUMNIST Khadijah Eghf
POET Sister Fida Islaih LETTERS TO THE EDITOR admin@mbmuslima.com
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Copyright Modest Beautiful MuslimaŠ Magazine 2009-2011. Reproduction or redistribution of anything from MBM requires proper credit to be given.
Contents
August 2011
Surviving Taraweeh with Kids 101
Ramadan: A Whole Month of Celebration and Remembrance
By Tayyaba Syed
By Nur Soliman Black American or African American:
What’s the difference? By Jennifer Fawzy
Page 13
Page 6
Page 10
Page 14
EDITOR’S LETTER (Page 5) ASSISTANT EDITOR’S LETTER (Page 6) LIFESTYLE A Month of Celebration & Remembrance (Page 6) Top 10 tips for a Productive Ramadan (Page 16)
HEALTH, FOOD & FITNESS 5 Steps to Ease Into Iftar (Page 8) Working Out During Ramadan (Page 15)
POETRY
FAMILY
Poem: Iman (Page 7) Poem: Ramadan is a Time (Page 9) Poem: An Ode in Ramadan (Page 14)
Is Taraweeh Child’s Play? (Page 12) Surviving Taraweeh with Kids 101 (Page 13)
SOCIAL ISSUES
MARRIAGE Tight Knot (Page 7) Five Minutes with Fatima A. Khan (Page 14)
Black American or African American? (Page 10)
INTERNATIONAL (FRENCH) Le Noble Coran (Page 17)
FROM THE EDITOR Bismillah Al Rahman Al Raheem. Assalamu Alaykum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barkatu. In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficient, Most Merciful. Assalamu alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barkatu, May the peace and blessings of Allah SWT be unto you, Dear MBM Readers, First of all, Ramadan Kareem! May Allah SWT fill this month of His remembrance. Second of all, we are so glad you found us. If this is your first time reading MBMuslima, we are very happy to have you as a new reader, alhamdulilah. If you are reading MBMuslima for the second time, we are very happy to have you as a repeat reader, alhamdulilah. If you are a loyal MBMuslima reader, who has read countless issues, we are extremely grateful for you, alhamdulilah. This will be my shortest editor‘s letter, thus far. Two years ago, on August 1, 2009, the first issue of MBMuslima was published. Because of YOU, we continue to grow and flourish, alhamdulilah. Two years later and 25 issues deep, we've reached 15,000 of you in 141 different countries, alhamdulilah. The first issue of MBMuslima was the Ramadan 1430 issue and it was the first stepping stone into this project. InshaAllah, I'd like to renew my own intentions by once againsharing with you my very first editor's letter, which can be found here: http://mbmuslima.com/index.php?p=1_22 Ramadan Kareem to you and your family. May Allah SWT grant us steadfastness in our siyam (fasting), patience in our salah (prayer), humility in our zakat (charity), and righteousness in our actions. Please keep the MBMuslima Team and our families in your dua. JazakAllah khair, Enjoy the issue,
Sister Yasmin Essa, MBM’s Editor-In Chief
P.S. As always, your comments, criticism, and suggestions as an MBM reader are highly appreciated, encouraged, and valued. By the will of Allah SWT, let us all engage in a deep, collective search for truth, guided by the primary sources of Islam: the Qur‘an and Sunnah. As always, JazakAllah khair for being an MBM reader—the magazine would be nothing without you.
