Joined in 2023 
82 
63 About this deal
Having had the experience of the second read through, I feel confident in saying that this will easily become the kind of book people will choose to dip in and out of many times and read over again, as there will always be some lesson or comfort to take from it. Food shopping is done in advance and again similar to Christmas the lead up to the Eid day is full of excitement and anticipation with the days leading up to it being counted down by the children. Food is at the centre of the day with the menu being planned with precision and very much influenced by my favourite dishes!
We have all heard much about people struggling and relying on food banks and I have been involved with my family in giving food to food banks and helping those less fortunate. Faith should not divide us but be a glue that brings us together, albeit from different directions. Unity through peace is at the heart of Islam and for me, it is a faith that must be lived through my actions. The Quran emphasises self-discipline through restraint of anger, acts of compassion and acts of charity and this is for me what Ramadan is all about. Eid which marks the end of the month, requires all Muslims to donate to feed the poor and again all Muslims use this month to step up and increase those donations and assistance. I have recently attended Islamic Relief events with my family and my 14 year old daughter is a volunteer with the organisation - they can see the difference it makes. My youngest son (9 year old) has recently donated money from his own piggy bank savings - he personally wanted to contribute to the charity. Alhamdulilah, He has allowed us to witness the best month of all year once again, the blessed month where Allah (SWT) has revealed His glorious book: “ The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur’an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it…[…] Read More> The Wonderful Case of In another incident Aisha was gifted with one hundred thousand dirhams while she was fasting, and she distributed it to the poor and needy. Her maid asked her “Couldn’t you have brought a dirham’s worth of meat with which to break your fast?” Aisha replied, “If I had thought of it, I would have done so.” Thankfully the level of understanding and awareness has changed significantly. The UK is now much more multicultural and cosmopolitan and there's no doubt that social media has played a part. All of this has helped to bring huge awareness in respect of all religions and the associated religious events. Non-Muslims are now much more aware of Ramadan and it is pleasing to know that vast majority show great respect and sensitivity. I appreciate that my team members respect what I’m doing and try to be mindful. They keep an eye on me and encourage me to take a break for a minute or go to a cooler area, no-one judges. They try to avoid asking me if I want tea or coffee and apologise if they forget. We have Cake Wednesday and save me a piece for the evening.I liked how the book didn’t have too much journaling in it tbh, bc I usually don’t like to journal (lol surprising I know as a writer- but I prefer typing to pencil writing). This book was the perfect amount of text and journaling balanced- and it was written in such an impactful way that I found myself really soaking in each chapter and pausing and enjoying the journaling process at the end! Our daily lives include a host of distractions and constant information that mean our senses become overly stimulated. Any point of stillness seems impossible in a world that is constantly evolving. Being surrounded by so much information does us no favours and we lose the ability to be present in our lives […] She has written the book in a relatable way to the Holy Month of Ramadan and which I find can be used in any month of the year.
This book is written with such compassion and encouragement, I’ve really found it such a beneficial read throughout Ramadan so far. It’s full of beautiful and incredibly meaningful reminders, including verses from the Qur’an, Hadith and sayings from some of companions of the Prophet (saws) as well as quotes from the likes of Ibn al-Qayyim. I like that it’s divided into 3 parts (an ode to the 3 parts of Ramadan 🥹). The first part focuses reflecting on the past; the second encourages reader to live in the present; and the last part gives practical tips on aiming towards an akhirah-focused future. Putting the chapters into these parts made it SO EASY to read. Bismillaah. This book has honestly helped me emotionally and most importantly, spiritually as it opened my eyes to view life in a different light. I truly enjoyed reading every chapter each day throughout the month of Ramadhan, and it became a routine for me to do a self-reflection after reading them with the prompts Aliyah came up with. To add, the heartfelt du'as written at the end of each chapter instills hope, love and faith that made readers feel re-newed, re-energized, and definitely enlightened - while striving to seek for self-betterment through the lens of an akhirah-focused future. I also love how she compartmentalized the chapters in the first 10 days of Ramadhan, mid-Ramadhan and the last 10-days of Ramadhan, focusing on the different aspects one needs to prioritize and noted down the ways one can reconnect with God. During this month Muslims will make a deeper effort to abstain from things considered to be impure for the mind and body. Those that take part in Ramadan abstain from food, drink and impure thoughts between the hours of sunrise and sunset, allowing them instead to focus on their faith and reflect. I believe majority of the Muslims will try to give up bad habits during Ramadan. It is a time for prayer and good deeds. They will try to spend time with family and friends and help people in need. They will do special prayers called Tarawee prayers at the mosque and focus on strengthening their ties with family and communities.The Equal Treatment Bench Book provides Judges and court users with useful guidance for all parties observing the Ramadan fast and appearing before the Tribunal, such as ensuring adequate breaks during proceedings and taking time off to celebrate the end of Ramadan known as ‘Eid ul-Fitr’. These equally apply to all court users, but it is also important to remember that it applies equally to all sitting Judges, Court Clerks, Tribunal Caseworkers, Administrative colleagues and Interpreters who are also observing fasting during Ramadan. This might for example include ensuring that some adjustments where requested and/or necessary, so that work can be carried out without it impeding or making observation of fasting more difficult and onerous than it should be, and making such provisions would also be consistent with, and encompass the spirit and the aims set out in the Equal Treatment Bench Book in relation to equality and awareness towards those who are fasting in Ramadan.
Reflection: In using the momentum of Ramadan as a springboard to further reflection. How can we continue doing good works for a local community? How can we make small changes of understanding to further close the gap of misunderstanding? How can we as a family come together and with our own hands help the hungry, care for our neighbor, reconnect with God ( Allah) in a way that is more meaningful than rushed prayers in between activities?Whist reading, each chapter resonates so deeply, touching every chord within me. The perfect, meticulously chosen words have a profound effect. I found myself on a soulful journey, hand in hand, with a companion by my side. A journey of self discovery, spiritual healing, to find purpose & a passage to reconnect with my creator. For each chapter (day) she gives us a story with beneficial knowledge via lessons, Qur'an, Sunnah, Islamic concepts, reminders, proverbs and quotes. These have been beautifully woven together in such a delicate and instructional way that blends fear and hope for ourselves as a means of connecting with our Creator. Maybe celebrating Ramadan here is not as easy as it would be in a Muslim country. However, I would argue that it is more meaningful. We as a Muslim community must work that much harder to implement and institute our religious traditions in a non-Muslim country. In making space for ourselves now, we are also making space for others that come behind us. If that is not in the spirit of Ramadan than I don’t know what else is. Much like Roddenberry himself, Star Trek has a complex relationship with faith and yet in the Federation we have an almost utopian vision of unity in diversity. It’s not just that Starfleet protocol demands that religious beliefs and practices are respected, but rather “to seek out new life and new civilizations” is of the very founding principles of Starfleet itself.
Great Deal 
New Comment