Ramadan Mubarak 2023

RAMADAN 2023 – CALENDAR & INFORMATION

Ramadan 2023 starts on the evening of Wednesday, March 22 and lasts 30 days, ending at sundown on Thursday, April 20.

Ramadan is one of the holiest months of the year for Muslims. In Ramadan, Muslims commemorate the revelation of the Qur’an, and fast from food and drink during the sunlit hours as a means of drawing closer to God and cultivating self-control, gratitude, and compassion for those less fortunate. Ramadan is a month of intense spiritual rejuvenation with a heightened focus on devotion, during which Muslims spend extra time reading the Qur’an and performing special prayers.

Muslims welcome Ramadan as an opportunity for self-reflection and spiritual improvement, and as a means to grow in moral excellence. Ramadan is also a highly social time as Muslims invite each other to break the fast together and meet for prayers at the mosque.

The ultimate goal of fasting is gaining greater God-consciousness, known in Arabic as taqwa, signifying a state of constant awareness of God. From this awareness a person should gain discipline, self-restraint and a greater incentive to do well and avoid wrong. In commemoration of the revelation the Qur’an, which began in the month of Ramadan, Muslims attempt to read the entire book during Ramadan. The entire Qur’an is recited during special nightly prayers.

You can generate your own Ramadan Schedule including sunset and sunrise times here: https://www.islamicreliefcanada.org/resources/ramadan-timetable/london-ramadan-timetable/.

Attached are local calendars prepared by MAC London and London Mosque including fast times as well as special events for the London Muslim community.

A BEGINNERS GUIDE TO RAMADAN

Millions of Muslims around the world will mark the start of Ramadan on Wednesday, a month of intense prayer, dawn-to-dusk fasting and nightly feasts. From Arab New, here are some questions and answers about Islam’s holiest month.

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RAMADAN RECIPES

Food and fellowship are part of every tradition. Celebrating by preparing a meal for friends and family is privilege that humans experience around the world. We can celebrate with others by enjoying the cultural aspects of holidays that are not necessarily our own: whether it be through storytelling, music, food and so on, our appetite for culture brings us closer as a people. Want to get into the Ramadan spirit with a few traditional recipes? The fast does not mean that you cannot eat delicious food: it just means you can only eat it after sundown. Some of the most extraordinary Middle Eastern dishes are regularly part of the Ramadan celebration of breaking the fast.

Attached are some of our Health Centre team favourites from across the Muslim world including : Labanese Fattoush Salad, Chicken Biryani from Pakistan, Begedil Potato Patty from Malaysia, Chachuka from Morocco, Yemini Massoub, Kubbeh Red Soup via Iraq,  Norinj Pilau (orange rice with saffron and lamb) from Afghanistan, Falafel from Egypt and the perfect end to every meal or delicious pre-sunrise breakfast, Rice Pudding from Palestine.

Just right click & save to see the full size recipe.

DIABETES AND RAMADAN

Diabetes Canada believes that people with diabetes should have the best information available to guide their choices about diabetes management. Knowing the most current research and recommendations will help Muslims with diabetes to avoid risks if they decide to fast during Ramadan.

Fasting from dawn to dusk during Ramadan, including abstaining from water and food, is one of the pillars of Islam and is observed by most Muslims. This requires changes in eating and sleeping habits. During Ramadan, the predawn and sunset meals are different from regular meals and often include more carbohydrate-containing foods that may cause a rapid rise in blood sugar. In addition, individuals tend to consume larger-than-usual portions during these meals, especially at the sunset meal when they break the fast.

Canadians living with diabetes who fast during Ramadan should work with their health-care team to clearly identify key safety issues during Ramadan.

If an individual has blood sugar levels in the target range prior to Ramadan, they are more likely to keep them in the target range during the period of fasting. For individuals with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, fasting during Ramadan is associated with an increased risk for severe episodes of low blood sugar. However, some people with type 1 diabetes may also have episodes of high blood sugar.

Individuals with diabetes who are otherwise healthy and have stable blood sugar levels may fast safely if they regularly test their blood sugar and check in with their health-care team.

Fasting can be done safely for those who take insulin, if the treatment is individualized and adjusted. Other diabetes medications used by people with type 2 diabetes may need to be adjusted one to three months before Ramadan.

For more information on a healthy fast, please refer to the Guide to a Safe Fast below.

Guide to a Safe Fast – English Version

Guide to a Safe Fast – Arabic Version

Guide to a Safe Fast – Urdu Version

Guide to a Safe Fast – French Version

THE BEAUTY AND DIVERSITY OF MUSLIM LIFE

Bassam Tariq is a blogger, a filmmaker, and a halal butcher — but one thread unites his work: His joy in the diversity, the humanness of our individual experiences. In this charming talk, he shares clips from his film “These Birds Walk” and images from his tour of 30 mosques in 30 days — and reminds us to consider the beautiful complexity within us all.