Admit it; even though you know Ramadan is an annual thing you feel it creeps up on you and the panic stricken you promises to devote themselves to nightly prayer sessions, healthy eating and committing to cleansing yourself of this world.
However time gets the best of us and before we know it things are not going to plan.
And every year POST Ramadan we promise next Ramadan will be different. But is it?
Nope!
So this year I will be posting a practical countdown to the Holy Month and hope this helps you get in control of life so you can get the best out of those 30 days and nights.
I’ll also be posting things on Social Media so don’t forget to follow us on there too.
Are you ready for this?
#100daysuntilRamadan
What can you do 100 sleeps before the Holy Month?
Answer: PLENTY.
By being practical and thinking ahead we can do a lot this far in advance.
Health:
Medical issues are one of the biggest reasons we miss fasts and taking part in the nights of blessings. So if you have pre-existing medical problems and need a check up get it done now. Need blood tests for something? Book it and stop putting it off. Give your health an MOT.
Are you a Smoker? Now is the time to consider your options to QUIT.
Have another addiction? Again now is the time as you have ample time to work towards it.
Spirituality:
Have lots to ask Allah for? Make a list of those Duas and update as the month approaches.
Give your life an MOT. Are you happy with life? Is everything going the way you want? Think about what you want to achieve and start making realistic plans now.
Life:
Got plans for big DIY projects around the home? Get organised now. You don’t want workmen in the kitchen banging away at 10AM if you are trying to fit sleep in after a night of reciting Duas and you need to be at work later. Trust me it’s an unproductive mix.
My advice is to AVOID having work done during the month. Sometimes it’s not avoidable but if you can plan as much as possible to have a peaceful Ramadan.
Declutter NOW. That’s right. NOW. The more stuff you declutter now the less stuff you have to worry about later on.
Need to book Annual Leave to give you some space in Ramadan? Do it now (the sooner the better).
Let your children’s School know when Ramadan is…chances are they already know but if you have children that may wish to take part in fasting it’s always good to give the School a heads up and vice versa.
Confident Speaker? Why not offer to read a Ramadan/Eid book at School and explain what Ramadan is to younger children so they understand why their friends celebrate it?
Top Tip: avoid booking play dates, shopping trips and other things in Ramadan. Mark Ramadan and Eid (both) on a Calendar and in your diary so that when you do go to pencil something in you can see it’s Ramadan.
Versatile decorations for Eid, Ramadan and beyond.
Don’t you just love it when Christmas decorations land in shops in July. No really. I’m being sincere. But why would a Muslim be excited about the decorations that spill out of every single shop on the High Street?
Because we’re living in an era where most decorations can be used across religions, cultures and beyond.
How is that possible I hear you cry. Well firstly the decorations market is becoming more and more competetive as social media sites such as Instagram show us how ‘the other half lives’ and well we all want to buy decorations that truly are awesome, unique and non standard in the traditional sense.
When I was a kid I remember tinsel, tinsel, more tinsel and red and white decorations. Gold was also a feature colour. But that was the colour palettes the general consumer worked with unless they became creative and produced their own decorations (in an era before Pinterest trust me this was very very difficult).
I love decorating my home for Eid, Ramadan and Birthdays. I just love bringing in magical vibes for the girls to get lost in. So I’ve created a list of my top 10 decorations that are fit for a variety of celebrations.
Make a list of what you need and when the decoration season hits fill that basket with a bargain or three of versatility.
NOTE: shops have already started slashing prices guys! So see you all on Boxing Day to get our decoration fix.
1) Beaded garlands.
Without a shadow of a doubt this is my top decoration. You can pick up beaded garland in an array of colours. We currently own a bucket of gold beaded garlands plus pink and purple. We also have some white ones (for Frozen themed parties). Now I use them: hang them up, wrap them around things, use them to hang up lanterns…get creative. Why I love them: they are so versatile. Plus they are cheap and durable. Poundland bring in a range of colours every year. That’s a quid for 8 metres. And if you are looking at topping up your collection you can pick up garlands for as cheap as 25 pence in the post Christmas sales. That’s right. How do you think I ended up with a bucket of gold beaded garlands?