Ramadan: A Whole Month of Celebration and Remembrance By Sister Nur Soliman, MBM’s Assistant Editor
Do you start your iftar with dates with milk and lentil soup, or do you have prunes and apricots in syrup? Do you have a favourite mosque where you go for taraweeh? Is there a special relative whose visit to your home for iftar gets you excited? What time of day do you set aside to read your chapters of Qur‘an? While Ramadan is more comparable to Lent, the Holy Week, Yom Kippur, and other days of religious fasting, I sometimes find myself comparing the ninth month of our year to a whole month of Christmas because of the wonderful, unmistakable spirit of miracles and celebration and holiness that surrounds each of the 29 or 30 days of Ramadan. Ramadan is a month of many things – of sacrifice, of physical fast and abstinence, but also of iman, spirituality, and strengthening our virtues of generosity and humble forbearance, of taking a closer look at our behavior, our character, our values, our integrity. It is a month where we take a step back and look at our lives, from the beginning of the year up until that point, and re-establish our connections, our relationship with Allah (SWT) like we‘re starting from the beginning. We do everything with a renewed, intense consciousness of the sacred, that can hopefully extend on until the Ramadan after that, insha’Allah. First we refrain of eating, drinking, and sexual relations, which is a difficult thing for our bodies, particularly when they ‗need‘ things like tea or coffee, or cigarettes. The heat of the summer (the time that Ramadan has fallen for the Djordje Komljenovic | Dreamstime.com (Image Credit)
last few years and will continue to do so for a while), and the length of the day during these months also makes it difficult. The second challenge of course is disciplining and purifying our heart by watching and guarding our manners, actions, deeds, but also thoughts, words, and intentions. This is a hard and tiring time for us to refrain from losing our temper, from uttering unpleasant or unkind words, for unconsciously speaking about someone behind their back, from lying in any situation, and so on. Allah (SWT) reminds us of this essential aspect of Ramadan in His Qur‘an – ―The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Quran, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong). So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadan), he must fast that month, and whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number (of days which one did not fast must be made up) from other days. Allah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you. (He wants that you) must complete the same number (of days), and that you must magnify Allah for having guided you so that you may be grateful to Him‖ (2: 185). This may not remind some of you of ‗Christmas‘ in its joyous celebration. However, if we are conscious that our efforts are because one desperately wishes to be in the company of Allah (SWT) and to get closer to Him, then that is a joy unparalleled.
When you struggle in the way of God, to refrain from drinking when you are thirsty or from speaking if you mean to lie, when you are humbled and feel compassion for those who do not find food or drink every day, you are purifying your body and soul of the cloying dunya and its attachments that weigh you down. To do so with fellow mu’minin (believers) is that spirit of exciting accomplishment—of working hard to strengthen your faith and resolution. The third aspect of Ramadan will clarify this even more. Abu Huraira is recorded as relating that the Prophet (PBUH) said: ―
Whoever fasts during Ramadan with faith and seeking his reward from Allah will have his past sins forgiven. Whoever prays during the nights in Ramadan with faith and seeking his reward from Allah will have his past sins forgiven. And he who passes Lailat al-Qadr in prayer with faith and seeking his reward from A llah wi ll h av e h is p as t si ns forgiven‖ (Bukhari and Muslim).
This is the special part of Ramadan. The increase of your worship, your spirituality, the intensification and increase of ijhad, or ‗effort‘ to be with Allah (SWT), through your actions, deeds, and thoughts. Ramadan is a great time to keep all five prayers if you haven‘t been doing so before, but also to add to those prayers the sunna of the day, and also qiyyaam al-layl. During these moments of prayer, really be alone with yourself and remind yourself of the closeness of Allah, how He can hear
Poem: ‘Iman’ By Sister Fida Islaih, MBM’s Poetry Columnist My friend Iman by my side helping me for the better during the high and lows reminding me of my lord.
you, see you, and Guide you when there is no-one else to do so, in the engulfing darkness of the silent night and in the silent intimacy of your heart and soul. In this month, you can look deeply and unflinchingly into your soul and make the true effort to purify yourself, to look at your brothers and sisters with a smile, to be gentle and humble in your ways, and to be proud of the truth. Reading the Qur‘an and immersing yourself in its Guidance and Light, and really keeping it in your heart by reading it every day, giving generously through saqada and feeding fellow Muslims who are poorer and are at a disadvantage, visiting your relatives, eating less and praying more, attending the mosque more than you are used to, and taking your family and friends with you – all of these things will bring you closer to Allah (SWT), and then you will truly know that sparkle, that miracle of Ramadan when the very word, and the very dusk before maghrib fills you with excitement about the pending Ramadan. It is because it is a second chance that Allah (SWT) gives us every year. Live each Ramadan as if it were your last, spending every moment in thoughtful, true, heartfelt, humble, vulnerable prayer and worship through salat and reading the Qur‘an, feeding the less fortunate and giving generously from your income to the miskeen and faqeer, and reliving your life as though your heart relied on the mosque and the athaan, and insha‘Allah Allah (SWT) will reward us and accept our fasting of Ramadan, and bring us closer to the joy and serenity of being with Him, Ameen.
A Marriage Blog for Muslim Women Aisha (RA) asked her husband Muhammad (pbuh),
"How strong is your love for me?" He replied, "Like a Knot."
