What Is Ramadan?

Ramadan is the name of a month. The exact dates of Ramadan change every year, moving with the Luna Calendar.

In 2020 in the UK, Ramadan will begin in the evening of Thursday the 23rd April and will end around Saturday the 23rd May, (its end will depend on the sighting of the new moon).

Ramadan is the holiest month for Muslims as it’s believed to be the month the Quran (the Muslim holy book) was revealed to Prophet Mohammed. The actual night that the Quran was revealed is a night known as “Laylat al Qadr”, meaning “The night of power”.

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In Ramadan, all Muslims around the globe fast during daylight hours. Fasting means abstaining from eating, drinking (yes, that means not even drinking water), immoral acts, cursing and anger.

Acts of worship such as prayer, reading the Quran and giving charity or sharing, are encouraged during the holy month. Fasting allows Muslims to devote themselves to their faith, its thought to teach self-discipline and reminds them of the suffering of the poor. Children, pregnant women, breastfeeding women, menstruating women, the elderly, those who are ill and those who are travelling, do not have to fast. Those who don’t fast can carry out the fast another time or pay “Fidyah is giving money or food to those in need.

There are five pillars of Islam, meaning five bases of the Islamic faith. These five pillars are the core practices of the religion and each Muslim strives to practice all the five pillars, starting with the first, The Shahada.

Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam.

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Please turn to page 18 to learn more about the Five Pillars of Islam.

During the holy month, Muslims wake up early to eat a predawn meal called “Suhoor”, and Suhoor is closed at the time of the call to prayer for the morning sunrise prayer, (this prayer is called, ”Fajr”). Muslims break their fast at sunset with a meal referred to as Iftar, also known as Fatoor. Iftar is open at “Maghrib” time, that is the time of the call to the evening sunset prayer, Maghrib.

(To avoid confusion, Suhoor and Iftar are not specific foods or dishes but, they’re meal times, similar to the words “brunch” being the name for a late breakfast meal or “dinner”, the word for the main meal of the day. People can say “is it Iftar time yet?” Or “What are we eating for Suhoor today?”).

During Ramadan, every evening there is a magical atmosphere before sunset, as those fasting wait for the call to Maghribprayer, the signal that they are allowed to eat again after a long day. Its a wonderful feeling for all those who take part, to 3

have everything ready just in time, the feeling can fill hearts with such thankfulness, upon seeing the blessing and relief of a meal, the bounties of Allah (God) on the table every evening.

The last minutes before breaking fast are extremely special; they are the most quiet and peaceful, while also filled with excitement for what is to come, (a bit like having Christmas, and its the moment just before being allowed to see the gifts under the tree). Hunger is not so big anymore and the thoughts wander back through the day, to perhaps noon when fasting was a bit hard or tiring. As people or a family gathers, they wait for the call to prayer, that is the sounding of the Adhan.

The first words of the Adhan, (the call to prayer) are “Allahu Akbar”, meaning “God is the greater”. At the minute the sun sets, there it is - “God is greater” echoing everywhere around, filling homes, mosques, streets (especially in Islamic countries), with this beautiful call to worship. Maghrib time at Ramadan is when the millions of Muslims all over the country enjoy a sacred moment of relief and gratitude.

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On the call for Maghrib prayer (the sunset prayer), Muslims break their fast with dates and a glass of water, they do this because its “Sunnah”, meaning “habitual practice”, “the practice of the Prophet Mohammed”, in other words, they do this because it is something the Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him / PBUH) did. The sunnah of the Prophet can be found through something called a Hadith, Hadiths are records of the words, actions and silent approvals of the Prophet. The Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) used to break his fast with dates and if there were no dates he would break his fast with a few sips of water, (Hadith Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhi). Muslims take the words and actions of the Prophet Mohammed as model behaviour, so this fasting practice has become tradition. With dates and water in hand, Muslims thank God for their day and ask God to accept their fast, through something called “Dua”, as they drink – the first sip is so good, (thanking god), the first bite is so delicious, the atmosphere around changes as people begin to eat, generosity, kindness and happiness is everywhere and is inclusive... Indeed, Ramadan is beautiful.

Its common for mosques to host large Iftars; feeding the poor and needy, while at the same time encouraging the community or neighbourhood to gather, share, learn, and pray together.

