Inspired Muslimah

Salaams everyone and blessed Ramadan.it's finally here,alhamdullilah! Tomorrow will be my first day of fasting and I think I will wake up for fajr and make waffles and fruit with orange juice. I hate to admit it but I will probably go back to sleep since it's saturday.However, I will make my prayer and read Quran first. I hope everyone has a great first day fasting!!!

As salamu alaiykum sisters, ramadan is approaching with lightening speed! We are already in the month of shaban,alhamdullilah. I would like to start preparing myself for this wonderful spiritual cleansing we are blessed to participate in alhamdullilah. I have been muslim for a year and so when ramadan rolled around last year, I hadnt quite embraced all aspects of islam such as hijab and modesty. Since then I have come very far and I now observe hijab although I can admit this summer hasnt been easy. School starts for me in a few weeks and Im nervous how I will be received. There are a lot of muslimahs at my school but only one wears hijab. However, insha'allah I can overcome my fears and do whats right to please Allah (s.w.t). I will start preparing for ramadan by fasting twice weekly until it actually begins. This way I can feel how long an actual day of fasting is since ramadan falls in the summer months. Secondly, I will visit the muslim bookstore/all purpose store. I want to buy many things that remind me of islam and decorate the house. I have a den which I use as a office but I will put out my prayer rugs and turn it into a prayer room. I will research a masjid to attend for some of the taraweeh prayers and insha'allah get a friend to join me since I admit I dont feel all the way comfortable in the masjid, you can read about my last experience here. I know we are suppose to read the whole quran doing ramadan and I am looking for suggestions on how best to do this. Sisters, do you devise a plan, or do you just read a little every night in sequential order? Im not sure how to tackle this but this is why its important to start preparing for ramadan now. Get all your ducks in a row. My future SIL and I are planning an Eid sleepover at a hotel. We plan on getting a suite, and having a Eid celebration and halaqa all in 1. There will be quran reading,lots of good food, henna, and scarves and accessories for sale and to practice with. Im excited because I didnt quite get in the spirit last ramadan. I wasnt around any other muslims, I didnt wear my hijab all day (just when praying) and I didnt attend a single iftar! Hopefully, insha'allah this ramadan will be much different. I will start getting together recipes and ideas that I would like to try. I will also try them out in advance so that when ramadan is here, I dont spend all my time in the kitchen experimenting and can spend more time praying insha'allah. Other preparations include planning my very first iftar here at my apartment. I know a few sisters who I can invite and Im looking forward to doing this! I will have to plan very well for this ramadan, as it falls during a really tough block in school. However, school would not be possible without Allah and fasting and participating in ramadan is the least I can do but also is mandatory as it is one of the 5 pillars of islam. I plan to post actively during the month of ramadan to share my experience with others and document what an amazing spiritual revelation Im having. Im sooooo excited subhanallah!!

Salaams everyone, Im sorry I havent posted anything new in a while. I have been sick and soo busy with work lately but I have missed blogging so much! Not much new going on in my world. In 2 weeks Im going on a cruise to the bahama's and Im soo excited for a vacation,alhamdullilah! I even looked up some masjids in the bahama's and hopefully I will get a chance to visit them. I have been to the bahama's already but I am excited to go back. The shopping and aquarium in Atlantis are awesome and there is a lot to do. It should be a good trip,nice and relaxing and exactly what I need. After this trip, I plan to start preparing for ramadan, which is not that far away, isnt that something!! I cant believe its almost that time of the year again and I plan on it being a better one that last year for me. I am improving my deen and insha'allah I will be a better muslimah this upcoming ramadan. I plan to do lots of studying and reading to get prepared and I plan on buying a really nice abaya for Eid. WOW, that sounds crazy to be talking about outfits for Eid already. Whew! Where did the year go??? Alhamdullilah, we survived another year.

We are in the final stretch of ramadan and I feel horrible because I have soooo behind in my Quran reading so shame on me..I have a week to redeem myself so Iam going to double up on my reading and try to complete it by Eid. There is really no excuse for me to have not finished. I suppose its because I am sooo worn down and school is extremely demanding. Inshallah I will be able to complete this last week of ramadan with extra prayers and increased quran reading. After school today,I have to go to work and then I have to study but I still cant let all of these obligations keep me from doing what I need to do and what Allah(swt) is worthy of.