2) Paper lanterns Oh my goodness. This is where my Pinterest obsession creeps in. Years ago I came across an image of a Tangled themed wedding and they used various paper lanterns to decorate the gazebo. It looked magical. The next thing you know I was ordering various lanterns in various colours and sizes. So as these lanterns are made from paper you cannot use them with candles (just thought I would point out the obvious) and due to the material they can be delicate to handle so you need to bare that in mind. However since I first started using lanterns 4 years ago I haven’t damaged a single one beyond a bit of TLC. Now to use them: assemble them (straight forward procedure so don’t panic) and hang them up. If you want to create a magical airy look use transparent thread. Why I love them: the instant pop of colour! If you need to decorate a large area you can get some pretty big lanterns and hang them in clusters (in a mixture of sizes) to create a bit of a feature. The combinations are endless if you mix them up with honeycomb balls and paper fans. Plus if you look after them you can REUSE them! My top tip: want a bit of extra bling for an outdoor event? Spray the lanterns with glitter spray. The glitter will glisten in the sunlight. I usually order mine 6/8 weeks before I need them so I can order them cheaper from China.
3) Honeycomb balls When my oldest turned one I ordered pink honeycomb balls and at the time places like Poundland didn’t stock them so I paid a silly price per ball. Anyhow 7 years in and those honeycomb balls are still being used. The honeycomb balls get their name from their pretty shape. You can buy honeycomb balls (made out of tissue paper) in a wide range of colours and sizes so there’s something to fit every budget. Why I love them: the range of colours and sizes available readily makes these babies a must for me. Plus if you fold them back up and store them carefully they WILL last (like I said I’ve had some for 7 years…). Tip: if you require larger sized honeycomb balls and want to grab some at a bargain try eBayers in China.
4) Glitter covered branches.
So if you cannot take glitter avoid these guys. But if like my family you need a bit of bling these are worth their weight in gold. Basically dried branches are painted and covered in glitter. You then take these beauties home and place them in a vase and great a centre point for your table, mantle etc. I bought a range of colours in the post Christmas sales. I drape beaded garlands on the branches to add some extra bling. You can mix and match to make a statement. Why I love them: its a big statement piece at an affordable price. I paid £1.25 for a bunch of branches from Asda post Christmas. They can be reused too. Tips: planning a mendhi? Why not get green branches and drape over gold beaded garlands as the centre piece for tables.
5) pre cut foil letter banners I love a good DIY project but I find some things are cheaper to purchase readymade and in the case of Foil/glitter card signs. If you calculate the price of card, plus the time it takes to cut the letters out etc buying pre-made is a bargain. I use Eid Mubarak glitter letter signs to create statements at Eid. I got 3 signs from eBay for £4.68 (the seller was based in China and I placed my order 2 months in advance). Why I love them: simple statement really. Affordable and reusable. Plus I like to have signs in photos incase I suffer from memory problems when I’m older.
6) Fairy lights Oh dear lord. Fairy lights! I don’t think these need much of an introduction but with such a variety there’s so much scope with them. Drape them around the home, hang them up, use outdoor ones draped over plants…the possibilities are endless. There’s colourful lights, twinkling ones, solar powered outdoor lights, flashing ones…ones you can connect up to speakers. What a time to be alive if you love fairy lights. Why I love them: just re-read the above. Tips: Superstores often have offers on around Christmas and you can actually pick up bargains before the post Christmas sales.
7) Paper mache pre-made letters If you have lots of shelves or a mantle that needs a bit of festive love this could be a cost effective option for you. I bought my letters off eBay and paid £1.20 per letter (with an additional 15% off for buying 10+ letters). I then painted the letters using metallic paint (purchased from Poundland-I can recommend their metallic acrylic ‘poster paints’ as I’ve used purple, gold and turquoise from the range). The project took a total of less than 2 hours and I now have a set of awesome freestanding letters than look awesome on my shelves. Why I love them: you can spell whatever you want to. And you can use any colour, use a bit of glitter…and let your imagination run free. Tip: a great crafting idea for little ones to get them in the festive mood and let them participate in the decoration of the home for any special event/festivity.
8)Painted upcycled jars (as candle holders) I love a good DIY project so this was right up my street. I collected a range of glass jars and painted them in a range of jewel coloured glass paints. I use these holders with battery powered ‘tealight’ candles so I don’t have any major fire hazards to worry about whilst celebrating. Plus I don’t have to scrape wax out of the holders (less work!). Why I love them: I can use the jars outdoors and indoors and the glistening lights look magical. Plus the colour range of paints is amazing. Tips: keep the jars in your shed/outhouse during colder months as frost will damage them. Get children involved in painting jars. If you have a steady hand try using glass outline pens to draw on patterns. The possibilities are endless.
