Ramadan 2024

The last of our insights on Ramadan this year with Sami Mohammed, Hajar El Harti, India Hasimbegovic, Malak Serarfi, Zishan Khan and Farid Hafiz.

What have you enjoyed the most about Ramadan this year?

Gatherings with family and friends, but definitely the iftar at the office as well! - India Hasimbegovic

I always enjoy having Iftar with my close family. In previous years, it was usually just my husband and I as our daughters are too young to fast and iftar was way past their bedtime. But this year, our nine-year-old daughter said she wanted to give it a go and join us for Ramadan. And I have to say, she really did it! I'm so proud of her discipline. - Hajar El Harti

Getting spiritually closer to God and spending more time with my family. - Malak Serarfi

Ramadan has had a profound impact on my spirituality, teaching me valuable lessons and bringing me closer to my beliefs. I have enjoyed every moment spent sharing Sehar/Iftar meals with my family. During Ramadan, there are many delicious dishes to enjoy, such as Haleem and Dahi Wada. I have also enjoyed spending time with my friends and shopping for Eid. - Sami Mohammed

This year, I've particularly enjoyed the sense of spiritual tranquillity and the opportunity for personal reflection that Ramadan brings. The moments of prayer and communal iftars have been especially meaningful, fostering a deeper connection with both my faith and community. - Zishan Khan

I have enjoyed every bit of Ramadan, my most enjoyable part of Ramadan is all Ramadan. Its days, nights, feelings, emotions, kids’ laughter, and their total involvement with lots of questions about the sudden change and energy they find all around. And finally, the search for Laylat al-Qadr, or the Night of Power, which is considered the holiest night of the year, falls within the last ten days of Ramadan. - Farid Hafiz

Did your routine change throughout the month?

Slightly, iftar is quite early this year, but since there are a lot of gatherings, you stay up a little longer and have a little bit less of sleep because you still need to get up early for work. 😊 - India Hasimbegovic

Absolutely, you get a lot more done because you don't have to think about what to eat during the day. As I work from home, I'd use my lunch break to do some chores around the house. This gives me a lot of free time in the evening, after Iftar, to concentrate on my prayers and reading the Qur'an.
As the days go by, you'll find out what works best for you to achieve your goals for Ramadan. - Hajar El Harti

I’ve had to change my routine to adapt to Ramadan hours which means waking up during sunrise to eat and breaking the fast when the sun sets. - Malak Serarfi

Yes, it did change, but I was able to adapt after a few days. - Sami Mohammed

Yes, my routine did change throughout the month of Ramadan. With the adjustment in mealtimes due to fasting, I adapted my daily schedule to accommodate Sehri (pre-dawn meal) and Iftar (breaking the fast). This shift affected my sleeping pattern, work schedule, and overall daily activities. - Zishan Khan

Being at night shift I personally do not find a drastic change in my routine during Ramadan; Just small adjustment works well, as Ramadan nights don't differ much from days as they are greater opportunities for more prayers namely the Tarawih prayers. - Farid Hafiz

Tell us about your planned celebrations for Eid Al-Fitr.

Traditionally, we spend the morning and noon at my husband's family for some delicious Turkish breakfast after we didn’t have any for a month, whereafter we move on to my family to spend the evening with and have some dinner. This year is extra special since my grandparents from the Balkans flew over to Belgium to spend the last days of Ramadan together. - India Hasimbegovic

Well, this Ramadan we will be spending the last 10 days and Eid Al-Fitr in Morocco.It will be a new experience for our family as we've never spent Ramadan in another country before. When we saw that Eid Al-Fitr would fall during the Easter holidays, we immediately made plans to travel.

We celebrated Eid Al-Adha in Morocco in the summer of 2021, and it was amazing. The streets were filled with people in traditional clothing exchanging greetings and gifts. Markets were full of special foods, treats and gifts. Homes were decorated. Families, friends and neighbours coming together, smiling faces everywhere. It was an unforgettable experience and a memory to cherish for a lifetime. - Hajar El Harti

We are going to have a big celebratory breakfast with family and friends and go out for a nice meal for lunch. - Malak Serarfi

Celebrating Eid ul Fitr with family and friends is a cherished tradition. We wake up early in the morning to gather with fellow Muslims at Eid Gah (prayer halls), where we pray together and exchange heartfelt wishes, saying "Taqabbalallahu Minna Wa Minkum" (May Allah accept [good deeds] from you and us) while embracing one another. Afterwards, the entire family enjoys a meal together following the prayers, and we visit our neighbors and relatives to extend our heartfelt wishes to them and give Eidi (money) to kids. - Sami Mohammed

For Eid Al-Fitr, my family and I plan to start the day with Eid prayers at the mosque, followed by a festive breakfast together. We'll then exchange gifts and visit relatives and friends, spreading joy and blessings. In the afternoon, we'll enjoy a delicious feast with traditional dishes and sweets. Throughout the day, we'll focus on gratitude, celebration, and strengthening bonds with loved ones has context menu. - Zishan Khan

The planned celebrations for Eid Al-Fitr are to visit relatives, friends and join special Eid functions at evening, organized by the different groups that aims to share this happiness and to promote values of love and brotherhood among different communities from all faiths. - Farid Hafiz