She guides me to what I have to believe and have to do. The highest moment I had with her is during Ramadan. Together we prepared ourselves full of excitement wanting it to be our best; full of prayer we fasted all day and we broke that fast with feasts together with family and friends all getting ready, for Allah.
http://tightknot.wordpress.com/
5 Steps to Ease Into Iftar By Sister Yvonne Maffei, MBM’s Halal Culinary Specialist This Ramadan, much of the Muslim world will fast during some intensely hot weather. Here are a few tips to ease into the iftar, or breaking of the fast, so that eating doesn’t become uncomfortable and the breaking of the fast is the pleasant experience it was meant to be for the believer.
Approach the end of your fast slowly by drinking a healthy room-temperature fluid like water, pure fruit juice or warm milk and avoid cold drinks that can be hard on the body. Have a couple of dates, figs, and a handful of nuts. Then,
Lay off the Salt and the Grease
Ease Into the Iftar Meal
There‘s no denying that many traditional dishes served during Ramadan are deliciously tempting, but also tend to be on the greasy side. Have one samosa if you must, but realize that your body has to work harder to digest it.
After prayer, warm the stomach and slowly acclimate your body to food by having soup to start. Don‘t be in a rush to eat. You won‘t digest food properly and could even make yourself sick. This approach is not only easy on the stomach, but also prevents over-eating with heavier foods later.
Salty foods should be avoided simply due to their dehydrating effects on your body. You may think that by drinking large amounts of water you can recover from this dehydration, but you may suffer from headaches and bloating in the meantime.
Don’t Eat to Your Fill at Any Meal Eat plenty of protein during the non-fasting hours in Ramadan: meat, poultry, eggs and fish, as opposed to food with empty calories like junk food, breads and other fillers. If you have difficulty proportioning your meals properly, try the well-balanced entrees as suggested by the Saffron Road (http://www.saffronroad.com) made from vegetarian-fed halal chicken and other meats.
Listen to Your Body How do you know when you‘ve reached the one-third level? Your body will tell you, if you listen to it. Be cognizant of what you‘re putting into your mouth and how your body responds to certain types and amounts of foods. If you feel weak or out of breath, regularly check your blood sugar levels and heart rate whether you are young or old; improper eating regiments and passivity about one‘s diet can be a seriously unhealthy combination. Insha’Allah with these five tips you‘ll be able to savor the experience of fasting and feasting at a level that is conducive to good health and spiritual purification.
Follow a golden rule on eating from our beloved Prophet (peace be upon him) who said: "The son of Adam does not fill any vessel worse than his stomach. It is sufficient for the son of Adam to eat a few morsels to keep him alive. If he must fill it, then one-third for his food, one-third for his drink, and onethird for air” (al-Tirmidhi, Sahih by alAlbani).
Break Your Fast Calmly Towards the end of most fasts, a person can tend to be weak. Take this time to lie down, close your eyes and make duaa’. As sunset approaches, this is a blessed time to make duaa’to Allah (SWT) to accept your fast and to ask Him for all the blessings you want.
Yvonne Maffei is a food writer, recipe developer and the publisher of MyHalalKitchen.com, a halal food blog that offers recipes, tips and halal cooking techniques to readers. Saffron Road products are available at Whole Foods stores around the country. To learn more about their products and the mission behind the company, please visit www.saffronroad.com.