9) Baubles The old fashioned bauble has withstood the test of time. You can pick up baubles in all colours, textures, shapes and sizes too. You can hang them up, place them in vases, stick them to a hula hoop and create a large wreath….get creative with these babies. You can also create personalised bauble countdown garlands by writing on the baubles too (e.g. 6 sleeps til Eid…. etc). Hang some baubles with ribbon and hang them in your window. Why I love them: baubles are a cheap and effective away to add colour and texture to your home and decor collection. You can get creative with them too. Pick up boxes of baubles from Superstores and DIY stores such as B&Q in the post Christmas sales.
10) Wire decorations Again I love DIY and garden wire based decorations are one of my favourite things ever. Firstly you can get really creative and let children join in. Secondly wire is really affordable (especially if you use garden wire) and thirdly you can create decorations for the garden that will last a while. My favourite things to create are cressant moons and also letters too. I wrap them with hessian string (again super affordable) and then paint them (our favourite: gold paint). Intertwine with fairy lights and create something magical.
That concludes my list of decorations I recommend for your decoration box. I delibrately left off balloons as yes they are super cheap but cannot be reused.
What is your favourite decoration? And what would you rather be without? Leave a comment below.
I cannot be the only one that looks for ways to add the magic of Ramadan and Eid to the lives of those around us. I also cannot be the only Mama who looks for ways for her children to share this blessed and magical time with their friends and Teachers either.
As my girls get older they are noticing more and more that a lot of attention is given on a global scale to Christmas. They also notice that gift giving/baked goods and other little items are distributed a lot during the festive period.
So this year I put a bit of effort into my children’s light Dawah on the playground. That’s right; I classed this project as Dawah. Because even though there isn’t any spoken words to this we are paving the way for conversation. And we are also spreading kindness. Dawah in my book doesn’t have to be about preaching. It’s also about creating opportunities to discuss things.
So why am I posting this recipe so close to Christmas? Well I don’t see any reason why you cannot distribute these cones for Christmas too.
So to make 12 cones of pure yumminess (that took me about an hour and a half to actually do) you will need:
Ingredients:
500 grams popping corn (plan stuff available in most supermarkets and is actually quite cheap)
4 TBSP oil (sunflower works-no need to go fancy)
For the caramel:
600 grams sugar (I used a mixture of what I had in the house-which was soft light and dark brown sugars)
550 grams of butter (feel free to use salted)
Sea salt (crushed) to taste.
4 TBSP honey
4 TBSP double cream
To wrap up:
12 x cellophane cone bags (I purchased these in a set of 50 as I have other projects coming up)
12 x wire twists to fasten the cones
Stickers (optional-we bought Eid Mubarak stickers off eBay. I’ll be using personalised ones for the Christmas cones we are distributing too).
Equipment:
2 large baking sheets (or 3 smaller ones). Line with greaseproof paper. I prefer to use the sheets that are used to make tray bakes etc as they have high sides which prevents popcorn falling off.
1) You need to start by popping the corn. I popped the corn in batches. I placed 2 TBSP of oil in a large pan and heated in a large pan and add 150 grams of corn. Give it a quick shake and place the lid on. Now is the fun part. You need to listen to the corn pop. This takes around 5/6 minutes. Give the pan a shake (carefully as it will be hot!) during the 5/6 minutes to stop the popcorn burning. Once the speed of the corn literally dies down (again around 5/6 minutes in). Turn the heat off. Give the pan a shake. Do not remove the lid just yet in case you get hit by a stray popped corn.
2) Repeat step 1 until all the popcorn is popped. Remove any cernals that haven’t popped (chipped teeth are not in vogue). Place the popcorn to one side. Now make the caramel.
3) As there’s a lot of popcorn I make the caramel in TWO batches. I find this the best way to control the situation.
Heat half the butter and half the sugar in a medium pan. Stir the mixture to prevent it burning.
Cook over a medium heat until the caramel is formed. Now by this I mean you’ll literally see a sticky, brown liquid lava in the pan. Now add 2 TBSP of honey and stir in. Reduce the heat to prevent burning. Now add the double cream and stir until combined. Allow to bubble for a minute. Turn the heat off. Allow to cool for a few minutes. It will still be hot and you need to be careful not to scald yourself as hot sugar is dangerous.
4) Now comes the messy yet slightly dangerous part. You need to add half the popcorn to the caramel. Stir well to cover as much of the popcorn as possible. Now divide up the mixture onto the trays and spread evenly. Sprinkle on salt to your taste.