There are special nightly prayers performed in Ramadan, these are called “Tarawih”, they are held in mosques after Iftar, some mosques also host Islamic lectures through the night to strengthen faith, encourage the beginning of spiritual awakenings or to provoke learning during the holy month. It is normal for people to arrive at the mosque for Iftar and not leave until after Suhoor, devoting the nights for worship. Ramadan is a month with a new routine for Muslims.

The beauty of Ramadan is that is seeks to purify you.

You see, when a Muslim fasts, something incredible happens to their heart; they develop a consciousness of Allah - the word for 5

this, as mentioned in the Quran, is “Taqwa”. Fasting is fighting yourself, its crushing your body’s needs and strongest desires for the entirety of a day, only to make God happy. With every fasting day, the consciousness is exercised, and it’s important its exercised. When someone is conscious of God, they’re better or more able to protect themselves from disobeying God. Muslims understand and trust that God will not ask from them something (such as fasting), or will only forbid something, because it is better and good for them, and Muslims believe God, Allah, is the most gracious, most loving, most wise and all knowing.

For more than a thousand years, millions of Muslims around the world have observed the spiritual cleansing of Ramadan, a thousand years ago there wasn’t much scientific research into the effects of fasting, some people worried fasting over such a long period of time could cause detrimental effects to health but surprising, current research shows, the opposite is true, (and such recent discoveries towards the countless health benefits of fasting only strengthen a Muslim’s faith in Allah).

Ramadan comes with a surprising list of health benefits...

• Brain Boosting

Fasting goes a significantly long way towards balancing the mind and reducing mental stress. Fasting is known to strengthen the mind, sharpen focus and provide mental clarity – this is primarily due to a reduction in calorie, sugar and salt intake. Fasting can lead to the release of BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) in the brain, which causes the body to produce more brain cells, thus improving brain function. The release of BDNF has been shown to protect brain cells and could reduce depression and anxiety, as well as the risk of developing dementia.

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• Blood Pressure

A decrease in the body’s salt intake and loss of salt through urine lowers the body’s blood pressure.

• Improved Cardiovascular Function

Fasting can lead to a healthier heart, lowering cholesterol and promoting improved muscle performance along with enhanced blood vessel growth. Low cholesterol increases cardiovascular health, greatly reducing the risk of suffering from heart disease, a heart attack, or a stroke. Furthermore, if someone turns to following a healthier diet after Ramadan, the newly lowered cholesterol level should be easier to maintain.

• Immune System

While fasting, the body applies its core focus to the immune system and metabolism, as opposed to focusing on digestion. The immune system is largely comprised of white blood cells and fasting encourages the body to recycle any old white blood cells which results in a healthier, more robust immune system. The body regenerates stem cells that consist of red and white blood cells along with platelets, once the body consumes food again.

• Metabolism

Fasting can alleviate obesity; fasting prompts the liver’s enzymes to break down cholesterol and fats to convert them into bile acid, which, in turn, converts to heat – ultimately stimulating faster metabolism. Naturally, fasting also decreases the appetite which reduces the hunger hormone levels in the body, in turn, portion sizes may begin to become significantly smaller following a period of fasting. With a more efficient metabolism the amount of nutrients the body absorbs from foods improves.

• Weight Loss

When the human body is undergoing the starvation process, the body turns to fat in order to utilise and burn any 7

stored energy first. If done correctly, fasting can do wonders for weight loss - particularly for loss of fatty tissues in the body, leading to better physical structure overall.

• Blood Sugar

During the fasting process, glucose levels are stabilised which can lead to the prevention of type 2 diabetes as a result.

• Detoxifying

Abstaining from eating and drinking improves the function of organs whilst promoting a cleansed digestive system - improving blood circulation while getting rid of any harmful toxins in the body, that might be present in fat deposits.

• Radiant complexion / Anti-ageing

Fasting leads to the production of restored tissues and cells within the human body, degrading unnecessary cells in the process. This enables you to produce collagen, leading to healthier and more radiant skin. + More!

Before the month of Ramadan arrives, Muslims prepare themselves and know to be realistic about what they wish to achieve with the month; its important to plan the fasting structure well.

Muslims all over the world wish to reap the benefits of the month, and most get upset if they feel unwell to participate or are exempt from fasting (for the reasons mentioned on page 2).

Muslims prepare and make sure they’re in the right mental and physical mindset to be able to fast before Ramadan starts, so as to reap the health and spiritual rewards. This means ensuring they get adequate sleep and that their stress levels are low. As well as trusting God, Muslims also understand that above all, God doesn’t want them (anyone) to be sad or inflict harm upon themselves, (in-fact self harming behaviour is not encouraged within the religion).

