My First Ramadan?

Question

In one week I will be leaving for Morocco to be married and will be living there for 4 or 5 months.

I am more than excited but at the same time I am nervous as Ramadan approaches.

I embraced Islam on December 31,2007 so everything is new to me.

I feel like a baby just learning to walk.

Can anyone give me advice about how not to break fast or what to expect?

I know my future husband and his family will be there guiding me along the way but I just wanted to have an idea of what to excpect.

Thank You

Answer 1

congrats sister!

well there are no surprises in Ramadan, the only unexpected is to gain more rewarding from Allah (swt), i recommend you to fast tomorrow and discover what would happen yourself, inshallah you will love fasting and love Ramadan as well.

good luck.

Answer 2

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

Answer 3

Everyone else has given really good answers, so I don't have too much to add as far as the spiritual aspects of fasting goes. I will focus on the mere physical practicalities.

Just remember, most people who were born as muslims have been doing this from about seven so it comes easily for us. Its going to be a bit more challenging for you since you are not accustomed to it.

Eat before sunrise, but don't over-eat, especially if you plan to go back to bed because then you will just feel sick. And don't overeat when you break your fast, you will feel sick. Rather eat a little, and if you still feel hungry later in the veening you can eat some more.

Drink plenty of fluids before sunrise and after sunset or you might become dehydrated, especially in a hot country like Morocco. Taking a multivitamin is also not a bad idea, although not essential. You will be surprised how resiliant your body really is.

Answer 4

well , being raised by a muslim family made ramadan to me associated with a lot of nice memories , and every country has it's own costums in food types or what they do

but the main thing that at the first days you'll be hungry and thirsty but you'll manage to ignore it the whole day till the after noon , that's where you get anxious waiting for the sunset

and then when it comes , you'll be very happy and in moroccow i hear that they make delicious food in ramadan

every islamic country has some types of food made only in ramadan

you'll probably forget sometimes during the day that you are fasting , but it's ok , don't worry just carry on fasting and ignore it , and in days you'll get used to it

it may look hard and sometimes feel hard , but trust me , it's amazing , and after ramadan is over you'll gonna miss it

Answer 5

congratulations

Allah needs more female suicide bombers

Answer 6

The feeling of accomplishment and serenity and the joy of breaking the fast makes the day go by fast. Hydrate yourself early if you are in a hot climate. Read the Quran 1 Juz for every 30 days and you will have completed it during Ramadan. Follow the others people's prayers as Ramadan prayers differ than as salat do your best but in the end you will feel the most amazing indescribable feeling of joy and the festivities of Eid. Breakfast is usually light. Stay busy read pray you will feel pangs of hunger but remember there are those who don't eat at all in places of the world and in the evening when you break your fast you remember how fortunate the food Allah SWT provides also this is a time of family and tradition. It is a holy holiday but one that many look forward to Masha Allah practice your as salat and ask for Strength... in dua you have months to prepare and learn much you get back what you put in. It is a minor abstinence from sun up to sun down Allah SWT is Merciful. Inshallah you will feel the love ,joy, peace, and blessings during this special month.

Answer 7

Read Quran and hadith. You will get to know the right thing.

Answer 8

I think you should expect the worst, sorry but you,  as a woman ,I doubt would even be allowed to look at the internet. Seriously, I had a friend who did it, and unless you are completely masochistic then you better have an out card handy.Its not the same Islam as here, and even then one should be wary.

Answer 9

Congratulations!!!

May Allah bless your first Ramadaan, and all the ones after it ameen.  

And may Allah bless you with a beautiful, loving marriage for the rest of your life, ameen.

{{{ hugs }}}

Ok.. The best way to prepare for Ramadaan is by learning as much as you can about its practice from the Qur'aan and Sunnah, from before hand.  Also to fast atleast some days of the month of Sha'ban (since it is recommended to fast this special month also).  This will give you a head start on what to do and what to expect.

