Getting Ready for Ramadan

Ramadan starts on Wednesday, August 9, 2010, or according to the Islamic Calendar, 1 Ramadan 1431 AH. This will be my first Ramadan since I adopted Islam, and I must admit, I am a bit nervous about observing it correctly. I don’t really know the prayers to say in the morning before Fajr, but I will look them up on the Internet. I will attend the Salaat and Iftar (light dinner) at Imam Mahdi Masjid in the evening. I know that there is also Qur’an recitation and duaas each night. From what I’ve read, many masjids time the Qur’an recitations so that the entire Qur’an is recited during Ramadan.

I’m a little worried that I might have trouble with the fasting. I have been getting up early to say Fajr at the proper time (new for me), but during Ramadan, I have to eat BEFORE the time for Fajr. Getting up at 5:00 or 5:15 a.m. will not be easy for me. Then I cannot eat nor can I drink until after Maghrib. I asked Ayesha D. if she had any advice for me in observing Ramadan, but this is actually the first Ramadan she will be observing since she reverted and began practicing Islam in earnest. I was thinking about asking Abudharr for advice, or Narjis. I know they would give me good advice. I know I’ll be ok about not eating, but I worry about not drinking anything. I often have to take medicine, and I know that’s allowed, but still.... Abudharr left me an Arabic message on FB, so I should look at it and ask him for advice. Maybe he would meet me for coffee Monday or Tuesday and he could tell me what I need to know.

Palwasha has sent me a message on FB, so I need to write her a long message. I haven’t been on FB in a long while. I will give her Cassie’s and Jackie’s email addresses, and perhaps they can start a friendship. It would be great for them to have a friend their age in another culture.
I also began my gluten-free diet today. I had a poppy-seed bagel, which was not at all good: dry, tasteless, and the fact that I used the rancid butter from my fridge didn’t help the taste. When I tried to split the bagel to toast it, it was a bit frozen still and half of it fell apart. I froze the rest, and will try the English muffins next. When I do the bagel next time, I will certainly use cream cheese. That will help the taste. I tried lemon wafer cookies (good) and pretzels (very good). I also had yogurt today. Though it is 6:30 p.m., I really am not terribly hungry. I have a steak teriyaki bowl that I could eat; that is gluten-free.

I’ve been reading the Qur’an today and also a book about the Qur’an. Sort of getting ready for Ramadan. I also have a book of devotions for each day of Ramadan. It was written by an American woman who converted to Islam. I think that will be good.

I have not heard from Sabrina in 2 days. Yesterday I took the girls and their friend Elizabeth to lunch after Silver Bells practice, so I missed Juma’a. But they so seldom have a friend over, and she is a nice girl. I imagine Sabrina is in a panic as she gets ready for the cruise. They leave next Saturday. My next transporting of the girls is Wednesday afternoon, for Prep Day. I hope they complete their reading assignment and written assignments prior to their trip. I guess we are going to church tomorrow; I haven’t heard differently.

I’m starting to get a bit hungry now. Off to forage in the fridge and the gluten-free box!