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Ramadan is different to any other month of the Islamic Calendar, Prophet Muhammed, the messenger of God, (peace and blessings upon him), called it a blessed month, and also said: “When the month of Ramadan begins, the gates of heaven are opened; the gates of Hell-fire are closed, and the devils are chained� (Imam Bukhari).

Muslims believe that on the first night of Ramadan, the first thing that God does, is remove the influences, meaning, he removes the major devils from this Earth! God places the most aggressive of devils in chains. The locking-away of devils does not happen in any other month, except for in Ramadan. Of course however, sins and crime continue to take place in this month all around the world, but Muslims believe this is because of our inability to get out of our own way. Chaining the devils means that God makes it easier in this month for people to control their behaviour in the wake of all temptations: physical, social and spiritual.

The devil does not have control or authority over humans, (unless for those who follow willingly), meaning we have the power to put our devils in chains ourselves, throughout the entire year figuratively, by reducing them and by sustaining gratitude of God - as the one who recognises the blessings of God, will not find the indecency to sin, knowingly and consistently, major or minor - but in Ramadan, Muslims believe God pulls the devils back further, clearing a direct path to heaven, as without influence, reaching heaven should be common sense?

Muslims see Ramadan as a month long opportunity to change their lifestyle and environment to attain a higher state of self consciousness. They believe the opening of the gates of heaven in Ramadan means that God makes the journey to a heavenly state of peace and happiness effortless and accessible under his divine grace.

The closure of the gates of Hell-fire means God is eager and 9

ready to forgive every sin committed by anyone if sincere repentance is sought. The month invites self evaluation and identifying weaknesses in character followed by actions to self betterment. In other words, forgiveness is the divine offering of this month, (but one must realise repentance and forgiveness has to be done in a manner that is genuine).

Further Hadiths about Ramadan...

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: ”... Whoever fasts during Ramadan out of sincere faith and hoping to attain Allah’s rewards, then all his past sins will be forgiven.” (Imam Bukhari).

Narrated Abu Huraira(r.a):

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH): “There is a gate to Paradise that is called ar-Rayyan. On the Day of Resurrection it will say: ‘Where are those who fasted?’ When the last [one] has passed through the gate, it will be locked.”

Sahl ibn Sa’d reported:

(Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim).

In another Hadith, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) says, “Ramadan has come to you. [It is] a month of blessing, in which Allah covers you with blessing, for He sends down Mercy, decreases sins and answers prayers. In it, Allah looks at your competition [in good deeds], and boasts about you to His angels. So show Allah goodness from yourselves, for the unfortunate one is he who is deprived in [this month] of the mercy of Allah, the Mighty, the Exalted.” (Imam Tabarani) ...And there are more Hadiths that regard the greatness of the month.

Muslims hope to let go of bad habits and make positive strides in Ramadan. Many Muslims try to read the whole Quran during the month, reading a chapter a day, but the greatest accomplishment of Ramadan, that is beyond the recitation of the Quran and beyond the amount of prayer, is the ridding of bad habits; it’s to kick bad habits away through finding “Taqwa”, that is the 10

greatest metric for all Muslims in Ramadan. The number one question many Muslims ask themselves during the month is, “how much distance can I put between myself and those sins that were holding me back? How distant can I make myself from those sins that have had power over me because the influence they have over me, since the ones who tempt me with those influences are weaker now than they ever will be?”, Ramadan is a month of trying to abandon the disobedience of God. The last ten days of Ramadan are the most special, most magical, and most significant days of the entire year, this is because of Laylat al Qadr, the night of power, the night of decree, the night of value, of destiny, of honour, the night the first verses of the Quran were revealed to the Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) through Angel Gabriel. The night is hidden within the last ten days of Ramadan. No one knows the precise date of the night, but it is the crowning glory of Ramadan. According to many Muslim sources, Laylat al Qadr falls on one of the oddnumbered nights of the last ten days. The night is the holiest among all other holy nights, its a spiritual feast. This one night of worship is equivalent to 1000 months of worship! Muslims try to make extraordinary efforts within these last ten days, efforts that they would not make for the rest of the year, striving every night from the last ten, to try and attain this most powerful night, because to attain this night, is to reap in the many rewards from God. To do the math, 1000 months is almost equivalent to 80-or so years, there is no guarantee for anyone that they will live for that long!