5) Bake in an oven at 170 for 15 minutes. Turn the oven off and allow to cool completely. Don’t worry if you peak at the popcorn whilst it’s warm and the mixture looks like it’s melted. Once its stone cold it’s set and will be yum. Hold the vision; trust the process. Always.
Now repeat the above steps to make another batch of caramel/caramel popcorn.
Once the popcorn is cold you may wish to break up the clusters to bag them up. That’s fine. Place in the bags and fasten. Add labels/stickers as you wish.
Any leftover popcorn will keep well for up to 4 days in a ziplock bag/airtight container.
Distribute with pride.
Enjoy.
Note: this popcorn is high in calories and sugar. In case you were wondering.
This world. It’s great isn’t it. We have all the mod cons. All the stuff our ancestors could never have imagined. All these opportunities we receive, all the love, the recoveries from illnesses….the blessings we have. We often forget them. It’s human nature (unless you actively rewire your brain) to concentrate on negatives rather than positives. Call it society. Call it normal. Whatever you want to class it as it’s an active block in your life.
My personal journey with GRATITUDE is I keep a gratitude diary. I fill out the diary with three things I am thankful for everyday. I’ve been doing this for a while now. It’s been a part of my own personal developmental journey. You see until you can see what the good stuff in your life is you cannot dispel the negative. Your thought process needs to move to positives. You need to concentrate on the good. The light. And then multiply them.
It’s Laws of Attraction. Like attracts like. You think about the good, you concentrate on the good. You focus on the good.
You then manifest MORE of the same/similar.
We’ve all had negative experiences where we’ve got out of bed and the day has started rough. We’ve muttered ‘flippin’ great’ and the next thing you know you’ve poured coffee down your white shirt, your toast is burnt, your car engine has overheated and you are late for your annual review. You then have to combat the rush hour traffic on public transport. You open your post and there’s an invite to your exes Wedding. Because at the start of a less than happy day things started a rough and we were like “what else can go WRONG” and the universe answers your vibes that you are sending out in the way you are manifesting via your attitude.
So to increase goodness we concentrate on GOOD VIBES ONLY.
As a Muslim gratitude is attitude. We’re taught to be thankful for the blessings and also count the lessons. And what doesn’t kill is it teaching something to us and we need to grow from it.
Rather than allow my daughters to get into the habit of concentrating on the negative I’ve introduced a Gratitude Jar into the weekly family activities. The idea is to get everyone in the family to think of at least one thing they are grateful for over the week and write it down. We then place it in the jar. Then when the year is done we will read our slips and put them in an envelop for future reference.
The idea is to get into the habits of expressing gratitude and acknowledging the good in life. It’s also a way of reflecting on our lives (I’m a firm believer in reflection to improve ourselves). And the more we thankful the more we attract of the same good stuff.
It’s a great activity to do as a family and it costs next to nothing to do.
Materials needed:
Paper (we use coloured craft paper. We’ve got A4 size mixed colours. The pack cost £4.00 and will last us more than a year.
A jar-I upcycled a jar by writing on it a verse from the Holy Quran
(If you are grateful I will give you more 14:7).
We use various pens to write out our slips.
And apart from that you don’t need anything else.
So go on; increase your gratitude as a family and see how the positive attitude brings in more positive vibes for you all.
Say meditation to someone who has seen the portrayal of it in mainstream media and I bet most folk will ask you about your hippy life. They’ll expect you to be vegan animal right campaigner that sleep on rocks because you could never possibly sleep on a wooden frame because trees lost their lives to give humans creature comforts.
So stereotyping aside meditation is a highly powerful tool. I know for many Muslims the idea of meditating isn’t a concept they want to look at or consider as it feels more in line with the Hindu faith than Islam. However the concept of sitting down, clearing your mind and focusing is quite Islamic. The idea we need to sit down and fix our thoughts to get the maximum out of our lives shouldn’t really be alien to anyone. The fast pace of life today means we all look for a release and ways of maintaining our sanity and being able to focus on our goals and missions in life. Too much mental junk clutters up the thought process leaving us pushing walls that shouldn’t be our brains. We should be able to prioritise mentally what is important to us and focus on it. Pray about it. Meditate on it manifesting. Being clear is how we ideally would want things to happen/unfold. But if your brain is like a super highway with all the lanes rammed with traffic you won’t be manifesting much soon.
I got into meditating when my life took a few unplanned changes. I got back on the horse and needed quality guidance. I also wanted to be able to hear my mind. Process what was happening and make decisions based on the facts and with clarity.
