Ramadan Mubarak

With Ramadan on our doorsteps I thought I would dedicate a post to it. Ramadan is a time to better yourself, get over bad habits, and spend time together as a family. Muslims from all over the world begin their fast from sunrise and do not break it until sunset. It is 30 days full of benefits including detoxing the body and mind. Fasting the month of Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam. The Five Pillars of Islam include Shahada (accepting Allah as your creator and the Muhammad as your Prophet), Zakat (Obligatory Charity), Salah (Prayer), Ramadan (month of fast), and Hajj (Pilgrimage to Mecca).

Since Ramadan is a time of love and spending time together as a family there are many activities you can do with children and loved ones. Try to encourage your children to partake in activities from a young age so as they get older they continue to partake and encourage their children one day.

Some activities include making Ramadan cards and duas, prayer trees to colour in when prayers are performed, Ramadan advent calendar to count down the days until Eid, or even baking Ramadan treats for after breaking fast. You can also clean out basements and closets and consider donating gently used clothing or furniture to local charities. Teaching children kindness and compassion is just a small part of what Ramadan is all about. Even a simple gesture like baking cookies and handing them out to friends and neighbours can teach children acts of kindness. I even came across a calendar for 30 days of kindness that encourages children and adults alike.

Praying together as a family during obligatory prayers encourages all to pray on time as well as get the benefits of a group prayer. Set goals to read Quran each day and for children who cannot read Arabic yet there are many sites that play and replay Surahs or verses for they can follow along.

There is some preparation you can do before Ramadan begins to help make things easier including prepping fruits and vegetables and keeping them frozen or refrigerated, making samosas ahead of time and freezing or stock up on store bought, or even pre-planning what you will make everyday and keep it written on a calendar.

For iftar for those of you attending peoples houses to break fast or inviting the family over allow them to bring something whether that be a side dish or dessert to help ease on the host. Having a big family I am hoping I am able to always bring something when I attend iftar. Clean-up does not have to be a huge chore that you have to go at alone, let others help or eat with plastic plates so that clean-up is easier.

Ramadan will fly by so try and make the best of it. I wish the best of luck to all fasting and hope that it is a time of ease, happiness, and love. Ramadan Mubarak :)