Ramadan Presentation For Non Muslim Host Families

RAMADAN
How Non-Muslim Host Families can Better Prepare and Support Muslim Students During Ramadan

Quick Islamic Definitions
~ Islam: Surrender to the will of the one God, called Allah in arabic (Muslim’s religion/day of life)
~ Muslim: Believer of Islam
~ Five Pillars of Islam: Obligatory duties of all Muslims
~ Qur’an:Blessed book of God’s words revealed to the Last Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) by Angel Gabriel
~ Shahadah: Declaration of Faith ~ The first pillar which states
“I testify that there is no god but God and
Muhammad is His Messenger”

What is Ramadan?
~ 1 of the 5 Pillars of Islam.
~ Obligatory month of fasting for adult Muslims from dawn to dusk.
~ The Qur’an was revealed during this month.
~ Muslims believe that Fasting & Performing Night Prayers with sincere faith is a means to having one’s sins forgiven.
~ Muslim believe that the gates of Heaven are opened, gates of Hell are closed, and the devil is chained up during Ramadan.

Ramadan Greetings
~ Ramadan Mubarak:
Blessed Ramadan
~ Ramadan Kareem:
Generous blessings of Ramadan

~ Who Should Pray:
~ One who reaches puberty
~ Who Should Not Pray, and Do Not Have to Make Up Their Fast:
~ Physically and Mentally Challenged
~ Elderly
~ Who Should Not Pray, but Must Make Up Their Fast
~ Long-Distant Traveler
~ Pregnant and Nursing Women
~ Menstruating Women
Who Should and Should Not Pray?

What Does It Mean to Fast?
~ Muslims must fast from dawn to sunset every day.
~ Food, drinks, sexual relations or smoking during the daylight hours is not allowed.
~ One is expected to do his best to practice self control & discipline,
~ Control anger,
~ Refrain from using harsh language or insults, and
~ To tolerate, forgive and respect others.

Benefits of Fasting
~ Builds self-control and will-power to better resist worldly temptations (such as excessive food intake, drugs or other unhealthy substances), peer-pressure, and refrain from unhealthy behaviors.
~ Helps one to feel compassion for the poor and needy.
~ Help one appreciate the many blessings and gifts (such as comfort and convenience) one possesses.
~ Purifies one’s body* and soul.
~ Opportunity to reflect and appreciate Faith and Family.
~ Develop a greater sense of generosity and forgiveness.
* Numerous scientific research proves that there are many health benefits of
a Muslim’s annual fast during the month of Ramadan.

More Helpful Islamic Definitions
~ Adhan (Azan): Call to Prayer
~ Fajr: Dawn Prayer
~ Suhoor: Morning meal consumed before the adhan for fajr
~ Margrib: Sunset Prayer
~ Iftar: “Break—fast”. The meal breaking the fast after the adhan for maghrib
~ Ishaa: Night Prayer
~ Taraweeh:Prayers made after Ishaa, preferred in congregation at the masjid (mosque)

Interpreting the Muslim Prayer Calendar
~ Please note:
~ Fajr = Fajr Athan (Call for prayer) and Imsak (Starting of fast)
~ Maghrib = Maghrib Athan (Azan) and Iftar (Breaking of fast).
~ Recommended Calendar:
~ http://islamicfinder.org (English version)
Calendar shown is for Ramadan 2010 Prayer Time Schedule

So When Does Ramadan Begin?
~ Ramadan is expected to begin August 11, 2010 (God willing).
~ Ramadan begins when the crescent moon is sighted.
~ How do you know? Ask your local masjid (mosque) or any Muslim community.

~ Suhoor
~ Fasting
~ Iftar
~ Taraweeh
Typical Day During Ramadan

Typical Suhoor
~ Your student will eat suhoor,
~ Then, pray fajr,
~ Possibly read Qur’an, and
~ Return to sleep.
~ Tip: It’s beautiful to watch the sunrise together. So, give it a try.
Getting up for suhoor will be around 4:15 am this year. (2010)

Recommended Foods
~ Slow-digesting foods that last up to 8 hours
~ Slow-digesting foods are foods that contain grains and seeds like barley, wheat, oats, millet, semolina, beans, lentils, whole meal flour, unpolished rice, etc. (called complex carbohydrates).
~ Fiber: Fiber-containing foods are bran-containing foods, whole wheat, grains and seeds, vegetables like green beans, peas, marrow, spinach, and other herbs like the leaves of beetroot (iron-rich), fruit with skin, dried fruit, especially dried apricots, figs and prunes, almonds, etc.
~ Well-balanced meals, containing foods from each food group, i.e. fruits, vegetables, meat/chicken/fish, bread/cereals and dairy products.

Not Recommended or Forbidden Foods
~ Not Recommended Foods:
~ Fast-burning foods are foods that contain sugar, white flour, etc. (called refined carbohydrates).
~ Fried foods are unhealthy and should be limited. They cause indigestion, heart-burn, and weight problems.
~ Forbidden Foods
~ Pork and pork products

Tips for Making Suhoor Easier for You & Your Student
~ Prepare food & set it out the night before.
~ Quick & easy protein-rich foods include, cheese, olives, hard-boiled eggs, jam served with bread.
~ Drinks: While some cultures like tea, it is preferred to drink rich fruit juices, milk and water.
~ Religious Preference is to start & break one’s fast with water and dried dates.
~ ASK ~ Your student may have some preferences that you can shop together & learn more about each other.
~ Surprising your student by guessing his/her favorite food can be expensive (buying from the world market section of your supermarket) and impractical if you don’t know how to prepare it, or worse he/she doesn’t like it.

