This blog is published for the sake of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala and the thousands of Muslims raised or reverts, or even non-Muslis, who might be living in areas where they are not able to experience Ramadan in a Muslim community; so we, at MWA, invite you to be a part of our community in Ramadan.

The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur'an, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong) Al-Baqarah 2:185

Established in 2006, Muslimah Writers Alliance (MWA) is an internationally-based collaboration of Muslim women writers and advocates working together to counter negative and inaccurate perceptions regarding members of the Muslim community and the Islamic faith.

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

10-Top-Tips for a Happy Ramadan by MWA's Eren Cervantes-Altamirano

In the past few years I have realized that the one-Ramadan-arrangement-fits-all actually fits none. The Ramadan experience is as individual as each one of us, and in order to be successful we need to identify what works and what does not. These are things that I have learned in the past four years. (Read More)

ABOUT EREN CERVANTES-ALTAMIRANOV
Eren Arruna Cervantes is a University student in Canada. She specializes in gender politics and feminist religious movements, particularly Islamic Feminism. She is a convert to Islam since 2009 and hopes to become an Islamic scholar in the future. In addition to being a member of Muslimah Writers Alliance, Eren also writes for Muslmah Media Watch and hosts a travel blog.

 

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

MWA's Zainab John Reviews Children's Book: Ramadan by Farah Kinani

Leila, the daughter of one of Kinani's friends, was the inspiration for this book. Leila told Kinani what happened one day at School when she told her friends she would not be joining them for lunch. Her friends who at the time did not know nor understand anything about Ramadan,the Muslim holy month of fasting, encouraged Leila to hide and eat or have something to drink, and some even thought Leila was being punished or on a time out. Kinani, shocked by the children's response, decided to visit Leila's school to give  a short talk about the holy month of Ramadan. Hence, this book is the author's attempt to educate and answer questions about Ramadan and to give mainly the non-Muslim reader, primarily children and teens, some idea of what Muslims do during Ramadan.

It is a well-informed piece of writing with several colourful illustrations, a glossary and Islamic calendar at the end of the book. The language and writing style is simple and very descriptive, making it easy for children to read and understand. Therefore, I  think it's a wonderful and smart choice of book for both Muslim and non-Muslim children alike to learn about Ramadan, its significance and the different rituals practised by Muslims during this month. I think it would also be very useful to teachers who wish to educate their class of majority non-Muslim children about Ramadan.

Monday, June 24, 2013

The Importance of Gratitude in Ramadan and Beyond

Often we seek Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala during difficult times or perhaps more often when we are seeking fulfillment of our needs. However, we should ask for and seek Him steadfastly, particularly when things are going well in our lives.

During times of ease is our time to thank Him and praise Him for all the blessings He has provided us.

"And [remember] when your Lord proclaimed, 'If you are grateful, I will surely increase you' [in favor]…" (Qur'an 14:7)