Ramadan Issue

F O R T H E W O M E N O F F A I T H & H O N O R

M A G A Z I N E

Ramadan: Time for Change PREPARE your HEART

10 TIPS

For a Healthier

RAMADAN

12 WAYS TO MAKE EID

SPECIAL FOR KIDS 5 QUICK IDEAS

FOR SUHUR

MAKE a PLAN

RAMADAN CRAFTS

for KIDS

PLUS:

Ramadan REMINDERS,

Shukr COUPON CODE,

recipes and MORE...

LEARN THE

SUNNAH OF EID

MY

MU

SL

IM

Letter from the Editor Ramadan is a true time

of change and reforma-

tion. Ramadan is a time

of reflection. It is a time

of acknowledging and

being grateful for the

blessings Allah (swt)

gave us. Ramadan is a

time to stop, to slow

down out busy sched-

ules, and think about

the purpose of our lives.

Have you felt how

quickly another year has

passed by? Have you re-

flected on the past year

and what came along

with it?

Ask yourself; is the com-

ing month just another

Ramadan? A burden on

me and my routine? Or

is it a time for change?

Stop for a moment and

reflect on your life, your

character, your dealings

with others, and most

importantly, your con-

nection with Allah.

Check your heart and

prepare it for Ramadan.

Cleanse your heart from

grudges, hatred, and

envy. Then plan your

goals: what do I need to

change in myself? What

do I need to work on?

Make a checklist. Maybe

there are some Sunnah

prayers you don’t nor-

mally pray, but want to

add to your daily sched-

ule. Maybe there are cer-

tain duas you haven’t

memorized but want to

learn. Maybe you want to

improve your character.

Try to make changes and

improve yourself and ask

Allah for help. Make dua

to him to make you stead-

fast and consistent on

your plan for change.

Sincerely ,

Aysha-Anastasia Izg

www.mymuslimveilmagazine.com

WELLNESS

10 Tips for a Healthier Ramadan

RECIPES

Algerian Harirah Soup

FAITH

5 Quick Ideas for Suhur

06

CONTENTS

REMINDERS

By Kelthum Bel-Fadhal



Ramadan: Time for Change

By Aapa

Ramadan: a Cure for Diseases of the Heart

By Sadaf Farooqi

Ramadan: a Spring Cleaning of the Heart

By Juli Herman

Ramadan: Don’t Waste Food

By Rania Siddiq

CRAFTS

Ramadan Décor

Eid Cards

By Nida Mujahid

By Khadija Annette

STYLE

Eid Deals

EXTRAS

Sunnan of Eid

By Rania Siddiq

MOTHERHOOD

12 Tips to make Eid special for your Kids

By Natalja K

VOICES

Empowering Lives

08

11

12

14

10

16

18

20

18

22

20

24

27

30

By Nabeelah Naeem

Contributors Kelthum Bel-Fadhal

Aapa

Sadaf Farooqi

Juli Herman

Nida Mujahid

Natalja K

Rania Siddiq

PUBLISHER: MY VEIL

Aysha-Anastasia Izg

CONTACT US:

[email protected]

[email protected]

WRITERS:

GRAPHIC DESIGN: Aysha-Anastasia Izg


Umm Aliyah

May This Ramadan be as bright as ever

“ May the light that we celebrate at Ramadan

show us the way and lead us together on the

path of peace and social harmony.”

Quran; [2:183]

“O you who believe, fasting is decreed

for you, as it was decreed for those

before you, that you may attain salva-

tion.”

Ramadan is here once more with the

Grace and Mercy of Allah Almighty;

for the delight of our heart and the

salvation of our soul.

This is the month where we Muslims

must restrain (syam means to abstain ,

to restrain) from eating or drinking

and intimacy with the spouse, from

dawn to sunset. Those aspects take

care of the physical aspects of fasting;

however there are profound spiritual

and emotional dimensions to Rama-

dan. Fasting is another way to bring

yourself closer to Allah. During the

period of Ramadan we are encouraged

to multiply our act of worship:

prayers, charities, reconciliation, for-

giveness, positive thinking, increasing

du’a (invocation), strengthening

friendships and family ties, sharing

food with neighbors and needy people

when breaking fast...

Ramadan is a beautiful and a unique

time for repentance, spiritual elevation

and the eagerness to please and grow

closer to our Creator as we know so

well the rewards of fasting when done

sincerely for the only sake of pleasing

Him! As our Prophet (peace be upon

him) explained in a hadith (saying).

Abu Huraira related that the Prophet

said: Allah the Majestic and Exalted

said: "Every deed of man will receive

ten to 700 times reward, except Siyam

(fasting), for it is for Me and I shall

reward it (as I like). There are two

occasions of joy for one who fasts: one

when he breaks the fast and the other

when he will meet his Lord" (Muslim).

But fasting is not an easy task and

like the many endeavors that we

want to achieve in life we need to

be prepared and ready for it.

10 TIPS for a Healthier Ramadan

This Ramadan try these 10 healthy tips to make the best of your fasting and avoid the common mistakes.


MY MUSLIM VEIL RAMADAN SSUE 2012

WELLNESS

6

1- Fasting three days of every

month:

Abu Zharr al-Ghafari reported: "The Messen-

ger of Allah ordered us to fast for three days of

every month-that is, on the days of the full moon

(the 13th, 14th, and 15th of the lunar month).

And he said: 'It is like fasting the whole year.' "

This is related by an-Nasa'i and by Ibn Hibban,

who called it sahih.

It is related that the Prophet (peace be upon

him) would fast on Saturday, Sunday, and Mon-

day of one month and on Tuesday, Wednesday,

and Thursday of the next month. He would also

fast for three days at the beginning of the

month, or on the first Thursday and the next

two Mondays of the month.

Health wise, fasting few days a month is a great

way to detox the body and be ready to fast

Ramadan. Fasting allows our organs to cleanse

and detoxify for better health and energy. How-

ever if done only during Ramadan, the first days

of fasting can be quite difficult and depending

on your state of health painful. So following the

Sunnah (way of the Prophet) and considering

fasting three days in Sha’ban, the month prior to

Ramadan, is very beneficial. Keep in mind that

the last days of the month of Sha’ban should not

be fasted depending on the hadith (saying of the

Prophet) the last three days should not be

fasted , in another narration it is the second half

of Sha’ban.

2- Prepare spiritually and emo-

tionally for Ramadan:

We eagerly welcome Ramadan! It is a month of

great rewards for our worship and expiation of

sins; a time when Allah opens the gates of Para-

dise.

Al-Bukhaari (1899) and Muslim (1079) nar-

rated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be

pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah

(peace be upon him) said: “When Ramadan

comes, the gates of Paradise are opened, the

gates of Hell are closed, and the devils are

chained up.” It is a beautiful time to make

peace with those who wronged you, to ask for-

giveness to those you may have wronged to

make tauba (repentance) to Allah Almighty, and

gladly and heartedly contemplate on the infinite

Mercy of Allah who makes it even easier for

you to grow closer to Him the Most High.