Typical Ramadan Day
~ Recommended Muslim Duties During The Day
~ Fast
~ Read & Recite the Qur’an
~ Perform i’tikaaf (Praying & reflecting by oneself)
~ Perform extra good deeds (such as volunteering)
~ Give alms (Charity to the poor and needy)

Common Problems & Solutions
~ Common Problems:
~ Lethargy and being tired,
~ Periodic headache, constipation,
~ Low blood pressure, or gastritis, and
~ Caffeine withdrawal
~ Solutions:
~ Encourage your student to partake in the recommended duties of the previous slide.
~ Allow him/her to rest, and relax.
~ Prepare iftar together & discuss the benefits of the pious act of fasting. (This is a very rewarding experience).
~ Praise his/her efforts.

Tips for Iftar
~ Muslims break their fast with water & dates.
~ It is preferred to pray before eating, so don’t be surprised if your student doesn’t run to the dinner table ;-)
~ Don’t be alarmed if your student does not eat all of his/her meal immediately. A gradual approach is spiritually and biologically preferred.
~ During your snacks & meals, please try not to eat in front of your student.
Iftar will be approximately 8:45pm this year. It is not expected that you would change your meal times for your student, but your company during their Iftar is appreciated.

Typical Taraweeh with Tips
~ One may pray and recite Qur’an quietly by themselves at home, however
~ It is preferred at the masjid since many rewards are given to those who can pray in congregation.
~ Tip: Encourage your student to pray Taraweeh in the masjid on weekend nights.

The Night of Power (Layat-al-Qadr) & The Last Ten Days of Ramadan
~ The Qur'an was first revealed to Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.
~ It falls on one of the odd-numbered nights of the last ten days of the month (21st, 23rd, 25th, or 27th of Ramadan).
~ Muslims believe that worship on this night is more valuable than a thousand months.
~ Therefore, many Muslims spend the entire last ten days in extra worship or retreat to the masjid.

Eid ul-Fitr (Festival of the Fast)
~ Eid Greeting: Eid Mubarak
(Blessed Festival)
~ Once the crescent moon of Shawwal appears, Ramadan is completed & the Festival of the month of fasting (Eid ul-Fitr) begins.
~ Typical events:
~ Muslims observe Eid prayer which is performed in congregation after fajr but before dhuhr (mid-day prayer),
~ Muslims wear their best clothes,
~ Visit family & friends, and
~ Enjoy a feast.
~ In our house, we say
“Eid = Festival or Feast: Food, Family, Friends & Fun!”
~ It lasts 3 days.

Don’t Worry!
~ Ramadan is a time for goodness, blessings, worship & obedience to God; yet, He is Most Merciful,
~ “And march forth in the way (which leads to) forgiveness from your Lord, and for Paradise as wide as the heavens and the earth, prepared for Al-Muttaqoon (the pious).
~Those who spend (in God’s Cause) in prosperity and in adversity, who repress anger, and who pardon men; verily, God loves the good‑doers.
~And those who, when they have committed illegal sexual intercourse or wronged themselves with evil, remember God and ask forgiveness for their sins; — and none can forgive sins but God— and do not persist in what (wrong) they have done, while they know.
~For such, the reward is forgiveness from their Lord, and Gardens with rivers flowing underneath Paradise, wherein they shall abide forever. How excellent is this reward for the doers (who do righteous deeds according to Allah’s Orders)”
[Qu’ran 3:133-136]
~ Eating or drinking out of forgetfulness is okay.
~ “Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall into error”[Qur’an 2:286]
~ Suhoor is not a condition of fasting.
~ The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Have suhoor, for in suhoor there is blessing.” (Bukhari).

Acknowledgements
All praise and thanks belong to Allah, the Lord of the Universe. May there be the blessings and peace upon the last Prophet Muhammad, his family and companions and all those to follow his footsteps. May Allah accept our work, such as this presentation, as a humble act of worship to please Him and Only Him. May He forgive us if we misrepresented anything in our deen (religion or way of life) and/or led anyone astray, as this was not our intention and any errors or faults are of our own, for You are Perfect, The Most Merciful, Most Beneficent. ~Ameen.
Designers:
~Nacema ElOrra, ACES Local Coordinator www.ExploreTheWorld.org
& Contributor AmericanMuslimMom.com.
Email: nacema@marykay.com
~Ponn M. Sabra, Best-Selling Author & Founder/Owner AmericanMuslimMom.com.
Email: ponn@americanmuslimmom.com
~http://AmericanMuslimMom.comis the number one blog community for American Muslim Moms that offers free tips, tools, reviews, and contests, to help raise pious Muslim Kids today. The majority of readers are non-Muslims, so come join us today!

Ramadan Presentation For Non Muslim Host Families

by Ponn Sabra on Mar 09, 2010

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