It’s Ramadan!
Have you heard of Ramadan? Ramadan is a special time for more than one billion (!) Muslim people all over the world, including those who live in New Zealand.
During Ramadan they remember the prophet Muhammed who received the first verses of the holy book the Qur’an. It lasts for 4 weeks and it is a time when people fast, they do not drink or eat from sunrise until sunset! They break the fast with a special meal called the Iftar, then they go out and visit family and friends.
Why? Not eating anything gives Muslims time to focus on other things, such as family, kindness and helping others. But most importantly it makes them feel closer to God and their beliefs.
At the end of Ramadan the fast will be broken. This is a special celebration called Eid. Eid is an Arabic word meaning “festivity”.
We have many books about Muslims and their religion Islam. Some are fact books and some are picture and storybooks. Grab some of these and find out about this important celebrations that many people around the world are currently taking part in. Here are some you may like to read:
Nabeel’s new pants : an Eid tale Retold by Fawzia Gilani-Williams
While buying gifts for his family to wear to the mosque on Eid a shoemaker is persuaded to get new pants for himself, but the only pair available is too long and no one seems to have time to shorten them.
Islamic Culture
by Charlotte Guillain
An introduction to some of the world’s most fascinating and ancient cultures. Discover different approaches to visual arts and performance and find out about important beliefs, traditions, and customs. Also covers the role of family and community and how cultures are changing and developing in the 21st century.
The garden of my Imaan by Farhana Zia
The arrival of new student Marwa, a fellow sixth-grader who is a strict Muslim, helps Aliya come to terms with her own lukewarm practice of the faith and her embarrassment over others’ reactions to their beliefs.
Golden domes and silver lanterns: a Muslim book of colours by by Hena Khan (eBook)
In simple rhyming text a young Muslim girl and her family guide the reader through the traditions and colours of Islam.
1001 inventions & awesome facts from Muslim civilization
This book traces centuries of invention and technological innovation in the Muslim world, revealing how Muslim intellectuals built elephant water clocks, drew detailed world maps, and built colossal architectural structures.