Celebrating Ramadan and Sharing Traditions with Students
Use this blog to learn more about some of the most cherished Ramadan traditions and use a Ramadan lesson plan to help students with learning vocabulary.
April 19, 2021
Use this blog to learn more about some of the most cherished Ramadan traditions and use a Ramadan lesson plan to help students with learning vocabulary.
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By Abeer Shinnawi
Ramadan is a month of fasting for Muslims all over the world. Because Muslims follow a lunar calendar, Ramadan does not fall in the same month or season each year. When I was younger, I recall Ramadan falling in July when my younger brother was born so he was named Ramadan as homage to the holy month. The summer is always harder for those fasting because the days are longer, and the heat is unforgiving.
Last year, the pandemic created a sense of isolation for many during the month because Ramadan is also a special time of year where people “compete” to feed as many friends as possible, families and other fasting Muslims to help spread the feeling of good will and zakat. My family and I missed being able to host or visit our friends and family, but we created some memories that we will cherish. Being home, our family was able to practice Ramadan at a much slower pace than usual, giving us more focus on the simpler meanings of Ramadan, which are always family and spiritual connection with the faith.
To learn more about how you can help accommodate your students or if you are just interested in learning more about the holy month of Ramadan, please read the following blogs:
Supporting Students During Ramadan
Although refraining from sunrise to sunset from food, smoking and water (yes, not even water has become a famous meme), Ramadan brings a special sentimentality, family togetherness, spirituality and love to many who observe the holy month. Just as with any faith or holiday, Muslim families have their own traditions; they practice making the month extra special for their loved ones. Here are some shared traditions to give you a glimpse of how Muslim families celebrate the holiest of months:
These provide just a glimpse into Ramadan celebrations, each different because Muslims reflect a vast array of diversity, yet they are all connecting through their own take on what the month of Ramadan means to them. Muslims are your neighbors, colleagues and friends. I personally love learning about the traditions of my friends from other faiths and practices, so I hope you will reach out to learn more about the beautiful traditions shared during this special time of year for Muslims all over the world.
Generate a glossary of terms based on the vocabulary shared above:
To those who celebrate and friends who are sharing in our traditions, Ramadan Mubarak!
Abeer Shinnawi is the program lead for Re-Imagining Migration, a first-generation Arab American, devoted equity advocate, and mother of three girls.
Re-Imagining Migration'smissionis to advance the education and well-being of immigrant-origin youth, decrease bias and hatred against young people of diverse origins, and help rising generations develop the critical understanding and empathy necessary to build and sustain welcoming and inclusive com