When you have a greater purpose in what you are doing, i.e. fasting, you will forget about its hardship, or cud care less about them.  The pleasure is in fasting for the sake of Allah.  

If you don't start fasting before Ramadaan(it's ok if u don't), many people often feel pretty tired throughout the day for the the first 10 days or so... towards the end though most get very or somewhat used to it (it also depends on the length of the day I suppose).  Also, if you don't know much about the importance of Ramadaan, what to do, what not to do.. you probably won't be able to strive your best to make the best of it!  And you REALLY REALLY want to make the best of it!

You'd probably like to read much of Qur'aan, as Ramadaan is the month of recitation of the Qur'aan.  Don't limit yourself thinking, I'll read only 2 juz today... if you can read more, read more, or even memorise some surahs.  If you don't know how to read Qur'aan in Arabic, may be work on that?  Do extra ibaadah that are most rewarding in terms of reward in this world and in the hereafter.  And try to make less talking and more work... as talking often leads to back-biting or the lack of investment of the special ramadaan moments.(i.e. computer wud be one of them?)

You would may be also like to give much charity in this month, inshallah.  As prophet was very generous in this month and gave much charity.. and every good deed has increased amount of rewards.

Having a healthy diet is very crucial part of it.  The suhr and iftaar should be light, but healthy.  the sunnah way to break fast is 3 dates, or water or milk (as far as i remember.. anyone can feel free to correct me inshallah).  And eventhough you might go by days without enough liquid, but it is very important to be hydrated.  I don't know the Moroccan traditions, but many people tend to eat very un-healthy specially at the time of iftaar.. try not to as much as you can (as i understand, you won't b in your own home)... also many people make the iftaar very long and pray maghrib late.. which cud be quite attractive sometimes.. to relax after food... but remember!!! ur fast was for the sake of Allah and prayer is more important than the fast!!!  you can pray and eat again, that would make it easy on your stomach as well.

One good thing is, :) you'd be hearing the athaan loud inshallah unlike in the west.  And if its possible you might want to go to the masjid for traweeh prayers, or might even want to break ur fast in the masjid, so you won't have to hurry to masjid after iftaar.  The last ten nights there might be night prayers in some masjid which you might want to join.  It is nice to join prayers in the masjid specially when you don't know enough Qur'aan to recite at home.  So your schedule can become quite busy by the Grace and Mercy of Allah.

Also to keep in mind, when you go on ur period, don't leave your worship.  You will miss the times you spend without productively using them.  Yes you may not pray the traweeh that time, nevertheless you can make dua's, athkaar/remembrance etc.  

And Allah knows best!  I hope that helped!  And below are some information about ramadaan.  [Please feel free to correct if I have any mistakes.  Jazak Allahu khairun wa barakallaahu fikum]

You are very welcome!

Wa aleikis salaam wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuh

____________________________

Narrated by Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (Radhiallaho anho):

Allah's Messenger (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) said "Whoever fasts the month of Ramadan, obeying all of its limitations and guarding himself against what is forbidden, has in fact atoned for any sins he committed before it." Ahmad and alBaihaqi related this hadith with a good chain.

The Messenger of Allaah (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) said: ((Whoever does not abandon evil speech and actions, then Allaah is not in need of him having left his food and drink)), [Transmitted by al-Bukhaaree].

((Whoever provides (food or water) for a fasting person (to break his fast at the appointed time), then for him is the reward similar to that of his (the fasting person) without any reducing in the reward of the fasting person)), [Saheeh, transmitted by al-Bukhaaree]

u can search Ramadaan in this website: http://www.salafipublications.com/sps/

http://theclearsunnah.wordpress.com/cate...

you can also join yahoo groups.. including the 2 below inshallah:

welcome-2-islam

muttaqiyyah

Answer 10

Wow, congrats sister :)

Don't eat a lot on the night before fasting.. If you eat a lot..

you might throw up the next day and you'll be so hungry..

