Non-Traditional Foodisms in Ramadan

Last updated on: July 21, 2013 at 3:56 pm By shireen

Every Ramadan, there are delicious food articles and recipe ideas published on various sites and magazines. They are often inspired by peoples’ lived experience with food, memories of traditions and practical ideas for meal preparation in Ramadan. A delicious chutney accompanying a home-cooked samosa, fresh juices, Rooh Azfa cocktails, traditional rice dishes, divinely prepared meats and wonderful smorgasbord of delights at iftaar time. My mother-in-law is a fantastic cook and has spent most of her life committed to feeding her... Read more

Dancing in Ramadan, Tapping into Prayer

Last updated on: July 23, 2013 at 1:46 am By Krista

“When you’re in the moment, just dance. This isn’t the time to think about the choreography or to worry about whether you’re doing it right. You can think about those later. But when it’s time to dance, forget everything else, and just do it. Ignore everything else, and just be in the moment.” The teacher who had come from out of town to lead a few workshops several years ago was talking about tap dancing, but as she spoke, what... Read more

In the Halls of the Hospital: My Decision Not to Fast this Ramadan

Last updated on: July 19, 2013 at 3:40 pm By amina

I’m a resident in Internal Medicine at the University of Toronto and, on July 2nd, I started my first shift as a doctor. It was a 26-hour shift that included a night jam-packed with running between sick patients while thumbing through my textbook to make sure I didn’t miss an important investigation or treatment. As a resident, the amount of time I spend in the hospital is rarely under my control. The week is often long, occasionally upwards of 80... Read more

Solitude and Family: The Best of Both Worlds

Last updated on: July 22, 2013 at 11:56 am By Izzie

As a child, I once visited my aunt in her husband’s house during Ramadan. She had dark circles around her eyes due to lack of sleep, and she was haggard and toiling in the kitchen. She told us that her husband and his brothers all had “varied” food habits when it came to breaking the fast. And since her mother-in-law was too old to help, she had to do it all herself. This image became nightmarish for me. What about... Read more

Friday Links | July 19, 2013

Last updated on: July 19, 2013 at 12:18 am By anneke

A record number of Rohingya women and their children are fleeing Burma/Myanmar by boat, which is a very difficult journey with many hazards along the way. Female Rohingya refugees in Thailand are very vulnerable and often fall prey to human traffickers. Malala Yousufzai, the shot Pakistani schoolgirl, addressed the UN on her sixteenth birthday on July 12, speaking about education for all and her determination to continue her fight. In a letter from a senior Taliban commander to Malala Yousufzai, he says that... Read more

Ramadan Resolutions, Revolving Revolutions: In One Year, Out the Other

Last updated on: July 13, 2013 at 10:49 pm By tasnim

A couple of years ago, I heard a story about an Egyptian woman who decided that she would cook the Ramadan favourites she usually cooked for iftar, but she and her family would not eat the meals she prepared. Instead, the food was distributed among the poor and they broke their fast on flat bread and fava beans. Maybe this is impractical idealism, or even (if you’re cynical) a form of poverty tourism, but the story struck me as a... Read more

Creating a Childlike Ramadan

Last updated on: July 13, 2013 at 12:43 pm By woodturtle

Thick tendrils of white smoke curl around my fingers as I add more bukhoor to the incense burner. Nasheed music wafts softly from the living room, creating a calm, somber atmosphere. My children have just come back from the balcony, certain that the new moon made her appearance despite heavy storm clouds. We smile at each other and lovingly embrace in a group hug — the girls wishing me a good fast before heading off to bed. At least, that’s... Read more

Ramadan Reflection: On Faith and Trayvon

Last updated on: July 16, 2013 at 4:20 pm By Guest Contributor

This post was written by guest contributor Maheen Nusrat. People often think that faith is for the weak, for those who fail to engage rational thinking. I disagree; faith is also for the strong, for those who strive for justice, for those who trust, for those who strive for betterment and for those who believe. The day of the Zimmerman Trial verdict this past weekend was a tragic day in the American history – a day of mourning for people... Read more

My Ramadan Media

Last updated on: July 13, 2013 at 12:28 pm By afia

Okay, okay. I know I’m not supposed to write a media analysis this Ramadan. In fact, one of my resolutions this Ramadan is to leave the television off as much as possible for the whole month. With a few exceptions, of course. For example, I have to switch on the television during sahoor time to watch my favourite Ramadan program, Tafsir Al Mishbah. Professor Quraish Shihab, the central figure of the lecture program, is a very knowledgeable man whose concise... Read more

A Tale of Two Ramadans

Last updated on: July 15, 2013 at 3:07 am By emaan

My grandmother set down a plate of six or seven parathas with determination in her eyes, as though warning us we had no choice but to finish all of them. From the kitchen, pots and pans clacked as our cook constructed omelet after omelet at a pace that could, conceivably, break the sound barrier. My cousins yawned loudly between scavenging mouthfuls. From the couch, my grandfather disapprovingly surveyed the scene. “Ruby,” he said, peeking out from behind yesterday’s copy of... Read more