3- Prepare for Ramadan to avoid

unnecessary stress:

Plan your month of Ramadan accordingly. If

you can afford to eliminate activities for this

month to the next month such as a routine doc-

tor appointment, mundane activities etc...then

do so because it will give you more time for

‘ibada (worship). For example, plan your gro-

cery shopping in advance too so it does not

become one of your main concern during the

sacred month.

4- Plan on cooking healthy

dishes for Ramadan:

Avoid cooking greasy, fatty and very sweet

dishes for Ramadan, in many cultures Rama-

dan has become a time to indulge in some

gastronomic goodies and other culinary proc-

ess but it should not. I too love to cook and

bake but I do reserve Ramadan for simple,

healthy and nutritious dishes. It is more likely

that you will feel in shape for taraweeh (night

prayer during Ramadan) and not sluggish or

bloated as would a food rich in fat and sugar

do to you. And you will feel healthier and

stronger through the month and after. Another

benefit is less time in the kitchen and more

time for ibada (worship).

5- Breaking the fast:

It is Sunnah (way of the Prophet) to break the

fast with an odd number of dates. Salman ibn

Amir Dhabi related that the Prophet, peace be

upon him) said: Break your fast with dates, or

else with water, for it is pure (Abu Dawud,

Tirmidhi).

After the break of your fast, prefer eating a

warm soup (refer to the recipe for Harira for

suggestions) and avoid drinking too much

water at once as it will be quickly absorbed by

your organs and your intestines in particular

and let you feeling lethargic and full. Eating a

warm soup will balance your hunger and the

warmth of the soup matching the body’s own

temperature will result in a good digestion.

You can accompany it with some traditional

savories (like bourreks, samosa etc..) that you

baked or steamed rather than deep fried.

6- Enjoy suhur:

There is a blessing in eating a small meal be-

fore dawn. Again avoiding fatty, greasy or

sugary food is best. You could have another

soup with some sort of protein and carb, some

choose to have a regular breakfast, other like

myself don’t do too well with those options; so

I usually drink water and have some dates, or

have a coffee with some dates dipped in tahini

which keeps me full for a while .

7- Keep your body hydrated:

Drink water through the time between maghrib

(sunset prayer) and suhur (pre dawn meal).

Have some water handy in your bedroom to

drink at night (always cover your drink and

say bismillah). You can calculate your ratio of

water intake you need with this simple calcula-

tion:

your weight in pound / 2 = number of water

intake in oz

For example; 180/2 = 90 oz so about 11 cups of

water knowing that there is 8 oz in a cup.

Drink in several occasions through the time you are

not fasting and revive the Sunnah (way of the

Prophet) by sipping three times. Ibn 'Abbas (may

Allah be pleased with him) narrates from the Mes-

senger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him

peace) that, 'Do not drink water in one breath like a

camel. However, drink it in two or three breaths.

Say 'Bismillah' and when you move the glass, praise

Allah (The Exalted) by saying 'Alhamdulillah.''

8- A good night sleep:

Sleeping well is important for your health. Although

I have come to question the standard 8 hours sleep

that is often recommended by health experts; sleep-

ing as early as possible in order to wake up for su-

hur is recommended. Because of the summer time

isha (night prayer) and taraweeh will be too so con-

sidering taking a nap between Dhuhr and Asr will

bring additional rest. Keep in mind however that

napping after Asr in makrooh (disliked).

9- Keep Exercising:

If you already have established a routine exercise in

your daily life do not stop during Ramadan; con-

sider exercising after maghrib (sunset prayer) or

better yet after fajr (morning prayer) for more rigor-

ous exercises... If you haven’t experienced the bene-

fit of a routine exercise yet, then start with Ramadan

by taking a walk after or before taraweeh to ease

digestion and increase oxygenation.

10- Thrive to read Quran during

Ramadan:

Make a committed effort to read and study Quran

more than you usually do. Learn tajweed (rules of

reciting Quran) if you can because it will make

reading and memorizing Quran easier. Loving

Quran and enjoying its wisdom everyday will

strengthen your inner self. Quran will heal your

heart and calm your mind. Abo Umaamah related

that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Read

the Qur’an, for verily it will come on the Day of

Judgment) as an intercessor for its compan-

ions.” [Muslim]

MY MUSLIM VEIL RAMADAN SSUE 2012 7

Algerian Harirah Soup

Harira is a traditional dish for

Ramadan, often served as an en-

try for family and guests.

It is a classic through North Africa

and may vary from country to

country and household to house-

hold. Every housewife has her

own personal recipe that she

passes on from mother to daugh-

ter. But the basics are the same:

a blend of healthy vegetables,

lamb or goat and ancient spices

thickened by ground grains such

as freek, bulgur or millet.

The Mediterranean cuisine where

the North African cuisine belongs

(Moroccan, Algerian, Tunisian and

Libyan cuisines) is one of the

healthiest cuisine on earth. It gets

its inspiration from different cul-

tures throughout History and one

of them being the contribution of

the Moors (Muslim of North Africa,

of mixed Arab and Berber de-

scent. In the 8th century they es-

tablished a civilization in North

Africa and Spain (Andalusia; 756-

1492)).The Moors complimented

the Mediterranean diet by adding

among other things new aromas

and spices such as: cinnamon,

nutmeg, cumin, mustard, ginger,

cloves and saffron as well as a

variety of lemons.

The beauty of this soup is that it is

quite flexible (like many things in

the North African cuisine) you can

add more or less of the vegeta-

bles you like and spices to fit your

preferences or whatever is in your

pantry and this makes it tastes a

little different each time so you

could get a new soup: getting all

creative in the kitchen!

Because of the use of spices such

as cumin packed with great health

benefits and cayenne pepper and

nutritious vegetables full of anti-

oxidants like sweet potatoes; this

earthy soup is a healing potion in

a bowl! Like my friend told me

once; once mastered this deli-

cious soup becomes a classic in

your kitchen because everyone

will be asking for it!


RECIPES

8


Serving 7 to 9 persons

Ingredients:

1 pound of lamb with bones

1 big onion

3 garlic cloves

1 big sweet potato or 2 medium

3 big carrots or 5 medium

2 zucchinis or half a celery

1 can (15 oz) of tomato sauce

2 potatoes

1 head fresh cilantro

2 tbsp sea salt

1 tsp of cumin

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp coriander

1 tsp thyme powder

1/2 tsp red pepper or cayenne

pepper

1/2 tsp turmeric

for the finishing:

1/2 cup fine bulgur or ground mil-

let

1 tbsp dried mint

Using a pressure cooker, saute

the meat in a bit of cooking oil for

few minutes. Then add the

chopped vegetables and the

spices, herbs and salt. Then add 2

to 3 quarts water (8 to 12 cups).

Let it cook for about 40 min or

until the meat is fully cooked,

counting after the whistle starts.

Take off the meat from the pot

and using a hand blender,

blend the soup until liquefied.

Then rinse 1/2 cup of fine bul-

gur or ground millet if gluten is

a concern for you. Add either

one to the soup, the meat pre-

viously removed and the dried

mint, let cook for another 5 to

10 min counting after the

whistle of the pressure cooker

starts. Adjust salt.

Serve warm with bread or

bourak (North African samosa)

and a plate of sliced lemon for

those who like lemon juice on

their harira.