Don't forget to take "sahur" ( eat before fasting )..

I can give you a lot of advice.. but, my grammar is too bad.. so I hope other will guide you :)

Answer 11

Salam for you my dear sister..Congratulate for your wedding and welcome to enter Islam a peaceful religion which is only Islam the one religion blessed by Allah.

For your first ramadan I give you some information and suggestion :

1)Please practise fasting as a warming up on the month of Syaban a month before ramadan at least on every monday and thursday

2)Say a niat or intention for fasting at the night before the tomorrow morning you start  the first fasting during ramadan in the name of Allah

3)Make a breakfast just at least 1 hour before shubuh praying time

4)Do not eat foods and drinks and do not say or act bad doings during the day since shubuh up to maghrib time

5)Do mandatory shalat on time at least 5 times a day plus sunnah shalat before or after it except after ashar and shubuh shalat

6)Do taraweeh shalat as sunnah after isya shalat for 11 or 23 raka'ats in togetherness

7)recite Qur'an and understand its meaning and hear religion sermons at the mosque or any other places

8)give alms or donation to the poor and give fitrah in the form of money or rice or grain for 3 and a half litre

9)do not fasting if you have a monthly period and avoid also reciting Qur'an After you finished your menstruation you must take a bath with washing also your hair and then the next you start again for fasting. You must replace the days you did not fast during ramadan the same total days after Idel Fitri

10) serve well your husband and your parents and sister/brother  in law  with good halal foods and drinks as they like for breaking the fast

11)wear clothes with hijab if you are going out with your husband and his family and say salam to someone who meet you.

12) say bismillah when you start anything good doing and say also alhamdulillah after finished it such as breaking fast by drinking water and eat dates,taking a bath,going sleep,going out and come back home, etc

Answer 12

alhumdulliah. i remember my first ramadan 7 yrs ago and it wasn't as hard as i thought it would be. just make sure you eat a hearty suhoor( the meal bfore the fast starts. i like to eat things like oatmeal or homemade rice pudding. something that sticks to the ribs and drink plenty of water as well. some days i've even missed suhoor and was perfectly fine. i also made dua that Allah gave me stength to make it through the day. and trust me if i can fast working at mc donald's for 8hrs. it should me a piece of cake. don't think a/b it and study and read Qu'ran to keep your mind off of food.

Answer 13

SubhanAllah, dubble Congrations sister, for accepting the best way of life and for yr marriage.

As a revert myself i very well understand how u feel. Don't worry :) InshaAllah, Allah will surly help you and u wont believe that how u could stay hungry all day, bcoz u r doing it for the Love of your Lord.

U can try to keep Sunnah fasts (on Monday and Thursday, if i am not wrong) somedays. But i'd suggest get used to getting up very early in the morning. :) that'll help a lot.

If in case, while fasting you are really feeling hungry, u can read SubhanAllah, Alhumdulliah and InshaAllah that'll help your stomach sooth. :) I;ve tried that and i have been amazed by that:).

and my last advise is don't worry and be happy and enjoy your perious moments :) and Ramdan is also apporching i am really exicted :) ...

Answer 14

subhaaan Allah! you made me tear up from happiness..Allahu akbar! welcome home sister:D

this is my first ramadan (completed) as well. i did the last three weeks of ramadan then embraced islam at the end of it:D

some things i did was drink alot before the sun rose, as well as eating things such as a strong breakfast of alot of carbs and meat and eggs. (to coat your stomach and have slow burning foods in your system as it will last longer throughout the day

when breaking fast, try to do it in the mosque, or with your family or both lol. remember to ask Allah to bless your food (if you forget then remember, say it then it ok)

ramadan is great! one of the things you will notice is once you break your fast, food will start to taste soooo much better trust me!

during ramadan, be humble in all you do, and try to give charity when you can:D

if you have any more questions, feel free to email me.

good luck and may Allah make it easy on you this ramadan!

mashallah mashallah Allah is the greatest