Do you need any special equipment to meditate?
In my opinion NO. If you wish to use guided meditation on your phone I suggest you use headphones. Most phones come with a pair or you can pick up a cheap pair on certain websites these days. I use ‘tracks’ off YouTube for guided meditation or I’ll look up background tracks for meditating too. You can purchase these yes. But with YouTube around it’s not a requirement to be able to get into meditation.
I don’t dress a certain way to meditate. You may want to be comfortable though especially if you plan to meditate for longer than say 15 minutes.
Although this isn’t essential to meditate I have been known for cleansing the room, airing it out and burning incense (oudh). I like the idea of a clean space to concentrate. This isn’t essential like I side. I’ve just put it out there as I know some people pick up habits along the way and feel they need approval to do them. I never sought any approval from anyone on this issue.
And if I’m sitting on the floor I will sit on my yoga mat or on my meditating stool (which I only purchased after I started spending hours in meditative state).
So how do I meditate?
I meditate in several ways depending on my daily needs. I try to meditate at least 20 minutes a day. Why? I find clarity of my missions for the day soothing. I don’t feel panicked by my tasks. I can take them in my stride. It’s as simple as that. I also find gratitude easier to express when my mind is clear of all the noise.
Guided meditation tracks (YouTube)
The idea behind this is a voice will guide you through the session helping you breathe and ponder on the situation at hand. I love guided meditation tracks because there are lots on specific subject areas such as recovering from bad relationships, healing, health etc. So for a beginner these are fantastic.
Meditating in silence
I use my meditating stool if I feel I will be meditating for a long period of time. Otherwise I sit on my bed (legs crossed) eyes closed deep breaths contemplating/musing/reflecting over matters that concern me. I keep a notepad close by as sometimes I meditate on specific issues and when I finish meditating thoughts/answers come into my head so rather than lose that feeling I keep it by jotting it down.
Meditating with candles/incense/creating a mood
Now this will conjure up images of yoga studios and sandalwood burning for many. For me it’s more of a case of if I’m struggling with something (say a project) then I may need to get into the zone to meditate and fix the issue. So I will light candles to focus and drown out the outside world. I use incense to create ambiance (I use a lot of oudh/sandalwood/sage). I will then meditate in silence or play background tracks of birds/rivers/whatever I feel the desire too.
Meditating & Dhikr
*I do prepare for Dhikr by cleansing myself. For more information you can google Islam and cleanliness for praying*.
Dikr is the remembrance of Allah via short sentences/the names of Allah we recite using on occasion tasbih (like rosary beads). It’s a devotional act in Islam. Now I’m not here to debate if this is an act created by the Sufi sect or someone else. I sit there in silence reciting the names of Allah (one of the 99). I find the actual act of Dhikr is meditation for me. It’s focusing on what my problem is or if I’m doing it as gratitude I am taking part in the devotion to express that. So sitting there focusing on my goal whilst reciting short sentences that glorify the almighty help me not only focus but feel good and help me feel grounded.
I sometimes spend time in silence meditating before I start Dhikr to clear my mind and gain positive focus.
Meditating before praying
I’m a firm believer in the power of prayer. I’m also a believer that a prayer should be said with clear intentions and focus. So to me meditating before praying is a natural step. You clear the mind, and when you say your prayers and essentially talk to God it’s done in a clear, concise manner that is focused on the prayer. Outside noise is ‘blocked’ as you concentrate on the important subject at hand.
I’ve used meditation to control stress and even as pain relief (I had severe shoulder pain due to stress and my GP was unable to prescribe anything for it so I tried meditating which helped cure the pain and helped me gain control over the stress. The stress was relieved too). On a daily basis it’s more for clarity and focus and guidance on all aspects on life.
As I’ve mentioned before as life is fast paced with a lot going on it’s easier for thoughts to get lost and become unclear. Prayers are sometimes said with less focus. The mind to me in the processing centre of your body. Your spirit. Your being. Look at it like this. If your laptop slowed down wouldn’t you get it checked out for viruses and have it given a once over to check out what the issue is? Your mind needs the exact same level of care (if not more). You need to clear out negativity, the bad vibes. Leftover clutter from things that no longer matter. The feelings that are being harboured that are creating mental blocks that stop you moving forward.
So if your brain is slowing down and you having less clarity declutter. Take a brain dump. Write lists. Pray. Dhikr. Meditate. Give yourself the time you deserve for a healthier mind. Don’t let modern day processes slow down the most important piece of equipment you own; your mind.
