Ramadhan - The Blessed month of Allah

How cool is the bloggers and blogerrettes out there , they are already in the Ramadan Spirit and trying their best to please their readers and giving them a little excitement, fun , contests, charitable ideas and many more !

I think that’s nice plus they have their own different ideas !

Lets start with .. mmm with mine!

The holy month of Ramadan has started and as one of the Five Pillars (duties) of Islam, Muslims are fasting for the whole month, meaning; stop eating and drinking from dawn (sahur) to sunset (iftar). These two meals of sahur and iftar are not only ritualistic part of fasting.  Ramadan is a very unique month, uniting families, friends and strangers in an experience that is both collective and personal.  It is a chance to get together for family and friends and be it in the Masjeed or home with all our loved ones.

After the Magrib Fardh (evening) prayers to Allah, the fast is broken by firstly remembering Allah with Bismillah and a pinch of salt or Khak-e-Shifa (Karballa soil), then proceed with eating dates, while the most common drinks are dates and tea. 
Then the other prayer of the evening is completed and then the feast begins with all togather with different varities of food, fruit drinks, tea, compotes & desserts.  Always make sure not ot stuff yourself with food as it makes you lazy and this is the month where we want to obtain most from Allah by doing Ibada (prayers).

Islam, which means ‘submission’ in English, refers to individuals who live in a state of submission to God. As a Muslim, I espouse belief in one God, and believe wholeheartedly that God has sent a Guide to living to humanity through numerous prophets, the last of whom was Muhammad ﷺ. The Last Prophet’s revelations began in Ramadan and continued for more than two decades to form the Quran, or ‘The Recitation’ in English, God’s message for all of humanity.

It is He who sent down to thee (step by step), in truth, the Book, confirming what went before it; and He sent down the Law (of Moses) and the Gospel (of Jesus) before this, as a guide to humankind, and He sent down the criterion of judgment (Quran 3:3)

For those who do have a sincere faith in Allah and varying degrees of spiritual practice, this time of year is momentous if purely for its historical significance. In the Quran, God obliges all believers to fast from the break of dawn to sunset during the sacred month, with exceptions made for those whose health prevents them from the fast. (Quran 2:185).

Spiritually, the month promises immense rewards. Year in and year out, Ramadan is the same, but the way we draw benefit from it shifts throughout our lives depending on how we approach it. God gives us a great deal of space to discover our personal relationships with Him on our own terms. Much of the benefit we can derive during Ramadan are uncovered at our own volition.

 “The month of Ramadan is the month of God in which the doors of Heaven are open, which is full of His Mercy, Blessings and Forgiveness. It is the best of months, its days are the best of days, its hours the best of hours; the month in which one’s breath counts as an act of worship, even sleep becomes a gesture of worship and, most importantly, our prayers are answered and sins are forgiven.”

The call to prayer at fajr, the sunrise prayer, breaks this silence, reminding us as we sit in quiet devotion that we are part of a community. From dozens of nearby mosques, the Athan (call to prayer) would resound out of sync, yet in a way that is perfectly melodious and captivating in the crisp morning air.

My experience during Ramadan, while on the surface appearing incredibly collective, can be immensely personal. We can choose to open doors to explore new levels of our relationships with the Almighty, or we can leave them closed for another time. Uncovering the enchanting and raw components of the month of Ramadan is entirely up to us.  Though the annual ritual of fasting takes thirty days its true destination is endless. May we always hunger to discover our heart rill our end. 

More to come as days progress Inshallah.......:)

Ramadan Eye Candy

In Dubai and other Arabic countries the atmosphere of Ramadan is

Vibrant and full of happiness. 

The Malls are my favorite for promoting Ramadan in a creative way.

Their window displays are super-chic and intricately arranged with layers of Arabian-themed items glistening more stunningly giving joy to watch.

With the lovely stars and moon, this place glows and the decor shines bring vibrant atmosphere.  How I love these sights.

For those that may not know… cultural symbols for Ramadan include lanterns (fanouz), calligraphy, dates, and arabesque motifs. (More religious symbols are the Quran and the masjeed.)
Below are photos taken in Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates.

Have I mentioned how much I enjoy Ramadan decorations? Yes, I realize mall decorations are materialistic, capitalistic, consumeristic, all of the above.  I don’t care.

And my favorite is … Harvey Nichols. Every year this shop has a creative Ramadan themed display in each of their windows. These last three photos are from Harvey Nichols…. 

~Bath Products~

Pamper yourself with different beauty products of Soaps & Scrubs. 

Gift your loved ones this Ramadan or any other Occassion of Celebrations etc. 

So what are you waiting for Indulge yourself in these sweetness!!

SKIN CARE SECRETS


Know Your Skin Type

• If your skin feels tight and sometimes also itchy then you probably have a dry skin. Dry skin at its worst, can also be flaky and wrinkled.

• If your skin feels oily to the touch and is prone to blackheads, acnes and ****les then chances are you have an oily skin.

• Combination skin is, as the name suggests a blend of oily skin and dry skin. Normally, the T-zone, namely the forehead, nose and chin are oily while the rest of the face is dry.

• Normal skin is rare to find. It is the perfect skin and everybody's dream. It has a fine texture without any open pores.

• If your skin is prone to redness and allergies and is sensitive to external factors then you have a sensitive skin.

• Avoid contact with detergents as far as possible.

• Do not use soaps to clean your skin.

• Use a cleansing cream or milk to clean your face.

• Do not rub your skin rigorously. Be gentle on your skin especially on areas like your lips and eyes.

• Splash water on your face, whenever you get the opportunity.

• Use oil based lotions to nourish your skin.

• Instead of ordinary make-up removers, pour a little oil in a cotton pad and use that. However, you can also use oil based make-up removers to remove any make-up.

• Do not use any toner since this will stretch the skin further.

• A moisturizer is a must. Use a lanolin based moisturizer to help retain your skin's natural moisture content.

• Use a night cream before going to sleep.

• Stay away from direct exposure to sun and wind as far as practicable. Use a sunscreen before venturing out in the sun. Protect your eyes with sunglasses.

Skin Care Secrets for Oily Skin

• It is best not to use soap for cleaning your face. Use a gentle facial wash instead.

• For cleaning your body, use scrubs.

• Facial scrubs can effectively clean off the dirt.

• Use astringents to refresh your skin after a wash.

• Do not use moisturizers that contain lanolin. Preferably, use light watery moisturizers. Massage the moisturizer lightly into your skin, wait for a few minutes to let your skin absorb the moisture and then dab lightly with a tissue paper to take off the excess moisture.

• Use face masks to tighten your skin muscles and improve blood circulation.

• Do not use soap, use scrubs and cleansers instead

• Use an oil-based eye makeup remover to remove make up from your eyes and clean the area around your eyes.

• Use a cream cleanser once a day, concentrating on dry areas.

• Use a stronger astringent to tone the oily areas and a mild one for the dry areas.

• Use a lanolin or oil based moisturizer.

• Use sunscreen before going out in the sun.

• Use cleansers and scrubs instead of soap.

• Remove all makeup before going to bed.

• Don't rub your skin after a wash, instead pat it dry.

• Use a toner after washing.

• Use a moisturizer daily after a wash and before going to bed.