May Allah Bless our Month of

Ramadan, Ameen.


9

5 QUICK IDEAS for Suhur

2. 3.

From far my favorite suhur

quick idea is dates dipped in

tahini. This healthy suhur is

incredibly fulfilling and keep

you from feeling hungry longer.

This simple treat is commonly

enjoyed in the Gulf countries

often using date syrup with

tahini and bread. Dates and

tahini are a great sources of fi-

ber and tahini contains a great

amount of copper and manga-

nese. It is also a source of omega

3 and 6.

One important dimension of Ramadan is suhur: the meal that we muslims are encouraged to eat before fajr in order to provide

us with some fuel and avoid us feeling cranky and weak during the fasting day. Prophet Mohammed (saw) advised us to eat

suhur because of the blessing it has. It is narrated by Anas bin Malik,( may Allah be pleased with him) that the messenger of

Allah (pbuh) said, "Take Suhur, for there is a blessing in it". The other good part is that the preparation of suhur does not have

to become hectic or time consuming with those five quick ideas!

- Another quick idea is barley

soup or al-talbina that can be

made by cooking the barley in a

pressure cooker until it becomes

very soft or until getting a consis-

tency like pudding (count 5 cups of

water for 2 cups of barley , cook

for about 30 minutes). This can be

done the night before, when it is

time for suhur just warm up the

soup, add a cup of milk and let it

boil for couple of minutes. Add

honey and couples of spoons of

coconut oil as well as cinnamon or

any other nuts to fit your taste.

Refer to the prior Issue of My

Muslim Veil for more information

on the nutritive benefit of barley

as well as recipes.

1. For those who enjoy eating

meat; you can choose to have

chicken kebab. To make the

process fast and easy marinate

the pieces of chicken the night

before in some lemon juice and

spices of your choice and keep

them refrigerated overnight in a

Ziploc bag. The acidity of the

lemon will break down the meat

and will fasten the cooking time.

Broil your kebab in the oven 10

minutes on each side or until

brown or just cook them on a

stove using a skillet. You can

accompany the kebab with some

yogurt and bread. This meal will

make a good source of protein.

CHICKEN KEBAB BARLEY SOUP DATES DIPPED IN TAHINI

4.

Another quick idea that is healthy

and nutritive is to make an easy

spread using avocado. Just smash

2 or 3 avocados with a fork, add a

bit of fresh lemon juice and olive oil

and eat it with bread or to create

gluten free alternative, enjoy this

spread with a veggie tray of carrot,

celery, and broccoli. Avocado con-

tains an important amount of

monounsaturated fat, it is rich in B

vitamins, and in vitamin E and K

and is getting noticed for it great

health benefits.

AVOCADO SPREAD

Finally, a good option would be to

prepare enough of the soup or

Harira for iftar to last for suhur.

It will make a quick and satisfying

meal for your next suhur!

5. HARIRAH SOUP


10

Ramadan: Time for Change MY MUSLIM VEIL

RAMADAN ISSUE 2012

And those to whom knowledge has come see that the (Revelation) sent down to thee from thy Lord - that is the Truth, and that it guides to the Path of the Exalted (in might), Worthy of all praise.

Sura Saba Ayat 6

We get excited about Ramadan. Sometimes we get

a little frantic with the pre-Ramadan shopping. It is

the most exhilarating of all Muslim months. I did a

couple of web searches and found a plenty of infor-

mation on how to prepare for Ramadan. The list is

endless. It would take me a year to read the material

that is available in English translation alone.

These are the precious days when we can seek for-

giveness. We can seek trees being planted in Jannah

( Paradise) for us. We have an opportunity to do

good deeds and they multiply by the hundreds. We

become more cognizant of the blessings of Allah,

the Most High.

We have the iftar ( breaking of the fast) parties. It

seems at times we do nothing but party. There is

such a cornucopia of food everywhere. And in the

last few days we seem to be satisfied with a glass of

juice and a date. I personally love the midnight

snack-feast. You finish prayer and sit around the

masjid (Mosque), happy.

It is during Ramadan that we often feel the sense of

community the most. When you break the fast in a

group of Believers it is almost overwhelming emo-

tionally. You are not alone. You are a member of

an international community that has been around

for quite some time.

I am always stopped by non-Muslims and

questioned during these blessed days. The

questions are always the same. How do you

do it without drinking even water? I do it

because I am striving to please Allah, The

Most High. And after what He has given me,

this is nothing.

Why did I select this ayat (verse) to write

about Ramadan. Iqra (read). The Blessed

Word.

We all want to have that special connection

during Ramadan. We want a metamorphosis

that will last forever. What do we do to

change ourselves? How do we know that we

have changed? How do we define change?

One of the beauties of Islam is its simplicity.

Our Creator Knows His Creation. He gave us

the Quran in increments. It took twenty three

years. That is a lot of information to assimi-

late. It makes us contemplate our decisions.

We have to be grateful to our scholars for

helping us understand the immensity of the

Word.

I read some words earlier this year. Allah, The

Most High, can take the Quran away from us. It

is His Mercy upon us. These words hit me like a

lightning bolt.

This Ramadan let us simply reflect on the fact

that we have the gift of the Quran. Let us not try

to make radical changes. Often in life when we

want to make major changes we get discouraged

easily and give up. I am going to be in a recep-

tive mode.

The Truth has been presented to me. That is

enough to make me prostrate. The Book that

reveals to me how He wishes for me to live has

been preserved letter by letter. Let me rejoice in

that alone.

InshaAllah, as we read the Quran this Ramadan

we can contemplate on the Truth. If we take one

of the elements of the Truth and carry it with us

for the rest of our days it is a good thing. Con-

tinue with the earnest salat (prayer). Make dua

with all your heart. Be more generous with your

sadaqa( voluntarily charity) and zakat (obligatory

charity). But, know that the Word of Allah is a

Blessing we take so lightly. We need to be mind-

ful of the universe it opens up to us.

As you fast please contemplate on the truth of the

Quran. As you hold the Word of Allah in your

hands think of the responsibility we have in up-

holding the Truth.

May Allah, The Most High, forgive our sins and

send His blessings upon us. Allah is the Truth. It

was in Ramadan that He gave us the Mercy of

His Truth. Let us rejoice in praising Him for

loving us enough to give us His Truth. His Word.

Let us walk on the exalted Path seeking Him.

By Aapa

“...What do we do to change

ourselves? How do we know that we have

changed? How do we de-

fine change?

One of the beauties of

Islam is its sim-plicity…”

11

The heart is the hotbed of our Is-

lamic faith (iman) and belief

(aqeedah). It is also the seat of our

lowly desires and base lusts. In-

deed, it is the heart that forms the

basis of all our good deeds, since it

houses our intentions, as well as

that of our bad deeds, since it

houses the desires of our base self,

and harbors the whispers of our

accursed enemy, Shaitan (Satan)

and his army from among the men

and jinn.

“The one who whispers in

the breasts of mankind.