Visit www.myhalalkitchen.com
Andystjohn | Dreamstime.com (Image Credit)
Poem: ‘Ramadan Is a Time’ By Brother Kyle Smith, MBM Freestyle Columnist
** Ramadan is a time when families unite A time when the Muslims grabbed every last bit of their strength to fight ** Ramadan is a time when not so practicing Muslims come back to the deen A time for non-Muslims, when Allah SWT‘s light is able to be seen ** Ramadan is a time when Allah SWT‘s rewards are so great A time when many Muslims get together and food is ate ** Ramadan is a time when the devils are chained A time when Allah SWT‘s mercy rains ** Ramadan is a time when people love each other A time when during the taraweh prayer the sheikh‘s voice hovers ** Ramadan is a time when paradise is for the taking So insha‘Allah lets get up and start praying **
Sergey Peterman | Dreamstime.com (Image Credit)
Black American or African American:
What’s the difference? By Sister Jennifer Fawzy, MBM Freestyle Columnist
Donald Swartz | Dreamstime.com (Image Credit)
After looking at the title of this article, which country their ancestors and previous generations came from; whether it is Bangladesh, Japan, or any other Asian you may be thinking that the terms above country. Black Americans generally have no are interchangeable, but are they really? knowledge of their ancestral country Americans often try to find new ways of classifying citizens either by race, religion, political affiliation, or social status. because of the nature of the African Of course, there is a need to be able to describe individuals, Diaspora. but are we using correct terminology or simply applying stigmas on certain groups or peoples? In the early days during and after desegregation, dark -skinned people were called ―coloreds‖ or ―negro.‖ To many, these words are considered offensive and derogatory. In the 1960s, the black community began to be called ―AfroAmericans‖ a newly-coined term that lasted, and is now connected with the curly nature of their hair. By the 1980s, a new catch phrase was started-African American. Black people use this term even today. The Black American community first came to the Americas by way of the transatlantic slave trade. Most of the black communities that are in America today are the descendants of African slaves. Over the course of time, these communities learned English, embraced religions that were not native to Africa, and lost much of their cultural identity. Basically, the Africans were forced to partake in a complete assimilation to the Europeans who colonized America. If you were to ask any random Black American person if they had ever been to the African continent, your response would most likely be, ―no.‖ Then you may start to wonder why? Well, for the most part, Black Americans have a very different cultural identity to people from Africa. Black Americans do not speak Swahili or any other local dialect. They do not eat African dishes or dress in the same way. Different Black Americans may also have very different facial features and hair textures than people from different regions of Africa. The only ties that Black Americans really have to Africa are their ancestry and their appearance i.e. their skin color and hair texture. That‘s it! So, how can Black Americans truly be called African-American if they do not know anything about African history, or more importantly, are not born in Africa? If a person who lived in Zambia decided that they no longer want to live in Africa and then became a naturalized citizen of the United States, they would more appropriately be called African-American. That person has recent, direct knowledge of Africa and its people as well as an African birthright. There are many African immigrants in the United States, and they are also called African-American, of course it is more befitting for them. This phenomenon is not just limited to black peoples. Latinos and Asians are often regarded as Latin-American or Asian American. One major difference with these scenarios is that most likely the people of the Asian community know
In recent times, there have been many scientific developments that have allowed people to now genetically identify their ancestry via DNA analysis. This has helped many black people find out where their ancestors may have come from, thus giving them a deeper understanding of their ancestral heritage and ultimately themselves. Genetic investigation has become a great tool to answer many questions and to help many people discover information that they may not have otherwise known. When people think of an American, they usually think of a white Caucasian person. However,
Caucasians are not indigenous to America; the Native American Indians are. The Caucasian people in America are the descendants of Europeans who settled in America. Yet you do not hear of a Caucasian person being called European American. They are simply called American, perhaps because Caucasian people are the ethnic majority in the United States. It is also quite common for Latin-Americans to be called Mexican, even if they are not from Mexico. Hispanic people also migrate from South American countries such as the Honduras, Nicaragua, Peru, and many other places. They are in fact ethnically different from people who come from Mexico. There really should not be a different title among people who are born in America. For the most part, we share the same language, the same values as well as other cultural effects. The more we differentiate and classify people, the greater the likelihood of prejudices and other discriminatory acts. We should accept our small differences but embrace our similarities because we really do have more in common than not.
As a global community, we should educate ourselves as well as our families about geography, history as well as other diverse ethnic groups. It is definitely a small world after all.
Is Taraweeh Child’s Play? By Sister Tayyaba Syed, MBM’s Relationship/Family Columnist The second rak’ah of taraweeh prayer was almost over. They were the longest two rak’ahs I had ever prayed. It was not because the imam was reciting extra-long verses of the Qur‘an. I could barely concentrate. No one could actually. There was a loud, piercing, heart-wrenching cry that echoed through the prayer hall and overtook the voice of the imam, who happened to also be losing focus. (You could tell from him having to repeat himself and recite louder and louder). Everyone in that congregation must have been thinking the same thing at that point: somebody please make that baby stop crying!
I do not blame people for feeling this way. Little ones are highly likely to disturb people‘s prayers as can be seen from my personal example. So when is the right time to introduce children to the masjid?
When we ended the prayer, I was sweating profusely because all eyes were on me. It happened to be my little baby crying at the top of her lungs and disturbing everyone‘s prayers. I wanted to crawl under a rock but did not have time to do that. Instead I nestled my daughter in my arms and quickly gathered my belongings to escape through the nearest exit before anyone could say anything. Just then, I heard an announcement that no children were allowed in the prayer hall during taraweeh. The speaker also explained that it is the child‘s right to be picked up immediately by the parent. An aunt told me curtly to go down to the basement where a babysitting service (more like an untamed zoo) was offered.
