MWA asks: what is it about Ramadan and fasting that you particularly enjoy?

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I'll kick-start the post, and as some of you may already know, I oftentimes lean toward a touch of humor, so this is something silly that popped into my head one evening in Ramadan as I started to peel the toppings off a pizza that just arrived for suhoor. One of the reasons I might particularly enjoy the fasting aspect of Ramadan is that: I have food issues to start with! lol

Food. It bothers me to spend money buying it. It bothers me to spend time putting it away. It bothers me spending time to prepare it. It REALLY bothers me having to clean up after preparing it! And it UBER bothers me that all of that money, time and effort are consumed within 5-10 minutes from the start of eating it! AND THEN!!! And then we flush it down the toilet!!!! WTH?!?!

In the first week I was trying to make iftar and suhoor a little more photo-op-ish (lol) (for the MWA Ramadan blog's photo section), but as Ramadan rolled along this month, iftar's began to slim down to a mug of tomato or lentil soup, a handful of jelly beans (what! no dates?!), a cup of coffee and a tall glass of water (or two) before jumping out the door to pray Isahah and taraweeh. For suhoor, now maybe I'll eat a little more since I went light on the iftar, but light is the pattern that seems to be working best for me going into the second half of Ramadan.

On the serious side, subhan'Allah...it seems I have enjoyed listening Quran more than ever, and I have particularly enjoyed visiting different masjids for taraweeh prayers.

Last, but not least, helping maintain the MWA Ramadan blog has really helped keep me focused on the essence of this Holy Month. Al-hamdulillah. And I'm so grateful for the contributions of MWA's members. Salute!

On Kinship and Quran: a journal entry by MWA's Aishah Schwartz

16th Century Quran.

I think it was like two years ago that I passed through a familiar local souvenir shop whose management has been somewhat of a heart-adopted family to me during my time here in Egypt. As with many friends these days (especially if they're not online in one way or another), we don't see or hear from each other often, but that doesn't diminish the sense of Muslim kinship we share when I make one of my impromptu visits to their shop.

Ramadan Blessings: cancer remission confirmation and a movie for MWA's Isahah Janette Grant

MWA-NET (July 20, 2013) Muslimah Writers Alliance (MWA) is pleased to announce that Bridges Foundation has released the official movie trailer for its upcoming movie, Part III in The Fog is Lifting series, Islam in Women, featuring MWA founding member, Isahah Janette Grant. 

The documentary features the interviews of twelve revert Muslim women from Belgium, Britain, Greece, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, Germany, USA, Netherlands and Sweden, discussing how their lives were enhanced by embracing Islam.   

Also included in the production, the interview of a non-Muslim woman, a professor from Al-Azhar University, and a professor in the Divinity School at Harvard University. The documentary reveals the secrets behind why Islam attracts more women than men, and aims to refute misconceptions about women in Islam.  
 
 
The July 19 trailer release marked a double celebration for Ms. Grant and her sister MWA members. After a prolonged absence of health insurance preempted her ability to seek medical attention, Ms. Grant announced receiving confirmation that her previously treated Hodgkins Lymphoma remains in remission. It was welcome news and an unforgettable blessing in this, the Muslim Holy Month of Ramadan.

Quran Healing My Pained Heart - a journal entry by MWA's Lonna Amira Bowen

Tonight, I am pained by a conversation I had with a sister at the masjid. I listened to her go between being the tough strong Muslimah to confessing to me that she has experienced domestic violence, which was quickly played off as completely her fault and ensured that it has not happened since… except it happened twice.

A lesson on patience and positivity in Ramadan by MWA's Saba N. Taylor

While reviewing Be Positive, a children’s book that introduces how to be positive, my mind immediately went back to an experience that happened the night before. 

At around ten in the pm, my sister and I left home to go to the mosque. It was as we were leaving that she remembered that our usual route would be closed due to highway construction. So, we were going to be a little late by taking an alternate highway. “Ugh,” she said in frustration. I chose to stay positive. “It’s going to be a one and a half hour prayer, we will get there in time to join in,” I reminded her and off we went.

Hope in Ramadan: a poem by MWA's Fahmida Sultana

I hope to worship You
Day and night
Drown in remembrance
Of You

And move my soul to another
Time and Space
And lose myself there

I hope to be pleasing to You
My Lord
So You can shower Your Peace and Blessings on me

Featured aMuslimah Interview: Redemption Song Collected Poems by MWA's Janette Grant

Click on image for larger view.

Article Excerpts 

Redemption Song – reflects her thoughts about things we all face at one point throughout our lives.  Although some of her writing is inspired from external situations, persons, circumstances deep down her inspiration and perspective is drawn much from what she or her family are going through. Which can range from severe health conditions to issues and scenarios her children or family member are going through.