From among the jinn and

mankind.” [114: 5,6]

During the month of Ramadan, we

experience a welcome spiritual

rush that gains momentum as the

month wears on, since the desires

of our body, such as hunger, thirst

and sexual urges, are stumped by

fasting during the day and by the

night-time ritual of supererogatory

prayer. All Muslims throughout the

world join in this month-long festi-

val of worship and good deeds.

Even the lazy procrastinator who

finds it difficult to awaken for Fajr

( morning prayer) during the rest

of the year is able to eagerly offer

all prayers on time during Rama-

dan because of the sheer bless-

ings and mercy that Allah de-

scends during this holy month.

Ramadan gives believers a

chance to focus on the good

deeds of the heart; cleansing it

from rust accumulated on it after

a year of sinning, slipping on the

path of piety and harboring

grudges against people who do

them wrong. It also allows be-

lievers to nourish the faith in

the heart and rectify the belief

(aqeedah) that resides within it,

by removing any adulteration

caused by minor traces of shirk

(such as Riya). Similarly, the

renunciation of desires during

the whole month, with prime

focus on recitation of Quran,

supererogatory night prayers,

dhikr (remembrance) of Allah

and sadaqah (voluntarily char-

ity), results in the heart being

“washed” clean of the spiritual

“dirt” that accumulates on it

during the remainder of the

year.

Avarice – negated by

charity and hunger

We have absolutely no restric-

Ramadan

a Cure for Diseases of the Heart

By Sadaf Farooqi

MY MUSLIM VEIL RAMADAN ISSUE 2012 12

tions on eating and drinking

throughout the rest of the year,

except to stay within what is halal

( permissible) and to avoid ex-

travagance. In Ramadan, when

we temporarily abstain from what

is permissible and focus on giv-

ing to others, we learn to negate

the avarice within ourselves and

to look beyond our own needs.

Lust/Sexual appetite – di-

minished by fasting and

night prayer

During Ramadan, husbands and

wives cannot indulge in otherwise

halal (permissible) marital rela-

tions except only at night, with

worship schedules and pre-dawn

meals further putting restrictions

on them. Fasting during the day

entails that they exercise more

caution and control. The Prophet

Muhammad (peace be upon him)

would abstain completely from

his wives during the last ten

nights of Ramadan, isolating him-

self for exclusive, devoted wor-

ship of Allah in the masjid

( mosque).

Sloth and laziness – ne-

gated by waking up early

and sleeping less during

the night

Ramadan whizzes by like a whirl-

wind, with each part of the day

pre-planned for execution like

clockwork. Meals, worship, es-

sential chores/studies/office

work, and daytime napping/

siesta – the days and nights fol-

low each other closely as we go

through the necessary parts of

the routine. Even the most die-

hard couch potatoes often be-

come efficient time managers in

Ramadan! We cannot miss any

obligatory prayers due to procras-

tination or laziness, nor can we

afford to miss any meals on their

prescribed time. Ramadan is a

refresher course in time manage-

ment for everyone, from school-

going teenagers to office execu-

tives.

Sins of the tongue –

curbed by being con-

scious of Allah during the

fast

Since fasting during Ramadan

increases the believer’s con-

sciousness of Allah, he becomes

more wary of indulging in sins of

the tongue, such as lying, back-

biting, slander and gossip. Time-

pressed to accommodate the

extra worship and prayers into

this month’s tight, back-to-back

schedule, Muslims should try to

avoid all useless activities that

nullify good deeds, including idle

television viewing, pop literature

reading, excessive socializing and

random Internet surfing.

Each Ramadan, we get a chance

to re-connect with our Creator

and hence, should consider each

minute of this month a kin to a

gem - not to be wasted in pur-

suits that dominate our busy life-

styles otherwise during the re-

mainder of the year. We should

also ask Allah to grant us in this

month the guidance to focus on

those deeds of the heart that are

invisible but more important, on

which lays the foundation of our

outer, more apparent deeds.

These are sincerity of intention

(ikhlas), trust upon Allah only

(tawakkul), acting upon the light

of authentic knowledge of Deen

(noor) and a complete cure from

the dangerous diseases of the

heart. Yes, the heart becomes

diseased when not cleansed, by

harboring dangerous ills that can

seriously nullify outer good

deeds. These are nifaq

(hypocrisy), kibr (arrogance), riya

(doing righteous deeds for the

approval or pleasure of others

besides Allah), hubb al-duniya

(love of the world over the

Akhirah), and jahl (ignorance). Let us focus on cleansing our

hearts this coming Ramadan, by

turning to Allah in exclusive wor-

ship and prayers, insha’Allah.

“..Ramadan gives believers a

chance to focus on the good

deeds of the heart; cleansing

it from rust accumulated on it

after a year of sinning, slip-

ping on the path of piety and

harboring grudges against

people who do them wrong.

..” MY MUSLIM VEIL RAMADAN ISSUE 2012 13

Spring cleaning is a time

to toss out the junk, scrub the filth,

and start anew. Come to think of it,

isn’t this what we should do in

Ramadan? Isn’t Ramadan the time

when we should declutter, deco-

rate, and develop our spiritual

hearts?

In the body there is a morsel of

flesh which, if it be sound, all of

the body is sound and which, if it

be diseased, all of the body is

diseased. This part of the body is

the heart.” (Bukhari, Muslim)

Allah has prescribed for us an in-

tensive yearly training, during

which we should spring clean our

hearts. After all, the main purpose

of fasting in Ramadan is to incul-

cate taqwa (righteousness), and

taqwa resides in the heart. The

spring cleaning of the heart comes

in three steps; declutter, decorate,

and develop.

Declutter

Imagine if you never get any

breaks from school or work. You

would be drowned in never- end-

ing work and assignments. Now

imagine if Allah never gives us a

break from the whispers of shay-

taan (Satan). It would be harder for

us to fight them. Ramadan is a

month where Allah has locked up

the shayaateen (devils), and this

allows us to assess the state of our

nafs (soul) in their absence. If we

think Ramadan is hard, think about

Allah’s mercy in giving us this

‘break’ so we can recollect our-

selves without the constant whis-

pering of the shaytaan (Satan) in

our hearts. This is the perfect time

to declutter!

When we declutter, we reassess

our possession and sort them into

piles; a throw-away pile, a give-

away pile, and a keep pile. In this

process, reprioritization and scru-

tiny are involved. We reassess

what we can do without and what

we want to keep. In the case of our

hearts, reprioritization may include

analyzing what we are preoccupied

with at the moment in our life. Is

your indulgence in interior deco-

rating taking you away from grab-

bing opportunities to learn the deen

(religion)? Is your career stealing

much-needed time from your

young children who are growing

up too quickly? Are you too active

in the community that you are

abandoning the rights of your

families or your health? Major

scrutiny of the heart can be as sim-

ple as thinking about why you get

so bothered when your family

doesn’t appreciate all that you for

them. Are you doing it for their

appreciation, or are you doing it

for reward from Allah? When

someone points out that you’re

wrong, why do you bristle so

much? Is your ego puffing up?

And why is it that when you do

realize you’re wrong, it’s so hard

to admit it and say you’re sorry?

Are you in need of more humility?

