Welcome Ramadan!

My first lantern sighting of Ramadan 2012! Woot! Woot!

Gearing up for Ramadan! Supplies delivered! Woot! Woot!

Sampling of Ramadan supplies collection found in the kitchens of Muslim women throughout Egypt, including, dried apricots, dried figs, raisins, shredded coconut, a variety of dates, apricot strips used for making a type of juice and dried hibiscus (for another typical Ramadan beverage found on iftar tables across the nation). Check out the recipe section of the MWA Ramadan blog for an idea of how some of these items can be used! :-)

Green Your Ramadan in Your Home and Masjid

 

Alhamdulilah Ramadan is approaching! Lets all work to be stewards of our home!

"Now, behold! Your Lord said to the angels: I am placing upon the earth a human successor to steward it." (2:30)

Recycle and promote recycling in our homes, schools and masjids.

Recycling conserves our natural resources, saves energy, protects our health and the environment, reduces the use of landfills and incinerators and saves money.

1. Commit to providing recycling options at your masjid during iftars in Ramadan.

2. Commit to form an Environmental Committee in the masjid. The committee's role will be to gauge and discuss how to implement other Green Ramadan tasks in the masjid now and continuously.

3. Commit to disseminate Green Ramadan topics through your Sheikh or Imam of your masjid through newsletters, religious lectures after salat, or including the topic in a Jummah khutbah during Ramadan.

Commit to sharing Greening Ramadan ideas.

If your masjid comes up with some great ideas about recycling, renewing, reusing and rethinking how to Green please post and or write!

I am hoping that WE as a progressive caretakers of our dunya/earth, will take the extra measures this Ramadan to reduce waste, recycle food and bring out own plates/utensils, and renew materials to be utilized again (cloth table cloths, napkins etc).

The Qu'ran states "...eat and drink: but waste not by excess, for Allah loveth not the wasters." (Al-A'raf 7: 31)

Alhamdulilah.

P.S. Chicago area Mosques have had a Green Ramadan Initiative for some years now! http://www.ciogc.org/Go.aspx?link=7654955

Subhan'Allah we have only one earth and hands are here to help heal it.

Sister Janice
HASSANAH Consulting
Catalyst for Positive Changes 

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

"Like" Ramadan4Kids on Facebook!

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

"Like" Ramadan4Kids on Facebook!

Purchase Online!

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"Like" Ramadan4Kids on Facebook!

Gearing up for Ramadan 2012 -- What better way than to quit smoking

It is common knowledge these days that secondhand cigarette smoke causes cancer, which, in fact, KILLS. If you smoke inside your home, how does that translate to caring about your family? It's bad enough to abuse your own body; why would you consciously harm the lives of those you love? Think about it. And make a commitment in Ramadan 2012 to stop smoking for the sake of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala accept all your Ramadan intentions and good deeds for His sake. Ameen. 

MWA wishes one and all a blessed Eid! Thank-you for sharing your Ramadan with us!

Jazakallahu khairan for sharing part of your Ramadan with us!

Reflecting on Ramadan, MWA Member Vanessa Rivera de la Fuente introduces her inspiration; daughter, Constance

This Holy month of Ramadan I've been taking any little opportunity to share with my daugther Constance about how Islam has been not only a choice about a religion and doctrine, but especially a life-changing approach. In this process, where I've got closer to Allah, and gained a deep inner joy, I've become also more sensitive to appreciate the kindness in everyone around and give thanks for the lessons I can take from.

This Ramadan I've found myself many times, like no other time during this year nor in my life, giving thanks to Allah for my daughter. Not only because motherhood is a blessing; since I reflect about her life and our relations I've found out, sometimes with tears in my eyes, how many lessons of life I've learned from her.

I have many models and ideas that inspire me, and I think every person is able to do it, since they decide to fight for their dreams and make a declaration of faith about life as a blessing and trying hard to make something good for themselves and others. But since Hipatia from Alexandria until my own mother, my favorite inspiration is absolutely my daughter Constance. (read more)

ABOUT MWA MEMBER VANESSA RIVERA de la FUENTE
MWA member Vanessa Rivera de la Fuente hails from Buenos Aires. She is a Social Multilingual Communicator, muslim, feminist, and writer with a strong belief in God, social justice and love sustanaible development. She enjoys traveling, nature and cats. On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/vrdelafuente.

MWA Member Queen Sheba Cisse on being grateful in Ramadan; and every day!

By the grace and mercy of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala we are in the last 10 days of Ramadan. Truly I am grateful for that and the many opportunities that come my way by the will of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.