The word “blessed” is widely used to describe Ramadan, that’s because within the context of the month, the word “blessing” means “multiplied”. Muslims understand that within Ramadan, God multiplies deeds exponentially.

The Prophet Mohammed, messenger of God, (peace and blessings be upon him), said, “Whoever fasts a day in the way of Allah, Allah will move his face away from the Hellfire by a distance 11

of seventy years” (Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim). Can you imagine how much distance can be made over the course of a month? Or the power of the statement within a month also described as “blessed” by the Prophet?

Below is a verse from the Quran: Bear in mind, Hadiths are the recorded sayings and acts of the Prophet Mohammed, they are about the Prophet’s lifestyle WHEREAS, the Quran, is the words of God. Verses written in the Quran are as they were recited to the Prophet Mohammed through Angels; its a protected and unedited book.

Try reading Arabic through English letters:

In Islam there are two types of prayer, or (further to fasting), two main methods of maintaining and growing a relationship with God, these are...

1. Salah 2. Dua Salah is the second pillar of Islam. Salah is the set of bowing and kneeling prayers Muslims perform every day of the year, five times a day. The names of these five prayers are...

1. Fajr, (Sunrise, also the beginning of a fasting day when Ramadan) 2. Duhur, (Afternoon) 3. Asr, (Evening) 4. Maghrib, (Sunset, Iftar time when Ramadan) 5. Isha, (Nightfall).

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Each prayer takes two minutes, and are expected to be performed at their correct times or on the sound of their call-to-prayer.

(If you travel to an Islamic country and hear what you think is a song, perhaps a man singing, coming from the mosque, that in fact is the sound of the call-to-prayer for one of these said prayers above (depending on the time you hear it). That “song”, is not a song, but is the Adhan, which is a recitation, calling to the people, telling them its time to pray).

Salah in Islam symbolises submission and surrender to God, it’s also a moment for remembering and glorifying God. Praying Salah is more of a state than a simple act, when Muslims begin to pray they focus entirely on Allah, as if they’re standing in front of him. In this state of heightened awareness, Muslims recall the greatness of Allah and it helps them put their whole lives into context. When they remember Allah’s mercy, they repent for their sins, and when they remember that Allah is all-powerful, any problem then seems insignificant and easily overcome.

In Ramadan, Muslims find it particularly important to perform each Salah, as it helps them assure their fasts get accepted

by God, because it helps them stay on-track of their fasting intentions and of achieving consciousness of God. There are set words that are uttered at the various positions of the Salah prayer, each of which is meaningful, most Muslims know these Salah words off-by-heart so they can pray when they can or alone if they wish.

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Dua on the other hand, is the prayer where Muslims ask from Allah - Saying a Dua, is like making a wish! Dua is usually performed after Salah, Muslims can remain in their positions lifting their hands to supplicate Allah.

Dua is the essence of worship.

The meaning of the word Dua signifies, “to call out, to summon�.

The meaning of the word Dua is mentioned in the Quran to signify a number of meanings, those being, to worship, the seeking of aid, a request, a call, praise, speech, a question, and many other meanings besides these.

In Ramadan, Muslims use Dua prayer as the way to ask for forgiveness, or be hopeful, reverent, humble and submissive

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when making wishes to God throughout the month. There are many beautiful Duas recitations, for everything! For finding love, success, forgiveness, for easing depression, resolving anger or for helping cure sickness to dealing with worry or loss, for travel, long journeys, for expressing gratitude... There are many Duas.

Muslims know its important to make Dua continuously, and not just when in need. They understand that God never rejects Duas, but answers them in different ways. Dua is the most noble of all acts in the sight of Allah. When a person makes Dua, it is a clear indication that they believe in God, and is an indication of God’s generosity. In Ramadan, Muslims try to recite at least one Dua a day.

Through Ramadan, many Muslims like to practice the good habit of praying and of turning to God. After Ramadan, there is a huge, three day long celebration called Eid-al-Fitr, meaning, “The Festival of Breaking Fast”!

Eid is on the first day of Shawwal, (Shawwal is the name of the next month after Ramadan). In Islam, it is forbidden to fast on the first day Shawwal.

Eid is a religious holiday, (a little like how Christmas is). Eid begins with a special morning Eid prayer, followed by a social gathering, festive meals, gift-giving and charity-giving. Muslims are not only celebrating the end of fasting but are also thanking god for the help and strength given to them throughout the previous month to help them exercise self control.