Once you zero in on those junk

languishing in your heart, list them

Spring Cleaning of the Heart

Ramadan

By Juli Herman

MY MUSLIM VEIL RAMADAN ISSUE 2012

14

on paper. That ego needs some

deflating. Those grudges need to

be trashed for sure. The jealousy

need to be scrubbed out with steel

wool, and that anger need to be

doused out. List your current pri-

orities, based on the reprioritiza-

tion process. In the physical spring

cleaning of the house, we can eas-

ily chuck the ‘throw-away’ pile.

Not so with spring cleaning of the

heart. It’s not that easy to get rid of

our vices and shortcomings. It can

be a lifelong process. So be aware

of this and take it in baby steps.

Look at your list. Pick one or two

items on the junk pile to work on.

Focus, and diligently strive to

tackle them. Out of His mercy,

Allah has provided many ways to

cleanse our hearts; istighfaar, re-

pentance, and doing good deeds.

So, along with striving consciously

to work on your shortcomings, in-

crease in seeking His forgiveness

through du’a (supplication), dhikr

(remembrance), increasing in good

deeds, and repenting. There can

never be too much istighfaar, be-

cause we sin day in day out.

Decorate

Don’t stop with the istigh-

faar just yet. By decluttering, you

have done takhliyah, the process of

emptying the heart of things that

corrupt it. Now, you are ready for

tah7liyyah, the process of beautify-

ing the heart. After the decluterring

is pretty much under way, you may

feel compelled to place a small pot

of African violets on the window

sill, to give the house a fresh

spring look. Or you may feel the

urge to take out that new pastel

tablecloth and give the dining

room a new look. Similarly, the

heart, which is now somewhat

cleaner than before, is ready to be

beautified. This will help keep

those junk away, as there will be

no space for them with all the new

decorations you will be placing.

How can we beautify our

hearts? Pick a naafil (extra) prayer you don’t

regularly do, and add it to your regiment of

five daily prayers, and commit to it until it

becomes a regular part of your salah

(obligatory prayer). Or, learn a new du’a

(supplication) or dhikr, and incorporate it

into your sujud (prostration during prayer)

and post salah routine. Maybe your attire

doesn’t completely fulfill the requirements of

hijab (covering). Well, you can work on

loosening up those clothes when you go out-

side or lowering your hijab so it covers your

chest. In fact, if you feel inclined, you can

even start wearing the niqab (face veil)!

There is no limit to beautification of the

heart. We are always in need of self-

development.

Furthermore, it’s Ramadan. Allah

has multiplied the reward for good deeds in

this blessed month, so have a field day, grab

all those opportunities for good deed as much

as you can! Aim for the stars so that maybe

you’ll reach the sky. Don’t forget to ask for

Allah’s help in all of this, for nothing can

happen without His will.

Develop

Believe it or not, 30 days can be over

just like that. Before you know it, Ramadan

is over. Remember about aiming for the

stars? Well, this is the time when you will be

dealing with the power of gravity. It will pull

you down. The Ramadan atmosphere is gone,

the shayaateen (devils) are let loose, and you

have to deal with them again. As human be-

ings, we will slip somewhat, but if you aimed

high and strove hard in effort and du’a

(supplication) during Ramadan, hopefully

you won’t land too far from the stars, and

maybe even land higher than where you were

last year!

Even though the blessed

month of Ramadan has left, keep the

spirit of Ramadan alive in your heart.

Be vigilant in keeping it free of clut-

ter, and keep those decorations intact!

Realistically, because we went all out

in the decorating department, we may

not be able to keep all of them in

place. Shaytaan (Satan) will try to

grab all those decorations off the

shelves. So, hold on to one or two,

and be consistent with them. Eventu-

ally, as we keep this up, we will be

able inshaallah to regain those lost

decorations.

It’s easier to clean a greasy

stove right after we finish cooking,

because the grease is still wet, as op-

posed to waiting till the grease has

reproduced into cold and sticky globs.

It’s easier to clean the toilet bowl eve-

ryday than to wait until an unsightly

ring stares us in the face. So make

sure you keep up with seeking for-

giveness on a daily basis, to keep

those black dots to a minimum. Fol-

low up an evil deed with a good deed.

Allah has provided so many ways to

erase sins, out of His mercy. Take

advantage of these cleaning agents.

If you start to slack and think,

“Oh, I’ll work on this when Ramadan

gets here,” remember that you may

not live to see the next Ramadan. So

be vigilant and work on maintenance,

for before you know it, if you are for-

tunate, the next Ramadan will be just

around the corner. If you have been

diligent in decluttering, decorating,

and especially maintaining, you will

meet the new Ramadan with fervor

and embrace it with new goals. With

each Ramadan, we should be improv-

ing in our iman (faith), akhlaq

(character), worship, and relationship

with Allah and His book. May Allah

enable us to climb higher in self-

development with each Ramadan and

take us in our highest state of iman.

Ameen.

Juli Herman is currently a student of Al Huda Insti-

tute, homeschooling mother of four, and part time freelance writer striving to balance fulfilling the

rights of Allah and the rights of His creations. She

can be found occasionally blogging at juliher-

man.wordpress.com.


Don’t Waste FOOD Ramadan is the month in which every day, from sunrise to

sunset, we abstain from eating and drinking. We break our

fasts at sunset with the Iftar meal. Unfortunately, the case

for many of us is that our eyes are bigger than our stom-

achs. Especially at masjid (mosque) and when we are in-

vited for Iftar, we pile our plates with enormous amounts of

food and we can only eat a tiny amount of the food we have

taken. The rest ends up, yes you got it, in the trash can.

Every year it’s the same thing: piles and piles of food are

thrown away every night after Iftar.

However, we see there

are people on the other

extreme of living where

they cannot even afford

enough food to break

their fasts. How can we

possibly throw away

food the way we always

do? When Allah has blessed us with

so much food, what a pity it is that

we show our gratitude by throwing

away what He gave us.

Ramadan is not just about staying

away from food and drink in the day

time. That is not the purpose. We are

supposed to use Rama-

dan as an opportunity to

increase in our reward,

improve in our actions

and relationship to Al-

lah, and become better

Muslims overall. So let’s

improve in this aspect as

well inshaAllah: be grateful to Allah

for the food He gave us and don’t

waste food or drink.

Especially at the masjid (mosque),

people have this habit of wasting.

Many masajid (mosques) offer free

Iftar and dinner every night for the

Muslims to break their fasts. However,

many of us feel the urge to take as

much food as can fit on one plate, even

two plates. Even though we cannot eat

all of it, we still take it.

There is that greed that I see every

Ramadan. There is that greed to take as

much as food as we can. Do we per-

haps feel that the food will run out, so

we have to take as much as we can

right away so that there is no possibil-

ity of us being hungry? Do we perhaps

want to make sure that the people at

the end of the line will not get any

food? Do we perhaps want to make

sure the children have enough to eat, so

we pile both our plates and theirs? Do

we perhaps have a strong desire to

make sure no trashcan remains empty

of food? It makes no sense to me why

on earth we must take more than we

can eat.

Everyone tries to make some Ramadan

resolutions right? Some of us want to

stop watching TV; others want to stop

listening to music. Let’s try this one

too: Don’t waste food and drink.

