Shely is an Office Administrator at Just 1 Source & Supply. As a colleague of Shely, we wanted to understand a bit more about Shely’s faith and Ramadan. Please read on to understand Ramadan through the eyes of Shely:
What does Ramadan mean to your family?
Ramadan is very special for us – it comes once a year and lasts for a month.
During Ramadan, we begin our fast when the sunrises and break the fast when the sunsets, around (17/18hours). Ramadan is a month where we spiritually prepare ourselves to connect with God ( Allah) and remember him in everything we do. As a family, our main aims for Ramadan are; praying five times a day, reading the holy book (Quran), giving to lots of charities (Zaqat) helping the people in need, and making sacrifices.
When did Ramadan start & finish dates?
It started on the evening of April 1st and ended on the 1st of May.
How have your family prepared each day and coped?
Fasting this year has been relatively easy as the weather wasn’t too hot and the days were shorter. For me, the days went faster as I was working.
We would normally start our fast as soon as the sun rises (3.45 am), this is where we perform the first prayer of the day (Fajr) and go to sleep. When we wake in the morning we would follow our daily routine as usual but make sure to pray the daily prayers on time and read the Quran. In the evening, we would start preparing the meals for breaking the fast. This consists of making a variety of dishes. Once it’s time for breaking the fast when the sunsets (8.45 pm) we would all get together and have iftar (break the fast) with dates and water followed by a big meal. After this we get ready for the night prayers, this continues into the early hours of the morning and finishes when we have our last meal (Suhoor) just before the sunrises. It can take a few days to get used to the routine, but it’s all worth it. Although it’s hard not to think about food!
Every week we would prepare food for the family and send them iftar (meal to break the fast). We would also make sure the money we send for charity has reached the right place/people. Each day we would constantly think about God and reflect on everything we have been blessed with and thank god for all the blessings we have.
How do you celebrate Eid (the festival of breaking the fast)?
Eid is a festival we celebrate at the end of Ramadan. On Eid day, men will go to the mosque to perform special Eid prayers. We call our loved ones and greet them ‘Eid Mubarak’. We also wear new Eid clothes, Exchange gifts/surprises, and prepare lots of food for all our friends and family. The celebration normally lasts a few days.