But the impact of COVID on our community goes beyond our collective grief. The pandemic has had many other consequences, which could stay with us for many years to come. With parents and carers losing jobs and wages, even more families are struggling to feed their children, heat their homes – and afford the technology and data needed for almost all communication. Then there is the impact on children and parents’ mental health – already at crisis point before the pandemic.

Aisha’s demonstration of trust and Tawakkul in Allah during her hardships is one of the most important lessons we can take away from her life. The story of the ifk, the forged statement, was narrated by Aisha herself in a lengthy hadith ( Bukhari 4750 ) and there are many lessons in faith, perseverance and trust in Allah to be taken from this hadith alone.

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Curiously, the Qur’anic injunction for fasting the month of Ramadan touches on a similar thread of commonality. God says, “...fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may be mindful of God.” (2:183) Let’s break this down. You need to be patient with yourself. Some days, despite your efforts, will not go to plan. You need to trust when Allah intervenes and turns your plans upside down, placing you on a different path. You need to be patient for the answer to your du’a. You need to be patient when you feel you are doing this alone, unsupported. You need to choose patience because patience is always needed on any journey and this journey of God-consciousness is the most intense, most surprising, most beautiful and yet testing journey of them all. Know when you choose patience, really choose it from deep within, know “Allah is with the patient” (Surah Anfal 8:46)”

This is not just a read for Ramadan, but a resource you can turn to at any time in life and some particular times in life when you need that special reminder of your own goals and prayers that have been forgotten and waiting to be actioned. Ramadan Reflections will slow you down in this fast-paced world of ours and Aliyah does this through connecting to Allah (SWT) and being very real with what she reveals. Last but not least, I feel there is a place for everyone in this book simply because it’s a journey of the soul – for Muslims, non-Muslims, for people of no faith – it will move you in some way and just connect with yourself. If you are a stranger to the title in the third chapter or are emotionally guarded she will challenge you to feel. Make sure you read Ramadan Reflections where you have few distractions. The Quranic ayahs, ahadith, and duas are beautiful and need to be savoured. Ramadan reflections is a unique compilation- partially biographical. The content is filled with a myriad of Quran references, Hadith, sources from scholars, notable authors & words of ordinary people. The book is divided in to 30 parts; a segment intended for each day of Ramadan. Each day is dedicated to a single topic to reflect & ponder upon, a space for assisted journaling & concluded with a perfectly selected, person centred, prescribed Dua. Each topic seamlessly correlating with the previous & proceeding chapter. I also appreciate the dua invitations and the journaling/question prompts included after every chapter. It firmly encourages intentional reading. EXCLUSIVE: ‘No way near far enough,’ leader of Lib Dems calls on PM to step up humanitarian commitment to besieged GazansSaudi Arabia: MBS stressed to PM Sunak it considered targeting civilians in Gaza by Israel “henious crime” As our second Ramadan of the pandemic approaches, I’ve been reflecting on the last year, and thinking about what lies ahead. Last Ramadan was extremely challenging for many in our community. Above all, it felt lonely: There were no communal iftars. No visiting the masjid. No breaking bread with friends and family. No tarawih. And there was also a huge amount of grief. We knew very little about Covid-19, except that it was claiming many, many lives. Later, official data confirmed what we were seeing on the ground – that people from minority ethnic communities were far more likely to become seriously ill and to lose their lives from the virus. UK: Faith leaders condemn rise in antisemitism but not Islamophobia, call for unity between faith communities For each chapter (day) she gives us a story with beneficial knowledge via lessons, Qur'an, Sunnah, Islamic concepts, reminders, proverbs and quotes. These have been beautifully woven together in such a delicate and instructional way that blends fear and hope for ourselves as a means of connecting with our Creator. Mai Hussain, Senior Specialist Occupational Therapist in the Critical Care/Surgery Therapy Team, based at MRI.

During this month Muslims will make a deeper effort to abstain from things considered to be impure for the mind and body. Those that take part in Ramadan abstain from food, drink and impure thoughts between the hours of sunrise and sunset, allowing them instead to focus on their faith and reflect. I believe majority of the Muslims will try to give up bad habits during Ramadan. It is a time for prayer and good deeds. They will try to spend time with family and friends and help people in need. They will do special prayers called Tarawee prayers at the mosque and focus on strengthening their ties with family and communities. Once the Eid prayer is finished, we would wish everyone "Eid Mubarak" (means blessed feast/festival).

So, this is the first book I have been able to complete in a very long time. It broke boundaries of my short attention span due to the way it has been written – passionately yet succinctly. From the heart, to the point, yet leaving you wanting more. I feel absolutely honoured to have been an early-reader for Aliyah Umm Raiyaan’s Ramadan Reflections and this review comes very honestly, not just a recommendation. Having had the experience of the second read through, I feel confident in saying that this will easily become the kind of book people will choose to dip in and out of many times and read over again, as there will always be some lesson or comfort to take from it.

I tend to give up playing any sports during the month of Ramadan to minimise the dehydration and therefore the activities for some during the month of Ramadan could be fairly low key. On the day of Eid, the whole family will go to the mosque for the Eid prayer. This usually gives us the chance to meet and greet family and friends. Fasting is between dawn and sunset, during this period Muslims are not allowed to eat nor drink. Fasting is considered to teach self-discipline and reminds us of the suffering of those less fortunate than us. Ramadan lasts 29-30 days and the end of Ramadan depends on when the next Moon is seen. The end of Ramadan is marked by a big celebration called "Eid ul-Fitr" or the festival of breaking of the fast. It's kind of like the Muslim version of Christmas, in the sense that it's a religious holiday where one comes together for big meals with family and friends, exchange presents and gifts for the children and Muslims go to the mosque for the Eid prayer and generally having a good time. Once Eid is announced the plans for the celebrations commence in full swing.

How Ramadan is observed

Each chapter speaks to you and makes you reflect upon your own situation. You are then invited to think differently; take yourself from where you are now to where you’d like to be. The second chapter does this effortlessly. When you read this book it invites you to lovingly change for the better for your life in this world and the next. Since getting this book I've read through it twice- it came to me at a time where I was working through some things and I really valued the experience. Here are some lessons we can learn from the her life: Absolute Tawakkul (trust and reliance) in Allah Once the moon is sighted and my local mosque confirms the end of Ramadan, we would wish family and friends "Chaand Raat Mubarak" (equivalent to Christmas eve) - quite often women and girls decorate their hands with mehndi (henna).