In case you are not sure how to go

about taking food without wasting, this

is how it goes:

“...Remember the

Sunnah of the

Prophet (sws) and fill

your stomach 1/3 with

food 1/3 with water

and leave 1/3 for air..”


REMINDERS

16

In case you are not sure how to go about taking food without wasting, this is how it

goes:

1. Get in line

2. Wait patiently for your turn, don’t push or shove to get ahead.

3. When you reach the food, I know it’s hard, but take less than what you usually

eat at home for an average dinner. After fasting, our stomachs should not be proc-

essing so much right away since they have been at rest all day long. Contrary to

popular belief, even though we have not eaten all day, we cannot “make-up” all that

“missed” food at dinner time. And if your children are little, don’t feel the need to

pile their plates either. Give them a moderate amount of food: not too much, not too

little.

4. If you or your children still feel hungry after finishing eating, then go back to the

line and take a little more. I highly doubt this will occur, because a little bit of food

is enough to make us feel full after fasting. (and by the way, note that I said if you

still feel hungry, then take a little more food. I didn’t say if you feel you are not

fully bloated then take more food to make sure there is no space left for air)

5. Remember the Sunnah (way of the Prophet) and fill your stomach 1/3 with food

1/3 with water and leave 1/3 for air.

On the authority of Al-Miqdaam ibn Maadiy-Karib who said: I heard the Holy

Prophet, peace be upon him, saying:

“No human ever filled a vessel worse than the stomach. Sufficient for any son

of Adam are some morsels to keep his back straight. But if it must be, then one

third for his food, one third for his drink and one third for his breath.”[Ahmad,

At-Tirmidhi, An-Nasaa'I, Ibn Majah – Hadith sahih]

InshaAllah, if we all do our part, we can stop this despicable practice of wasting

food and drink. Take a moment, make the intention for yourself, teach your family

and friends as well, make dua( supplication) to seek Allah’s help, and just do it.

R E M I N D E R S


1. Allah the Most High said,

“…And eat and drink and be

not excessive (therein)…” (al-

A’raaf 7:31)

Al-Qurtubi commented upon

this verse:

“...In eating little there are

many benefits. From them

that a man becomes of

sounder body, of better mem-

ory, purer in understanding,

(requiring) less sleep, and

lighter in (his) soul…’’’

2. The Prophet (peace be

upon him) said: “The son of

Adam does not fill a container

worse than his stomach. It is

sufficient for the son of Adam

to take enough morsels of

food to keep his back straight

(keep him able-bodied). And if

it is necessary, then a third

for his food, a third for his

drink, and a third for his

breath.”

3. Do not put in your plate more

than you can eat. Leftovers

could be thrown out, it should-

n’t, and wasted. Put smaller por-

tions twice rather than one

large portion that you will not

eat. The Prophet SAWS did not

approve of leaving any food in a

plate since as he SAWS said

‘You don’t know which portion is

blessed‘. Food is a blessing of

Allah, to misuse it is contrary to

Islam. Do not forget the poor

and the needy who do not have

the portion you are throwing

away.

17

Patchwork Star

You can try to make these Décor ideas with your kids, which will make them even more

excited about meeting the special guest-Ramadan.

Materials

decorative paper, 2 sided

glue

string

scissors

hole punch

Directions

1. Cut paper into squares, 8

pieces needed for each star. In

the star pictured the squares at 5"

x 5".

2. Fold two opposite corners in-

ward till they meet in the center

then crease the folds. The piece

should then be in a kite shape.

3. Repeat with the remainder of

the pieces.

4. Place two kite shape pieces

side by side. Opening up the

wings of each piece so they are

straight up. Glue both sides to-

gether. Glue all the remaining

pieces together.

Hole punch one of the star tips

and add string to hang.

Décor Ideas by Khadija Annette

www.khadija-annette.com

www.ramadanjoy.com

Ramadan Decor


CRAFTS

18

http://barakahlife.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83454e9b369e20154342c05e5970c-pi

http://barakahlife.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83454e9b369e20154342c07fe970c-pi

White Paper Strands Materials

Computer Paper

Scissors

Sewing Machine

Directions

1. Stack 2-3 sheets on top of each other

and fold in half

2. On the fold draw your shapes

3. Cut the shapes

4. Open the shapes up keeping them

stacked and then machine sew down the

center. You can sew a single large one, a

few one after another on a strand or sew

lots to form a garland. Cut the machine

threads long so you can use the thread for

hanging.

Create the shape by folding open the indi-

vidual papers of the shape.


http://barakahlife.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83454e9b369e201538fbf8589970b-pi

http://barakahlife.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83454e9b369e2014e89b2be44970d-pi

http://barakahlife.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83454e9b369e201538fbf8621970b-pi

With Ramadan and Eid just around the corner. Summer is a wonderful time to help

the kids get busy making greeting cards for family and friends!

What you need is :

Blank greeting cards

Stencils

Acrylic paint

Craft sponges

How its done :

1. Decide on your stencil , colors and layout.

2. Stencil one design at a time and let it dry before you do the next.


EID CARDS with your kids By Nida Mujahid

20

3. If your kids are old enough to

make their own stencils ,they can

trace any design onto a blank stencil

sheet and then cut out your design

with a craft knife.

4. Use embellishments or gems to

finish off… be as creative as you

want.

You can write the dua for breaking fast :

“Zahabadh-dhama'u wabtallatil-'urooqu, wa thabatal-ajru inshaa-Allaahu.”

(The thirst has gone and the veins are quenched, and reward is confirmed, if Allaah wills.)

and for greeting each other on Eid:

“Taqaballahu minna wa minkum (may Allah accept from us and you ).”

RAMADAN ISSUE 2012 MY MUSLIM VEIL 21

Eid Finds

“ Shukr Online

is offering our

readers Free

Hijab with $100

purchase.”

www.shukronline.com


STYLE

22

Eid is a day of celebration and excitement; a day of meet-

ing other believers and attending Eid prayers. Part of the

festivity of the day is dressing up in nice new clothes.

Everyone enjoys dressing up on Eid, young or old, male

or female. And it is no secret that Muslim women in par-

ticular love dressing up for Eid.

However, sometimes Muslim women tend to get a bit car-

ried away when dressing up and they forget to observe the

rules set by Allah (swt) regarding the Hijab. A woman’s

dress before non-Mahram (non-related men) should not be

tight, see through, or flashy such that it attracts attention.

However, it is perfectly fine to dress up in your gorgeous

outfits, cover up in front of non-Mahrams, and show your

clothes at women’s gatherings or among your family.

A great place to look for good outfits when shopping for

Eid is Shukr Online. Shukr offers a variety of clothing in

different colors and styles, without compromising the

modesty. Shukr Online sells clothes for both men and

women, for special occasions or every day wear. The best

part is that Shukr is offering our readers a free headscarf

with every $100 purchase.

Also, there are many other options for dressing nicely but

modestly. So there is no need to turn to disobedience to

Allah (swt) just because we want to look good.

InshaAllah as we plan our outfits for Eid, let us all keep in

mind the rulings Allah (swt) has set regarding our clothes

and let us all strive to stay in obedience to Him.


The coupon code is: mvhijab2012 USA and UK residents only.

