4 ways to get ready for Ramadan
Thinking about how you’ll manage during your first Ramadan in Leeds? In this piece, an MA Communication and Media student at Leeds shares some key advice to help you prepare.
Being an international student allows me to have a lot of exciting first-time experiences, like the first time experiencing winter, the first time experiencing seminars (there isn’t a concept of seminars in Indonesia’s higher education), and the most anticipated: my first time celebrating Ramadan away from home!
Ramadan is a holy month for Muslims. We fast every day for the month, from sunrise until the sun goes down. Fasting is not merely about abstaining from eating and drinking. More than that, it’s about controlling our emotions and carnality, practicing mindfulness, being grateful, and getting closer to Allah by praying and performing good deeds.
My first Ramadan in Leeds will undeniably be a challenging experience. The days are longer, which means the fasts are much longer than the ones I kept in Indonesia. There, the duration is pretty much the same every year — each fast is approximately 14 hours long, kept from 4am to 6–7pm.
This year, the dates for Ramadan in the UK are 10 March — 9 April.
It’s challenging, yes, but it doesn’t mean it’s not exceptionally exciting as well. Here are some tips which I hope will help you prepare for Ramadan in Leeds:
1. Get involved with the community around you
Ramadan should not be an isolating experience for anyone. Even though you may be new to the city, Leeds is your home and everyone here will be as embracing and welcoming as the families you have back home. Prophet Muhammad PBUH once said friendship and companionship are important in Islam, so try to get involved with the community around you.
Join Leeds University Unions’ Islamic Society who run activities throughout the year. Before Ramadan, I joined the weekly iftar and study circle, which is a relaxing social of praying Maghrib and having an iftar together in the Green Room, followed by an enlightening talk about Islam. The sessions are drop-ins, and you don’t have to be a member of the society (although you’re welcome to join).
You can easily find Muslim communities across Leeds as it’s a very vibrant and multicultural city. Leeds has 26 mosques around the city. The biggest mosque is Leeds Grand Mosque, which has a diverse and ethnically mixed congregation of 1,200 people, including facilities for male and female worshippers. I plan to do my Taraweeh and Eid prayer there. I’m so excited to celebrate Ramadan together with everyone!
2. Prayer spaces on campus and support from the University
The University of Leeds is an exceptionally inclusive campus, with students and staff from various faiths and beliefs.
On campus, the main Islamic prayer room is the Green Room. Don’t worry, there are a lot of prayer spaces within schools and other buildings as well. Some that I frequently go to are the ones located in the Laidlaw Library and Edward Boyle Library — these come in handy when you need to take a break from your assignments to pray.
For some students, Ramadan falls within the exam period. If this happens, you can submit a notification of religious commitment form and request for alternative exam arrangements.
There is a handy webpage with all of the University’s Ramadan support available to you, including the Ramadan iftar programme.
3. Be aware of time!
In Islam, we have five daily prayers, which include Fajr (sunrise prayer), Dhuhr (noon prayer), Asr (afternoon prayer), Maghrib (sunset prayer), and Isha (night prayer).
Each prayer has a specific window of time in which it must be completed before the next prayer commences. These timings are based on the sun, which can be tricky as the timings in the UK can vary from day to day.
You can install specific applications that will remind you of the prayer times so you don’t lose track of time. I personally have Muslim Pro on my phone, and I turn the notifications on. It comes in really handy as it also has the Quran within it, and shows which direction to pray in as it has a compass showing where the Qibla is.
4. Set your intentions
Last but not least, set your intentions! In Islam, sincerity and intentions are very important — what’s in your heart matters. Ramadan is a month in which the rewards of our good deeds are increased many times over, so make sure to have a moment of personal reflection frequently on how you can be a better version of yourself.
More than ever, it is a moment to count our blessings and put ourselves in the shoes of those around us who can’t afford some of the things we do, or are unable to eat on a daily basis. Use this time to think about your role in society and the role you have in making a difference.
Ramadan Mubarak, everyone! Wishing you all a blessed celebration.