Many Muslims like to decorate their homes, creating a celebratory atmosphere, and wear their best or new clothes.

Eid is also a time of forgiveness and for making amends.

In conclusion, Ramadan is the most sacred month of the Islamic calendar.

It is a month of togetherness, closeness, purity, innocence, forgiveness, strength and simplicity - they are just a few of the many factors that make Ramadan the most beautiful month.

The preciousness of the beauty of the month holds dear to many Muslim’s hearts, and many Muslims feel so grateful and blessed to see, reach and experience the month of Ramadan, with each year.

Fasting from sunrise to sunset is so much more than just abstaining from foods and drinks, its a month for your soul. It is a month of cleansing the soul and finding yourself in the right guidance to God again and for strengthening that connection.

Those who don’t always pray make more of an effort to pray during Ramadan, those who haven’t felt connected to Islam genuinely try to re-build the spirituality that was once with them. The closeness of families during the time generally improves due to the month’s context but also over the gathered Iftar meals.

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The inclusivity of the month brings happiness and warmth to people. More Muslims travel to mosques during the month, to participate in the nightly Tarawih prayers or to listen to the Islamic lectures; it strengthens the community spirit. Every Ramadan night, individuals stand side by side, sharing the same beliefs and values, and pray together.

Ramadan allows Muslims to feel eternally grateful for their faith.

Have a go at saying some phrases Muslims use in Ramadan, they’re Arabic words written here through English letters...

Subhan Allah

- meaning, Glory be to Allah.

La ilaha il-Allah

- meaning, There is no God but Allah.

Astaghfirullah

- meaning, I seek Allah’s forgiveness.

La Hawla Wala Quwatta ila Billah - meaning, There is no power and no strength except with Allah.

Allahu Akbar

- meaning, God is greater.

Alhamdilillah

- meaning, Thank God.

In’sha’Allah

- meaning, God willing.

Ramadan Mubarak - meaning both, Blessed Ramadan & Happy Ramadan.

Ramadan Kareem - meaning, Ramadan is kind.

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1) The Shahada (To have faith in God) = It is the first pillar of Islam and its a fairly simple one. The Shahada is simply saying this Arabic phrase ...

Read Arabic:

Read Arabic through English letters:

It means, “There is no god but Allah, and Mohammed is the messenger of Allah”. It is the declaration of faith, to believe in one true God. Usually, when somebody says the Shahada, it means they submit themselves to Islam, it is the first step of being Muslim.

What’s beautiful to note about the recitation of,“no god but Allah”, or some translate it as,“There is none worthy of worship except Allah”:

Is that it is only made up of three letters.

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When you say “la ilaha illallah”, you will notice something very interesting, that is your lips don’t move. Try it, say, “La ilaha ilAllah”, your lips don’t move! Allah is the most wise and in his infinite wisdom he has made it so when a person is taking their last breath, when they have no power left in their arms, legs or lips, they can still submit to Islam and proclaim, “la ilaha il-Allah” - “There is none worthy of worship except Allah”.

The meaning of the word Allah is unique, unlike English, it is purely singular in the Arabic language and cannot be made male or female despite it being a name. This means Allah cannot be called a boy or girl.

The phrase “La illah il-Allah” is so special because it allows us to place a dependency on Allah, by saying “none”, “except Allah”.

For when we’re at our most desperate moments, thinking we’re completely alone with no one to help us, there is none, except Allah.

We’re allowed to grow obsessed and in need of Allah, when you have “La ilaha il-Allah”, you’ll never be alone as you’ll have Allah to turn to. Allah takes loneliness away from us, the phrase, “la ilaha il-Allah” captures this.

2) Salah Salah and Dua are two the types of prayers in Islam. As written on page 12, Salah is the daily set of five times a day, two minute prayers. A Muslim is expected to practice these daily prayers, as it is one of the five pillars of the religion.

3) Zakat Zakat means giving to charity and is the next after prayer in importance. Giving Zakat is a religious duty for all Muslims who meet the necessary criteria of wealth. Its a little like tax, the recipient must be the poor and/or the needy. It’s an Islamic finance term referring to the obligation that an individual has to donate a certain proportion of wealth each year to charitable causes.

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4) Sowm Sowm is the Arabic word for fasting. The main time Muslims fast is in Ramadan, however there are several other days throughout the Islamic calendar when Muslims also fast. The temporary deprivation renews awareness and gratitude, for everything God has provided.