For the USA, customers simply place an order over $109.95, and have hijab ordered valued at $9.95 or less, and you will get it for free. For

the UK, customers simply place an order over 80.95 GBP, and have hijab ordered valued at 5.95 GBP or less, and you will get it for free.

23

Shukr is offering our readers a free

headscarf with every $100 purchase.

http://www.fashioncentral.pk/blog/2009/11/26/dressing-up-on-eid-is-the-real-excitement-of-the-day/

Sunnan of Eid MY MUSLIM VEIL

RAMADAN ISSUE 2012

EXTRAS

By Rania Siddiq

24

It’s that time of year again, Eid season is

near! The days where Muslims gather

together, family and friends get to see

each other, children play together, gifts

are passed all around, and happiness is

everywhere. Unfortunately, in all the hus-

tle and bustle on that day, many of us

tend to forget the sunnan (plural of Sun-

nah) of Eid. InshaAllah, if we can do just a

bit of research and learn the sunnan of

Eid, we can fill that day with blessings

and reward.

In Islam, there are two holidays, or Eids:

Eid al Fitr, which comes on the first day

after Ramadan.

Eid al Adha, which comes on the 10th Day

of Thul Hijjah.

These are the two holidays in Islam, so

we should really try to make them special

for ourselves especially if we live in non-

Muslim countries where Eid is not cele-

brated by majority of society.

Before Ramadan:

*Pick your clothes to wear so you have

time to order them online, go shopping,

buy jewelry, or anything else that is time-

consuming so that you can maximize

your time for ibadah (Worship) during

Ramadan and avoid hassle in the few

days before Eid.

*Pick nice good clothes, this is a holiday

after all, and it is from the Sunnah (way

of the Prophet) to fine clothes on the day

of Eid.

*Decorate the house with lights/

other decorations so you can maximize

on ’Ibadah (worship) time during Rama-

dan.

The Night before Eid:

*Decide where you plan to go for Eid

prayer, if you have not done so already.

*Take out everyone’s clothes (chosen

from before), and iron them (Hijabs in-

cluded).

*Take out everything, and I mean every-

thing: shoes, jewelry, scarf pins, socks,

hair clips, the works. Set these all out on

top of everyone’s Eid clothes so there is

no running around and searching for

things on the morning of Eid.

*Make/buy any sweets that you want to

eat on the morning of Eid al Fitr.

*Clean the house whether you will have

people coming over or not.

*Sleep extra early so you can wake up

early! If you want to have Henna on, put it

on during the daytime, not night, before

Eid.

Charity on Eid Al-Fitr

There is an obligatory charity due for Eid

Al-Fitr, called Sadaqatul Fitr.

The translation of a Hadith transmitted by

Ahmad and Ibn Maja tells us that the Ibn

Abbas (ra) said: Allah’s Messenger

(peace be upon him) made Fitr Charity

obligatory on the fasting person to purify

him of his obscene talk and absurd

deeds during the fast and also to provide

food to the needy. Whoever distributes

Fitr Charity before Eid Prayer, it will be

accepted as Fitr Charity. Whoever distrib-

utes it after Eid Prayer, his Fitr Charity is

just like an ordinary charity.

The Fitr Charity can be given a day or two

before Eid. It is preferable for the head of

the family to give it on behalf of all the

members of the household.

The Morning of Eid:

*Turn on the Eid lights, if you have them,

to give an extra special feeling that today

is a Holiday.

*Get ready before going to Eid prayers.

The Sunnah (way of the Prophet) is to

take a bath, apply scent (for men), brush

your teeth with a miswak, and wear nice

clothes (as mentioned before).

*Another Sunnah (way of the Prophet) is

to eat something sweet before going to

Eid al-Fitr prayer. On Eid al-Adha, the

Sunnah is to eat something after return-

ing from prayers.

Again, if you want to make some food

yourself, do it the night before not the

morning of Eid!

Or pop by a sweet shop. (Be sure to

wake up extra early if you plan to do this

before Eid al-Fitr prayers)

Eid Prayers:

“...Getting the whole family to say Takbeer together on the way and listening to everyone

say it at the place of prayer is an amazing experience and adds to the special feeling of

Eid…”


According to the Sunnah, Eid prayer should be performed

in the open and should be performed outside of town.

It is extremely sad that some women think that they

should not attend Eid prayers if they are menstruating.

This is very untrue. The translation of a Hadith (saying of

the Prophet) tells us that the Prophet (peace be upon

him) said: “On the days of both the Eid, all women includ-

ing the one in menstrual condition should be brought to

the place of worship so that they may join the Muslims in

prayer and supplication. However, women in menstrual

condition will not join the prayer” (Bukhari and Muslim)

*The Sunnah is to go to the place of Eid Prayer by foot

and come back by foot. Of course, if you live far, it is not

possible to follow this Sunnah and driving would be a

much better idea.

In following the Sunnah, keep saying Takbeer (Allah is the

greatest) excessively on the way to the Eid Prayer, and

keep doing it until the Imam sits on the Minbar (rostrum).

*Getting the whole family to say Takbeer together on the

way and listening to everyone say it at the place of prayer

is an amazing experience and adds to the special feeling

of Eid.

For Eid al Adha, the Takbeers start on Eid day and go on

through the days of Tashreeq (That would be the 10th, 11th,

12th, 13th of Thul Hijjah)

The words for Takbeer, as transmitted by Ibn Abu Shaiba in

Arwaaul Ghaleel Lil Albani, are:

Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Laa Ilaaha Illallahu wallaahu Ak-

bar, Allahu Akbar Walillahil Hamd

God is great, God is great, there is no diety worthy of worship

except God, and God is great. God is great and to God is all

praise.

*There are no voluntary prayers before or after Eid prayer.

*After the prayer is complete we should say, “Taqabbalallahu

minna wa minka (minka for male and minki for female)” (May

Allah accept from us and you) to each other.

*Return home from Eid prayers following a different route

than the route you took to get there.

Miscellaneous issues regarding Eid Prayer:

If Eid happens to fall on Friday, it is better to perform both

the Eid prayer and the Jumu’ah prayer. However, leaving the

jumu’ah prayer and praying Dhuhr as normal is acceptable if

you prayed the Eid prayer.

If a person is not able to attend the Eid prayer in gathering

with everyone else, he or she should pray two rak’ahs by him-

self or herself.

“...Pick nice good clothes, this is a holiday after all, and it is from the Sunnah to

fine clothes on the day of Eid…”


Eid-Al-Fitr (feast of Breaking the

fast)”, marks the end of the holy

month of Ramadan as a three day

celebration. Muslims around the

world are looking forward to this

special occasion, which calls for a

grand celebration. But it is the

young ones from our ummah, who

truly deserve a real Islamic holiday

festivity. While fostering chil-

dren’s love for Islam, which in-

shaAllah is a top priority on every

Muslim family’s agenda, we, the

adults, must make Eid the best day

for our kids. If Eid is not a special

day, then what other day is worthy

of that? Prophet, peace be upon

him, said “For every people there

is a feast and this is our

feast.” [Sahih Al-Bukhari: (vol. 5,

no. 268).]. Also, after seeing the

people of Madina celebrate two pre

-Islamic holidays, Prophet, peace

be upon him, as reported by Anas ibn

Maalik, said “Allâh has given you bet-

ter than those feasts: the ‘Eid-ul-Adha,

and ‘Eid-ul-Fitr”, thus emphasizing to

take special care of the Eids.