MWA's Isahah Janette Grant reminisces: my 14 Ramadans

By Isahah Janette Grant 

If someone had told me fifteen years ago that I would be celebrating my 14th Ramadan this year, I may not have believed them. I was a practicing Christian at the time, actively participating in my journey towards spiritual discovery and content in my religion. In retrospect, Islam was the natural next step for me, but at the time, I was so involved in reading the Bible and reforming my lifestyle to reflect the values and standards illustrated in the Old and New Testaments, that converting to another faith was the farthest thing from my mind.

MWA's Jennifer Kabir shares her thoughts on the last ten nights of Ramadan

I can't believe that Ramadan is nearly over subhanallah. Tonight during tarawee I could feel the wave of the words of Quran passing through me. I was overcome with a feeling of gratitude to Allah for the sweetness of his mercy. Evoking his names, side-by-side with other believers and just giving all up to Allah is feeding the soul and lifting burdens away. Mind, body and spirit are in the complete act of submission to Allah.

MWA's Eren Cervantes-Altamirano shares a Ramadan memory

Edmonton’s Al-Rashid Mosque. Image via Flickr.

The First Ramadan

By Eren Cervantes-Altamirano

Six years ago, I moved from Mexico City to Edmonton, Alberta, in Canada. Although I moved here to study, my trip to the north resulted to be a whole religious experience. Having grown up in a nuclear family that had left Catholicism and had sought dogmatic atheism, I was largely unfamiliar with religious diversity. Thus, coming to Canada quickly sparked my curiosity, and here I am six years later with a degree in Political Science and Religious Studies.

My first contact with Islam was when I was still learning English at the University of Alberta. Since Alberta is the centre of petroleum exploration and petroleum engineering education in Canada, I studied in classes where half my classmates were from Saudi Arabia and the other half from China. My first encounters with Saudi classmates, especially males, were quite frustrating. Many of them felt the need to show some kind of pious superiority, while others felt attacked in an environment where their religion was often being connected to 9/11. (Click here to read the rest at Muslim Media Watch)

ABOUT EREN CERVANTES-ALTAMIRANOV
Eren Arruna Cervantes is a University student in Canada. She specializes in gender politics and feminist religious movements, particularly Islamic Feminism. She is a convert to Islam since 2009 and hopes to become an Islamic scholar in the future. In addition to being a member of Muslimah Writers Alliance, Eren also writes for Muslmah Media Watch and hosts a travel blog.

Our Ramadan So Far by MWA's Jennifer Kabir

A few days before Ramadan officially begins our family engages in arts and crafts together.  My husband and I began doing this five years ago and now that our children are a little older they sit with us and add their creativity.  This year it was my youngest son who played nasheeds from the pc while we all listened and enjoyed our activities.  Around mid-month the boys enjoyed decorating cupcakes and handing them out to friends.  I find it’s best to just cook and prepare everything ahead of time and just let them enjoy the fun part!

(More Here) 

MWA's Saba N. Taylor asks: to Suhoor or Not?

On a regular day, I don't often take breakfast. I know, I know, breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but for some reason, I always feel iky if I have something on my stomach early in the morning. I usually don't take breakfast until around 8:30 or a little later when my stomach is actually awake! So Ramadan is especially hard on me when I have to get up before dawn to have suhoor. What makes it even harder is that now, suhoor comes in really early in the Northwest, like 4+ hours before I have to get up to go to work. After prayer, I usually have 3 hours and often go back to sleep. Not good on even on a remotely full stomach.

This Ramadan, I considered skipping suhoor so that I would not have to feel the iky effects of an early morning meal through out the day. But I was reminded of the importance of the suhoor meal by a few hadiths I read regarding fasting.

MWA's Khulood Arendse shares a favorite Ramadan recipe

Hot Chili Tuna and Cabbage

1 onion chopped
30ml cooking oil
1 quarter finely cut/shredded cabbage
2 tins (170g each) tuna in water
Spices of your choice, I used paprika, breyani masala and chili powder (the stronger, the better :D)

Saute onion in cooking oil, add cabbage, and cover pot till soft.
Add your spices and let them sing to the cabbage and onion on medium heat.
Now for the tuna, do not drain, add as is, stir through, and simmer on low heat.

For a sweet chili taste, add a tablespoon or 2 of smooth apricot jam, depending on you of coz.

A nice salad, like coleslaw and sliced cucumber, will go lovely with that, it takes some of the bite out of the chili.

MWA's Jennifer Infante shares a favorite Iftar recipe: Mediterranean rosemary herbed lemon chicken

Mediterrean rosemary herbed lemon chicken.