5) Hajj Every Muslim whose health and finances permit, must make at least one visit to the holy city of Mecca, in Saudi Arabia. Hajj takes place during Dhu al-Hijjah, which is the final month of the Islamic calendar.

Hajj is a pilgrimage made to the Ka’ba (The House of Allah). The Ka’ba is the cubical structure covered in a black embroidered hanging, and is at the centre of the Mosque in Mecca. Muslims believe that the Ka’ba is the house Abraham (Ibrahim) built for God, and all Muslims face to its direction (called, “the direction of the Qibla”) when they pray. (In the UK, Muslims lay their prayer mats to face South East, to face the Ka’ba). Since the time of the Prophet Muhammad, believers from all over the world have gathered around the Ka’ba in Mecca. Mecca is the place where the Islamic religion started, it is significant for two main reasons, the first being, it was where the Prophet Mohammed was born, and the second being, it was the place where the Prophet received the first revelations from God, that went on to become the holy Quran, meaning, it is where Laylat al Qadr happened. Eid al-Adha is celebrated after Hajj. The Ka’ba is the holiest site in Islam and symbolises the oneness of God.

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Which month of the Islamic Calendar is Ramadan?

12th

10th

1st

9th

The purpose of Ramadan, as mentioned in the Quran, is to: Lose weight and become healthy Read the entire Quran Achieve God consciousness (Taqwa) To experience what the poor feel By the goodness of the month of Ramadan...

Whoever fasts with faith and seeking God’s pleasure will have his previous sins forgiven.

A day of fast will result in being distanced from Hell-fire by 70 years.

The fast will intercede for a person on the Day of Resurrection.

The gates of paradise are open and the gates of Hell are closed.

The blessings of deeds are multiplied exponentially.

All of the above.

Laylat al Qadr is better than __________ of worship...

1000 months

1000 weeks

1000 years

1000 days

Eating forgetfully breaks the fast True

False

A Dua is...

A weapon

A hymn

A prayer to ask something of God

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Which festival occurs at the end of Ramadan?

Eid Al-Adha

Hajj

Shawwal

Eid-Al-Fitr

What does Laylat al Qadr mean?

Night of Worship Night of Power or Decree Night of Blessings Night of Forgiveness During Ramadan, when are Muslims allowed to eat?

After sunrise

After sunset

Every other day

How long does Ramadan last?

One year

One week

One month

Pregnant women and people with health problems don’t have to fast and can carry out the fast another time or pay what’s called the Fidyah, but what is this?

Money to help animal charities Money or food for those in need Money to pay for a big celebration What was revealed during the month of Ramadan?

Salah Torah Quran In Ramadan you must also abstain from...

Bad temper

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Speaking

Working

Exercise

Ramadan Kareem means...

Blessed Ramadan

Ramadan is kind

Have a go at writing Ramadan Kareem in Arabic...

Arabic is written and read from right to left:

Merry Ramadan

Can you crack the code of the Arabic language, and successfully write your name in Arabic? Let’s try, here’s the Arabic Alphabet below...

Remember, Arabic is written and read from right to left. Arabic is written like, “joined-up handwriting”, all the letters connect together but the way a letter connects, depends on its position in the word, whether the letter is at the “start”, “middle” or “end”. There are only six letters that cannot connect, they are...

Don’t get caught out by these six letters, (I’ve circled them on the page to help you catch them). If you reach one of these “naughty letters”, the next letter you write after it MUST be written as a “starting” letter, or as its “single letter form” if its the final letter of that word. Also, don’t get caught out by missing dots! If you miss a dot, you can end up making the wrong word, giving the person trying to read your writing an incredibly tricky time!

Let’s give it a go!

Lets try to write the name, SARAH, in Arabic.

First, lets find our letters! It looks like we’re going to need:

Identify their positions and whether they can join:

End

Middle

Middle

Can’t join with next

Middle

Start Can join with next

Now lets join the letters, writing the word: The second AA gets deleted as will make the name SAARAAH. The sound of SAARH is closer.

RY! YOU T

Name:

Answers: 9th, Achieve God consciousness (Taqwa), All the above, 1000 months, False, A prayer to ask something of God, Eid Al-Fitr, Night of Power or Decree, After sunset, One month, Money or food for those in need, Quran, Bad temper, Ramadan is kind.