Let’s look into some of the ways to

make Eid a memorable day that will

make your kids have cozy feelings

every time they remember this holiday

many years past and into their adult-

hood.

To create the best Eid and the best Eid

memories for the kids, the holiday

needs to be larger than any other fes-

tivity, fun, and consistent – make fam-

ily traditions. Make arrangements to

tackle all human senses ( visual, smell,

touch, taste, audio ) and don’t forget to

grab a camera to capture the moments.

1. Adults, if you are able to take

off from work, you should – it’s your

holiday, too! Kids should make ap-

propriate arrangements to take a day

or more from school ( make sure tests

are re-scheduled, homework etc.

taken care of)

2. Wake your family up gently with

hugs and kisses.

3. Have Eid nasheeds (islamic

songs) softly play on the background

while you serve an amazing breakfast.

4. Talk about how happy you are to

be together as a family and thank Al-

lah for all the bounties he has given

you. Review etiquette of the Eid

prayer and reason behind it – have a

mini family halaqa

FOR YOUR KIDS 12 TIPS To make EID special

By Natalja K


MOTHERHOOD

27

5. Get your beautiful new

clothes on and attend Eid prayer

6. After Eid prayer, go visit

your family and friends, espe-

cially friends of your kids. Be

sure to exchange gifts: it could

be anything - from extravagant

to a fun goody bag, or a box of

home-made cookies you and

your kids baked together for this

occasion. Prophet, peace be upon

him, encouraged people to ex-

change gifts, as gift-giving is one

of the good manners that main-

tains and strengthens relations

between the giver and the recipi-

ent. Al-Bukhaari narrated that

Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased

with her) said: "The Messenger

of Allah , peace be upon

him, used to accept gifts and

reward people for giving them."

7. Invite family and friends to

your house or a venue for an Eid

celebration, or organize a joined

celebration.

8. Decorate the house with Eid

posters, balloons, lights, anything

that will make it look different and

joyful. Engage your kids to help

you do it.

9. No celebration takes place

without a cake ! Bake a special Eid

cake or Eid cupcakes – search a

design/recipe online and if you

want to make a family tradition,

make that same special cake every

year ( make sure your family loves

it before you commit to this long

term baking relationship!).

10. At the Eid gathering, create

an agenda with age-appropriate

games. Take a lead and make play

organized. Chose games that are

fun, with prizes or other small re-

wards. You can make up an Is-

lamic trivia, or, for example, make

a competition for the best recita-

tion of the surah Fatiha if your kids

know it. You can also offer some

small sports competitions or other

games – opportunities on the web

are limitless.

11. Food, definitely have some

good food on the table. If you can’t

cook, then cater – Eid is the day to

spend if your family can afford to,

inshaAllah.

12. On the remained of the Eid

days, if you are done with all the

visitation, you could take your kids

to an amusement park, take a small

trip out of town or do something

out of the ordinary that will make

everyone go “wow!”.

Those were just some of the ideas to

make Eid special for your kids (and for

you, of course ). Nobody knows your

family better than yourself, so let your

fantasy unwind and be on the way to

create the most amazing Eid moments

and memories ever!


28

Ramadan is here

Its time to cheer

Ramadan Mubarak!

Don’t eat from morning

Till night

Just hold your hunger

With all your might

Feel like the poor feel

Then when

it is time

To break your fast

Think about how long you fasted

And think about the poor

They are still starving

So thank Allah for the food

He has given you!

By Zaynab Malik, 7 years old

POEMS


Women are our first teachers and caretakers.

They are often first to sacrifice their time and

energy for their family and community. But

when it’s their education that they sacrifice to

become caretakers, this can hurt the very people

they’re taking care of.

In poverty-stricken areas, circumstances often

force girls to sacrifice their education and

dreams to take care of the household. Hence

women make up two-thirds of the 795 million

illiterate adults worldwide, according to

UNESCO.

The first person this hurts is the woman herself.

Without an education to fall back on or skills to

stand on her own feet, she’s vulnerable to abuse

and exploitation. According to the International

Center for Research on Women, about 10 mil-

lion girls younger than 18 are married world-

wide yearly. Those who become widows – like

Fairouz, a young mother of three that Islamic

Relief workers met in Palestine – are ill-

equipped to survive. More than 115 million

widowed women worldwide live in poverty,

according to a study by Cherie Blair, founder of

the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women.

Education is valuable in itself, but for a family

living in poverty, perhaps the most practical

effect is that it can help ease their living situa-

tion. So how can we help women and families

become economically self-sufficient? Easy:

Financially empower those who have the clos-

est perspective of the family’s needs—the

women.

Abu Huraira reported that the Prophet, peace be

upon him, said, "A woman acts for the peo-

ple.” (Tirmithi) By giving women the necessary

knowledge and tools, they can become eco-

nomically empowered, and then they can rein-

vest into their family. An activist Bono said to

the New York Times in a 2005 interview: "Give

a man a fish, he'll eat for a day. Give a woman

microcredit, she, her husband, her children and

her extended family will eat for a lifetime."

Through microfinance, individual borrowers

receive small loans to start their own busi-

nesses. A small amount—equivalent to a week

of coffee—goes a long way, helping people lift

themselves out of poverty. This kind of minimal

loan helps low-income households boost their

own income and build permanent local institu-

tions that benefit the entire community.

Just by sacrificing a couple of dollars, we can

empower those who put the needs of others

before theirs. Sacrificing a couple of hours can

do the same thing. Samira Malik, Islamic Relief

USA’s Revenue Manager, does just that. At her

job, she serves humanity year-round, but she

gives extra hours during the busy hours of

Ramadan—sometimes 10 hours a day, seven

days a week. During those hours, she’s crunch-

ing numbers to empower small businesswomen

like Fairouz.

“I know the work I am doing will benefit some-

one whose circumstances truly warrant a com-

plaint,” Malik said. “There is gratification in

knowing what I do every day is of benefit to

someone else.”

Even though Fairouz and Samira live thousands

of miles apart, their lives are interconnected.

Fairouz got married right after high school and

was widowed when her children were still

young. Unemployed, she did not have enough

money to make ends meet. Islamic Relief

helped Fairouz start her own business by pro-

viding her a sewing machine and support. With

the help of donors, Fairouz now has a reliable

income and can provide for her family and give

back to her community.

“We are so thankful for everything,” she said.

“I have hope that I can get back to school now,

and insha-Allah I will. Allah (God) provides.”

One loan at a time, together we can help

women, who account for 60 percent of the

world’s hungry, according to the United Na-

tion’s Economic and Social Council.

“Who will loan Allah a beautiful loan so He

may multiply it for him many

times?” (Quran, 57:11)

Empowering Lives

“If you educate a boy,

you educate an individual.

If you educate a girl, you

educate a community.”


VOICES

By Nabeelah Naeem

30

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Ramadan Issue

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