MWA's Farah Kinani shares an iftar from Morocco

Moroccan Iftar

The table was amazingly decorated with a Chinese soup, Moroccan pancakes filled with either turkey and lettuce, or cheese and mortadel, so yummy.

MWA's Zainab John Reviews Children's Book: Ramadan by Farah Kinani

Leila, the daughter of one of Kinani's friends, was the inspiration for this book. Leila told Kinani what happened one day at School when she told her friends she would not be joining them for lunch. Her friends who at the time did not know nor understand anything about Ramadan,the Muslim holy month of fasting, encouraged Leila to hide and eat or have something to drink, and some even thought Leila was being punished or on a time out. Kinani, shocked by the children's response, decided to visit Leila's school to give  a short talk about the holy month of Ramadan. Hence, this book is the author's attempt to educate and answer questions about Ramadan and to give mainly the non-Muslim reader, primarily children and teens, some idea of what Muslims do during Ramadan.

It is a well-informed piece of writing with several colourful illustrations, a glossary and Islamic calendar at the end of the book. The language and writing style is simple and very descriptive, making it easy for children to read and understand. Therefore, I  think it's a wonderful and smart choice of book for both Muslim and non-Muslim children alike to learn about Ramadan, its significance and the different rituals practised by Muslims during this month. I think it would also be very useful to teachers who wish to educate their class of majority non-Muslim children about Ramadan.

MWA'S Janette Grant offers insight on children's book 'Ramadan' by Farah Kinani

Farah Kinani.

When a friend of Farah Kinani's daughter, Leila, told her classmates that she would not be joining them during lunch one day, no one understood that Leila would not be eating with them because it was the beginning of Ramadan; the Muslim Holy month of fasting between sunrise and sunset, also known as one of the pillars of Islam. Leila's classmates, instead, implored her to hide and eat, or to at least drink. Some even thought she was being punished or given a time out.

Leila's mother, concerned about the confusing and stressful situation her daughter had fallen into – due to the lack of understanding among her peers – decided to prepare and deliver a small talk at the school on the subject of Ramadan.

During her presentation to the 4th graders at the middle school her daughter attended, Ms. Kinani answered basic questions about Islam, shared anecdotes about Ramadan's first-time fasters, and made a brief comparison between fasting traditions within various other religions.

The feedback Ms. Kinani received was both encouraging and inspiring.

MWA's Farah Kinani shares a Ramadan resolution

When I used to work as a full time journalist in Morocco, I loved to have my vacation time during the month of Ramadan. My mom and I would go early in the morning to our neighbourhood mosque for the Fajr prayer. The early breeze used to make me feel so blessed, walking while holding my mom's hand and trying our best to be among the first to arrive in order to avoid praying outdoor.

The same used to also happen two minutes after Iftar, we would almost run to our mosque and recite the Qur'an until the Isha' prayer, then perform the Taraweeh.

Many used to tell me that I wasted my days off, that I should take summer time to travel, but trust me, being off during Ramadan was a blessing.

When I moved to Morocco, things started to slightly change, then, some years and two kids later, it became almost impossible for me to go to the mosque for Taraweeh.

My kids are 10 and 8 now, and this Ramadan feels so promising to me. I may not be able to go to the mosque early in the morning, or even perform Taraweeh there every night, but this Ramadan, I'm promising myself to be the declaration I made - to myself- some days ago. To just be there for my loved ones without trying to control or anticipate, without expectations of high performance; to just be there, loving and accepting without judging - lending a hand when my help is needed and trusting when a need for independence is requested.

I already feel lighter, just thinking about me being that way, and I need you ladies to pray for me to achieve this goal.

"Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and right-doing, there is a field. I will meet you there." -Rumi

NEW! MWA member Farah Kinani's children's book on Ramadan

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An article about the book: Moroccan writer explains Islam to US children

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