Here's what you'll need:

• 1 whole chicken cut in quarters or 8 pieces
• 5 garlic cloves sliced
• 2 tsp of kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbs seven spices
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp of cayenne pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 small branches of fresh rosemary (remove leaves from branches and finely chop)
• 3 small branches of fresh oregano (remove leaves from branches and finely chop)
• 1 whole onion sliced
• 2 carrots cut in big chunks
• 3 potatoes thickly cut (quartered or halved)
• 3 lemons (juice 1 lemon) and quarter the other 2 lemons.

MWA's Aishah Schwartz shares her 28 July 2012 iftar

Roast beef in gravy with potatoes, milk and chocolate chip cookies for a snack. I'll use the extra portion of potatoes at suhoor with some eggs and toast, insha'Allah. :-)

A journal entry by MWA member Zainab John; Ramadan Day Six

It's day 6 of Ramadhan. Sleep just won't come, so at 1:15 in the morning I am awake, ready and eager to start my day.

As I sit cross-legged on my bedroom floor typing this post, I find myself reflecting on the days of Ramadhan that have passed so far; anxiously awaiting the days ahead. 

On a personal level, every Ramadhan acts as a reminder of my duty towards Allah (swt), myself, my community and others. It is a month to slow down and focus on what is really important; another opportunity to better myself, seek forgiveness from my Creator, and to say thank-you for all He has done for me and those I love.

VIDEO: MWA's Aishah Schwartz Shares her first week of Ramadan 2012 from Egypt

MWA's Isahah Janette Grant Shares A Ramadan Recipe: Kale and Potato Soup

16 oz of fresh Kale

1 small white onion

1 tsp Salt

3 tsp Pepper

2 tsp Garlic powder

2 tsp Onion powder

2 Beef bullion cubes

1 tsp Paprika

½ tsp Thyme

5 peeled and diced small potatoes

½ tsp Cinnamon

½ tsp Ginger

1 tsp Sugar

2 tsp Vegetable oil

(above measurements for spices may vary, season to taste)

Directions: 

Bring three cups of water to a rolling boil

Add 2 beef bullion cubes, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, cinnamon, ginger, sugar, vegetable oil: wait for seasonings to dissolve

Add kale and onions, reduce to medium heat, cover and cook for 25 minutes

Add potatoes, cover and cook for another 20 minutes

Remove from heat, serve and enjoy!

Ramadan Mubarek Readers and MWA family!

MWA's Sis Isahah Shares Ramadan Journal Entry: Holding fast to the rope of Allah

This morning following Fajr, while reading the Juz for the day, a particular ayah spoke to me, as is often the case for me during Ramadan. The Holy Quran is the main reason why I decided to take the shahadah and it has been a constant friend, support and light in my life. I have notebooks filled with inspiring ayat from Ramadans past and I often feel the same emotions when re-reading my old notebooks that I had originally felt originally when writing the entries. The scriptures carry me through the year and this Ramadan I wanted to share one of my entries as a way of thanking Allah Ta'aala for all the many blessings that He brings and has brought to my life. The ayat is from Surah 3, Ayat 102-103 and reads:

O believers! Fear Allah as he should be feared and die not but as true Muslims. All together hold fast to the rope of Allah and be not divided among yourselves. Remember Allah's favors upon you when you were enemies; He united your hearts, so by His favor you became brethren; you were at the brink of the fiery pit and He saved you from it. Thus Allah makes his revelations clear to you, so that you might be rightly guided.

When my alarm went off this morning, I did not want to get up (astagferullah), but my little 11 year old niece, excited that it is summer so that she can fast before school starts, knocked loudly on my door, reminding me to get out of bed. She and my son were already awake and anxiously awaiting suhor. Their excitement was an inspiration and I felt momentarily ashamed for not having wanted to wake up. Before accepting Islam, I had never known the beauty of fasting and praying together the way that I experience it as a Muslim  and as I witness my son and niece's excitement, I realize that we are family - kin - but we are also brethren and fellow believers together. Of all the blessings that I have received, my son and nieces and nephews are some of the greatest. They exemplify for me what it means to hold fast to the rope of  Allah and have often been the little reminders that I need to stay grateful and excited about being a Muslim.

As my niece set the table and my son vacuumed the carpet and laid down the sheets for prayer, I smiled inside, exceedingly grateful for being awake and for having been rightly guided to Islam.

Aishah's 7/24 suhoor; this one was, masha'Allah, just right!

Poached eggs, minus the toast because it had molded (ewww!), watermelon, date milk, anise/green tea (mix) and water. Actually, this meal was just right! Al-hamdulillah. :-)