Ramadan reflections is a unique compilation- partially biographical. The content is filled with a myriad of Quran references, Hadith, sources from scholars, notable authors & words of ordinary people. The book is divided in to 30 parts; a segment intended for each day of Ramadan. Each day is dedicated to a single topic to reflect & ponder upon, a space for assisted journaling & concluded with a perfectly selected, person centred, prescribed Dua. Each topic seamlessly correlating with the previous & proceeding chapter. Ironically each of these corners of the golden triangle has contributed and presented divine gifts to the other corners and we shall review these unique blessings here. I’m super grateful for the many life-changing tidbits I took away from this book🤲🏾. They changed my approach to worship this Ramadan, and hopefully, for every daily worship to come. The book has been written very practically and beautifully. Aliyah has this gift to connect the readers actual feelings and thoughts as if she is inside their own minds. She effortlessly draws clear lines of truths to the truth, while connecting us to our Creator, presenting Him and His Choices and Actions in our lives in such deeply beautiful considerations. She reminds us of our purpose and life in the hereafter. This is her debut book.

You will learn how to prepare your heart and then ask of Allah from a place of sincerity and certainty. This book provides tools to navigate the response to your du’a, developing a close and trusting relationship with The Most High. 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. Ramadan will have ended by the time Assessment Period 2 starts, so it is not likely that students will be affected during exams as a result of fasting. However, staff are encouraged to be aware of students who could still be affected, especially in revision classes and the revision period. The book truly is healing and spiritual- I found myself crying and reflecting often- and the slowing down and really reflecting on powerful parts of our deen was so warming to my heart and so powerful in inspiring me to feel spiritual. There were also often very personal anecdotes shared by the author which were really meaningful and they helped me connect even more to the book and the message of each chapter.Sadly, this Ramadan, many families will have empty seats around the iftar table. Many of us are mourning parents, grandparents, cousins and friends– and too often we were not able to attend their funerals, or grieve as a whole community. During Ramadan, you feel tiredness when you’re busy at work due to waiting up in the night to eat or drink before fasting begins. When it’s warm weather and the heating’s on at work, that makes it harder but this all reminds me of difficulties other people are going through every day and that’s important to me. With a chapter set aside for each day of Ramadan and divided into parts, representing how The Holy Month is divided – it makes it so easy to digest but fulfilling every crevice of your soul at the same time. There is space for journaling – and even for someone like me who finds this difficult, Aliyah’s pointers are very easy to follow and make you interact with your own emotions. She takes you on a journey of story-telling, reflection and making Duah as you go along. But there is no compulsion in any of it and you will find that through taking it in your own pace you will achieve more, than you set out to, with this treasure of a book. With Taqwa we can see clearly who we are, where we are, and where we need to get to, and how we can reach that destination. Ramadan is here to ensure that we have this essential provision with which we can stay safe on our journey of life and attain that cherished destination of eternal rest, peace and joy, and most of all, the ridwan of our Creator and Lord.

At this time of year, fasting throughout the day combined with disturbances in normal sleep patterns can leave individuals feeling more tired than normal, particularly mid-afternoon and towards the end of the day. It is also the case that towards the latter part of the day some individuals who are fasting might feel a little light-headed. The Muslim holy month of Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and traditionally begins and ends based on the sighting of the new moon. This year, Ramadan is expected to run from Wednesday 22 March to Thursday 20 April 2023, which falls in the revision and assessment preparation period for many students. Ellis: While I know for a fact my fast isn’t invalidated, I feel better doing one extra day of fasting after Hari Raya. It’s just a personal preference.

For me, Ramadan is a month for God – 11 months for me and one month dedicated to God. During Ramadan, I appreciate all I have – freedom, food, a drink at the end of the day. I come away feeling very humbled and grateful. I self-reflect and endeavour to make positive changes moving forward, this might be about self-control on portion sizes or the amount I time I spend on social media. We should all be mindful of this important event for the Muslim community and be respectful of colleagues and students who are fasting and some of the challenges they may experience. Supporting students preparing for assessments during Ramadan Most people at work recognise Ramadan, and want to support you, they ask questions, and I enjoy those discussions. At night, we have lovely feasts with family and friends, which I appreciate more than ever since the pandemic, and we are able to go the Mosque and pray in congregation again which is nice. So, this is the first book I have been able to complete in a very long time. It broke boundaries of my short attention span due to the way it has been written – passionately yet succinctly. From the heart, to the point, yet leaving you wanting more. I feel absolutely honoured to have been an early-reader for Aliyah Umm Raiyaan’s Ramadan Reflections and this review comes very honestly, not just a recommendation.

Since getting this book I've read through it twice- it came to me at a time where I was working through some things and I really valued the experience. The very notion of fasting transcends any one faith community. Beyond the physical benefits — which are all the rage of late — fasting as a spiritual discipline has much to offer and this brings us to the final segment of the verse above. Fasting is more than just being hungry and thirsty, it is not an end in and of itself, rather it is a means to obtain something else. The reason why Muslims fast, according to the Islamic scripture, is to attain a higher level of consciousness, specifically a mindfulness that centers around the Divine.The other side is how we see people through our own dirt. If someone’s window is dirty, and we look at them from out on the street, how will they seem? They will look dirty through their own window. It’s like meeting someone with ‘racist dirt’. Instead of seeing the beautiful and worthy soul that they are, we see a ‘racist’, we see dirt. But, let me ask you, does that ever lead to peace? Does seeing people, as the dirt on their window help them clean it? I was first approached to be an early reader of Ramadan Reflections by the author, Aliyah Umm Raiyaan, in late January 2023… Needless to say, being quite a bibliophile and bookworm, I jumped at the opportunity, and here I am - not even 6 weeks later - writing a review of this breathtakingly beautiful book. In fact, I hesitate to use the word book, for this is quite different to anything I have read before. It is interactive but without AI technology. It is guiding, but not controlling or patronising. It is reflective, but most certainly not narcissistic. It can be read in huge, indulgent chunks, whilst snuggled in your comfiest chair with a cuddly blanket and favourite hot drink or can be dipped into sporadically when brief reading opportunities present themselves. One of my favourite reading times is whilst sitting in my car waiting for my children to come out from school. Fasting is between dawn and sunset, during this period Muslims are not allowed to eat nor drink. Fasting is considered to teach self-discipline and reminds us of the suffering of those less fortunate than us. I wish I had this book, Ramadan Reflections when I was a teenager. I would have learned concepts and had reflections that would have shaped me to be a better young woman then, leading to a better older woman now. This special book is an ocean of gems and a fountain of hope. A very comforting part of Ramadan Reflections came quite early on regarding LOVE, particularly the love for oneself. Not the egotistical, self-obsessed, proud version so commonly plastered all over social media nowadays. But the private kind, a connection between oneself and the Lord, one that promotes knowing one’s value and self-worth, all written in the most humbling words. I challenge you to not feel moved!

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This is the word that comes to mind when I think about Aliyah Umm Raiyaan's Ramadan Reflections. With her earnest, and at many times vulnerable, voice at the centre it's intertwined with the classical wisdom of old as well as the wisdom of recent. She's written it in such an intimate way that you almost think she's penning down your own thoughts. SubhanAllah. It's this layering of voice and experience that makes this a timeless piece- that of course I pray continues to earn her ajr until the end of time. 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? 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. Fawaz: I don’t mind this at all as well. Go ahead and enjoy your food and drinks. However, I’ll definitely say it’s sweet and a mark of good manners when we ask before we do something that might be different from what the people around us might be doing. 3. What if you accidentally eat or drink something during the day?