Taraweeh is one of the greatest aspects of Ramadan. It brings the masses together to listen to the beautiful words of the Holy Qur‘an. Growing up, I did not know what taraweeh prayer was until my junior year of high school. I will never forget the first time I went and the impact that it had on my heart. It was love at first rak’ah. I want to expose my kids to the beauty of taraweeh and the masjid at a much younger age.
I carried my now happy-go-lucky giggling baby out of the women‘s prayer area without making eye contact with anyone. Nevertheless, I could still feel everyone‘s stares piercing me like darts. I felt horrible and humiliated. I also made duaa’ that Allah (SWT) forgave me and still accepted the congregation‘s prayers. That was six years ago and not much has changed since then. Now with two kids, I am even more apprehensive of bringing them to taraweeh. Forget the late hours on school nights or the long duration of the prayers. My kids and I could handle that. It is the issue of feeling unwelcome by the community members in the masjid that is the hard part.
Jennifer Boyd | Dreamstime.com (Image Credit)
As a mother, I know I must teach my children proper etiquette and respect for being in the masjid. I also want them to develop immense love and attachment to the masjid which needs to be introduced at a young age. Waiting until children are older and maybe more sensible might be too late. I do not want to have to drag my kids to the masjid later.
Masajid need to have better accommodations for mothers and children. Offering space for kids to run around and scream and call it ―baby-sitting‖ is not the way. Having proper arrangements and supervised activities for the kids, so moms can pray in peace is a good start. Masjid-goers also have to be more accepting and tolerant. No mother should feel ashamed to bring her child to the masjid like I did. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray in the masjid with his grandchildren playing on his back. He even allowed cats in the masjid and left space for them to crawl under his arms while he prostrated. The Beloved of Allah was patient and accepting of everyone in the masjid, and we need to follow his example instead of shunning the mothers and children out of the masjid. In this way we can make the transition from the mother‘s lap as the first musallah to the masjid much smoother for our children – insha‘Allah.
Surviving Taraweeh with Kids 101 By Sister Tayyaba Syed, MBM’s Relationship/Family Specialist
1. Bring snacks and quiet activities such as coloring and reading books, blocks, and puzzles to keep the kids busy and entertained.
3. Make sure kids are fed and rested to avoid hyper-activity or crankiness.
2. Bring help with you, like a family member or friend, who can watch your kids while you pray.
4. Frequent visits to the masjid outside of prayer times will help teach kids proper masjid manners.
5. Do not expect kids to be able to go everyday for taraweeh or stay for all 20 rak’ahs. They can become overwhelmed easily. Even grown-ups have trouble lasting that long. 6. Pick an area to pray that is open and breathable for the kids. Crowds may cause them to act up.
7. Encourage your kids to join you in prayer or follow the imam along with a copy 8. Organize halal entertainment for the kids in a nearby room such as a story-teller, fun science experiments, and easy takehome crafts.
9. Reward good behavior. Positive reinforcement is a great way to make the kids want to keep coming back to the masjid happily. Nabeel Zytoon | Dreamstime.com (Image Credit)
Alhamdulillah, Ramadan you‘re finally here, I greet you with open arms – this day I‘m in tears
I‘m ready, with relief I hasten you in through the door.
O Allah – bless me with this chance to fast another year
Each day a promise, pray until this body is sore!
Poem: An Ode in Ramadan By Sister Amani Zidan, MBM’s Freestyle Columnist
At night I‘ll stay with hands held open and duaa’ sincere
Until I wait for the call of fajr and pray some more I‘ll give zakah, ask You to keep me patient, and beg in istighfar – Allah!
Repenting constantly, I work to wash these sins to make me pure Recite the highest and supreme lines – I worry and fear
That if I shouldn‘t live the next day would You be satisfied? I‘m not sure. The Most Merciful; I vow to keep You in my heart always and near,
To obey my parents, the beloved ones, and pray for the weak and poor It‘s time I declare to keep this mindset throughout the year,
Five Minutes with Fatima A. Khan, relationship coach By Fatima A. Khan, MBM’s Marriage Columnist "Your husband is the head of your household, and yet he still isn‘t your spiritual compass. How must you be, and what must you do in order to encourage the ideal environment for your home? For this Ramadan, list 3 goals for yourself that involve change and prayer from yourself without requiring the input or effort of your spouse. You can only completely guarantee change from yourself that will spur blessings on your household and married life, inshaAllah."