Recently I returned from a short travel of inspiration that uprooted from the ground up to a business project I founded several years ago called Queen Sheba Village. The soul that inspired the project is my great great-Grandmum, Mariama, who is represented by her daughter who is my GrandMum, Sayyida Iretta. In order to move forward I sometimes have to take a few steps backward. I am grateful for the ongoing project and the fine noble women whom inspired it to manifestation.

Surah 108 Al-Kawthar from The Holy Quran comes to mind when we have an abundance from The Almighty. Thanking Allah subhnahu wa ta'ala is a powerful gesture and I shall be grateful enough to continue to repeat it, insha'Allah. Everyday is a grateful day.

Ramadan Mubarak to all of You, Al Hamdulilah.


ABOUT MWA MEMBER QUEEN SHEBA CISSE
Queen Sheba Cisse is President and Founder of Queen Sheba Village and is an aspiring writer, humanitarian and mother to many globally. She manages homes and families on two continents, America and Africa, and runs an online fashion boutique of African textiles and clothing, as well as Arabian essences for the body and senses, and crafted accessories from our African Motherland—home of our ancestors. Queen Sheba has just completed "The QSV Story (Chapter 2) Queen Sheba Cisse" in Collaboration with Tara Tappert. Website: http://www.queenshebavillage.org - On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/QueenShebaCisse

MWA Member Asma Zaman offers her reflections and rembrance on Ramadan

by MWA Member Asma Zamam (Bint Khalid)

For me, like most people, Ramadan is about ‘reflection’; to reflect over the past, to reflect about the present and to hope that we get the chance to reflect in the future. I don’t remember the last time I fasted, but I do remember the sheer excitement of waking up for suhoor and the anticipation just before iftar. There was always a sense of unity and spirituality in the air, and that was always an amazing experience to be a part of. The absence of sharing these feeling and emotions with my family and friends for nearly a decade always leaves a sense of emptiness in my heart as each year goes by. My way of filling that void is to try getting one step closer to Allah (swt) by gaining as much reward during this month, doing as much ibadat as I can and wholeheartedly praying that I will be blessed with good health so I will be able to fast once again.

And every Ramadan I always read this beautiful hadith, to remind me that true faith will always guide you beyond the darkness.

Imam Ahmad reported that Umm Salamah narrated: Once, Abu Salamah came back after he was with Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) and said: “I heard Allah’s Messenger recite a statement that made me delighted.”

He said: No Muslim is struck with an affliction and then says Istirja`;

‘Innaa Lillaahi wa innaa ilayhi raji’oon. llahummaa ujurni fi musibati w’ukhluf li khayran minha’

(Truly! To Allah we belong and to Him we shall return. O Allah, reward me for my calamity and compensate me with something better than that)

when the affliction strikes, and then says: `O Allah! Reward me for my loss and give me what is better than it,’ but Allah will do just that. Umm Salamah said: So I memorized these words. When Abu Salamah died I said Istirja` and said: "O Allah! Compensate me for my loss and give me what is better than it.” I then thought about it and said, "Who is better than Abu Salamah”?

When my `Iddah (the period of time before the widow or divorced woman can remarry) finished, Allah’s Messenger asked for permission to see me while I was dyeing a skin that I had. I washed my hands, gave him permission to enter and handed him a pillow, and he sat on it.

He then asked me for marriage and when he finished his speech, I said, "O Messenger of Allah! It is not because I do not want you, but I am very jealous and I fear that you might experience some wrong mannerism from me for which Allah would punish me. I am also an old woman and I have children.”

He said: As for the jealousy that you mentioned, Allah the Exalted will remove it from you. As for your being old as you mentioned, I have suffered what you have suffered. And for your having children, they are my children too.

She said, "I have surrendered to Allah’s Messenger.” Allah’s Messenger married her and Umm Salamah said later, "Allah compensated me with who is better than Abu Salamah: Allah’s Messenger.”

Umm Salamah (radi allahu-anha) was blessed to be the wife of our beloved Prophet (peace be upon him) and she was truly compensated for her loss and patience.

Through this hadith we can truly understand not only the power of this dua (prayer), but also the continuing mercy Allah (swt) bestows upon us all.

I truly believe that Allah (swt) breaks our spirit to save our soul, he bestows pain upon us to make us stronger, he makes us face failure so we can be humble and he takes something away from us, so we can learn to appreciate all that we have.

Copyright © 2011 Asma Zaman (Bint Khalid)

Aishah's Photo Adventures: When everyone was sleeping