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.” I didn’t go into this book expecting a literary masterpiece 🤭— and I didn’t get that— but I was surprised how tender, insightful, and intentional the writing is. I’ve listened to the author speak on her podcast, HonestTeaTalk, and her writing reflected the kind way she speaks.

Once the moon is sighted and my local mosque confirms the end of Ramadan, we would wish family and friends "Chaand Raat Mubarak" (equivalent to Christmas eve) - quite often women and girls decorate their hands with mehndi (henna). I’ll be honest, I was skeptical when I read the word “healing” because it seems to be overused so much these days and it’s not really my thing, but I actually took many positive lessons from that section such as accepting anything that’s happened in the past and being able to just move on. The next section was a reminder to be present with others and with Allah in mind. And the third section reminds the reader to live this life with the ultimate goal of Jannah in mind. Journal about spiritual themes and subjects, encouraging you to turn inwards and pen personal revelations for you.In terms of supporting colleagues, personally I don’t want anyone to avoid eating or drinking around me or apologising because it’s about me exerting self control and having the willpower to fast in all circumstances. I did ask to stagger my hours slightly this year and my manager was very supportive of this, which I truly appreciated. The exact date when Eid falls depends on the sighting of the moon so it can be difficult to book annual leave ahead of time so I know that flexibility about this is appreciated by Muslim colleagues. Aliyah has a unique way with words- whether it’s spoken or written, she has a beautiful way of capturing her audience's hearts & helping with moving it towards Allah. I was moved to tears from the introduction alone and as I read I silently thanked Allah for blessing me with the opportunity to read the book at the time that I did. It’s what my soul needed- I cried as I read chapter after chapter. Her words touched & moved my soul. It felt like a lot of the content was talking directly at me. Once the Eid prayer is finished, we would wish everyone "Eid Mubarak" (means blessed feast/festival). 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.

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.Ramadan Reflections provides readers with an opportunity for deep self-reflection. Through captivating stories and reflections, Aaliyah Umm Raiyaan encourages readers to find a deeper understanding of Islam, as well as to make meaningful connections between the rituals of Ramadan and their everyday lives. She shares personal experiences and speaks from the heart, making this an inspiring and meaningful read for Muslims and non-Muslims alike. 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!

This weekend concluded Ramadan with Eid ul-Fitr – the festival of breaking the fast that marks the end of Ramadan and a religious holiday celebrated by Muslims all around the world. I have enjoyed seeing the many celebration pictures on social media – similar to those of Christmas and other faith festivals involving food, family and festivities.What a journey this book was! It was well-written and encouraging. Sometimes difficult and uncomfortable to read as it comples you to look at the aspect of your life you don't wanna think about it