Ramadan Mubarak

Today marks the beginning of Ramadan and it will end inshaAllah (God-willing) July 5. The fast starts at 4:24 am and ends 9:55ish pm.

You may or may not know that I am a revert ( convert) to Islam since around July 2011,  my husband is Muslim and is from Turkey, since people always ask I'll just go ahead and clarify that he did not have an influence on my decision to convert,  inshaAllah I will post a story about my conversion at a later date.

Today, I am going to share what Ramadan is, some of the reasons Muslims fast, and a few tips on how you can participate or help Muslims in your area.

Ramadan is one of the five pillars which a Muslim must adhere to. Ramadan takes place every year in the Islamic month of Ramadan, it's date changes every year but it is usually 11 to 12 days earlier than the previous year. Fasting or sawm, the Arabic word for it, means no food or drink, smoking or abstinence from sunrise to sunset ; it is obligatory for every person from puberty and beyond exept those who are sick, pregnant / breastfeeding or on a journey. Young children are invited to participate a few hours, half a day or all day if they would like, but it is not obligatory for them.

Ramadan is also a time to fast from yelling, getting angry, fighting, staying away from negative energy and actions. It is a time for spiritual renewal and a time to reconnect with God through various actions such as reading the whole Quran, seeking His forgiveness, constantly supplicating and praying to Him, and giving zakat ( charity or donation, another pillar of Islam) to the poor.

This year, I will be unable to fast because I am still breastfeeding my son, Z, but I have a list of goals I hope to accomplish such as reading and listening to the Quran on a daily basis, reflecting on different subjects of Islam, reading some books as well as spending extra time with my children.

A few tips for you :
- Just as young children sometimes like to be involved or imitate their paretns I encourage you to try to fast for a few hours or half a day.
- make something for the Muslims in your communtiy like a fruit or veggie platter - mosques usually provide 2 meals (suhoor - morning meal and iftar - evening meal)
- host an Iftar halal ( meaning no pork or alcohol and meat slaughtered in the correct way) meal at your house
- donate to an Islamic organization ( Islamic Relief) to help Muslims around the world who are struggling and often do not have enough to break their fast.
- give thoughtful notes or words of encouragement
 - read A Ramadan Guide for Non-Muslims and 8 things I wish Non-Muslims knew about Ramadan 
- or watch this video, some parts come from the Mosque in Paris

Since my daughter, F, is now able to understand a little bit more,  we are going to learn about Ramadan for the next four weeks and have a week dedicated to the Eid. We will be using these books to have a more in-depth, but child friendly way to understanding about Ramadan.

Please do not hesiate to check these books out or comment below if you would like more information or have tips to share with others.