6 Ways to Create an Autism-Friendly Ramadan and Eid

Create Iftar, Taraweeh and Eid Prayer Social Stories

Have your mosque create “social stories” for iftar, Taraweeh, and Eid prayers. Social stories are a pictorial guide to the interactions and procedures for a given situation. It’s a little like a comic strip: It tells a story in words and pictures. If you’ve gone to a government office and not known who to talk to, if you need an appointment to do so, or you need to know what form to request to solve your problem, etc., you’ve experienced a little of what it can be like for someone with autism to enter a new situation. It’s confusing, frustrating and often overwhelming not knowing what is happening, what to expect or when things will happen.

Social stories for iftar should include when, where and how people get food, where they eat and where it is acceptable to sit. Social stories for Taraweeh should include the number of rakat the imam intends to pray, the timing of breaks and what is acceptable to do during them, etc. Eid social stories should walk the reader through takbir Eid prayer, and what is expected after the Eid khutbah.

Resources on creating social stories:

http://www.autism.org.uk/living-wit…

http://www.friendshipcircle.org/blo…

Next: Create a Quiet Room