Visit www.lifepepper.org for more resources
Plamen Mihaylov | Dreamstime.com (Image Credit)
Working Out During Ramadan By Sister Yasmin Essa, MBM’s Editor-In Chief Although Ramadan is such a wonderful time for all of us, it is also very hectic, and tiring when we still need to get all the same things done in between waking up early to eat, not eating during the day, etc. When times get hectic, we tend to eliminate what is unnecessary. Rather than cutting your exercise routine during Ramadan try to prioritize it as something important! Many people may have the excuse that ―I don‘t have enough energy to workout—especially after I eat a heavy meal once I break my fast‖. First of all, we should not be breaking our fasts with extremely heavy meals. Islam is all about moderation. The Prophet (SAW) told us that we should always allocate one third of our stomach‘s for food, one third for water/liquids, and one third for air. Second of all, exercising can actually give us that energy we need during Ramadan. Exercise produces endorphins, which make us happy both physically and mentally. Allah SWT told us to take care of our bodies—so let us do just that! This Ramadan, try to exercise at least three times a week, for a minimum of 30 minute each time. Figure out what works best for you in terms of time. Some ideas? Suggestions Take a walk while fasting (assuming weather is suitable) Wake up an hour and a half before Fajr. Exercise for 30-45 minutes, eat for the rest of the hour, then pray. If you can handle it, and are well hydrated from suhoor, workout during your last hour of fasting -
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Top 10 Productive Muslim tips for a Productive Ramadan 1. 2. 3. 4.
5. 6. 7. 8.
Have sincere intentions, work hard and make lots of dua for an ultimate productive Ramadan! Plan each day of Ramadan, the night before. Choose 3 important tasks you want to achieve the next day and record it in your diary or our ultimate Taskinator Don’t miss Suhoor, wake up at least 1 hour before Fajr and have a nutritious balanced meal. Use the time after Fajr to do adhkar, du’a, and dhikr. It’s also a good time to read Qur’an. Thereafter, start working on your most important tasks (and and get at least 1 or 2 done). Try to get an afternoon nap, not more than 20 minutes either just before Dhuhur or after Dhuhur. Plan your Ramadan days (and life!) around Salah times, not the other way round! Block at least one-hour for reciting Quran each day. Break your fast with dates and milk or dates and water, go pray Maghreb, then come back for a light
meal. 9. Give lots of ‘physical sadaqah’; get involved in organizing community iftars, charity drives, helping orphans, etc - earn rewards working for others. 10. Don’t miss an opportunity for da’wah! When someone asks you why you’re not eating, give them a beautiful explanation of Ramadan and Islam. There you go, 10 tips to get you started… If you need to find more detailed explanations of some of the above...keep visiting the site or sign up to our mailing list for daily reminders insha’ Allah Ta’ala!
www.productiveramadan.com www.productivemuslim.com
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By Sister Khadijah Eghf , MBM’s French Columnist
WORDS EXPLAINED FOR THE NON-MUSLIM
InshaAllah Simply translated from Arabic to English, InshaAllah means „God willing‟. This is a very commonly used phrase, as Muslims believe God has power over everything. MashaAllah Simply translated from Arabic to English , MashaAllah means 'Whatever Allah (God) wills'. Often, it is used as an expression of delight or achievement. JazakAllah khairan Simply translated from Arabic to English, jazakAllah khairun means „May Allah reward you for the good”. This is commonly used to thank someone or to acknowledge someone‟s effort. SubhanAllah In Arabic, SubhanAllah means „Glorious is Allah”. This is used when praising God. It is also commonly used as a exclamation like “Wow!”. Masjid The Masjid is simply the Arabic word for Mosque. Many Muslims refer to the Mosque as a Masjid. Masjids are primarily used for Salah (Prayer) Jummah prayer The Friday prayer services that Muslims attend weekly. SWT: Subhana wa’ta3la Arabic Praise used after the name of Allah meaning „glorious and exalted is He” Hijab Headscarf prescribed to Muslim women for modesty purposes Shahadah Declaration of Islamic faith. Assalamu Alaykum May peace be unto you.
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