The practice of religion in Indonesia is frequently mixed with old traditions, cultivating unique practices and rituals. Such is the pre-Ramadan tradition of nyekar. This word comes from the root word sekar, which means flowers, and the verb nyekar, meaning to spread flower petals (on a burial ground). This is an act of paying respect to departed family members. According to early Javanese beliefs, the month of Ramadan marks the start of a new life cycle and the completion of the previous one. She has written the book in a relatable way to the Holy Month of Ramadan and which I find can be used in any month of the year.

This book is an invaluable tool for finding a deeper spiritual connection to the holy month of Ramadan. It is split into 30 chapters, conveniently representing the 30 days of Ramadan, and it is suggested to read a paragraph a day and truly reflect on what is being said. Every chapter connected with me at a different level and allowed to me contemplate and gain a better understanding of myself and my journey. The difficulty with reviewing Aliyah's book is knowing where to start... there is something about each chapter that will touch your heart.... that's 100% guaranteed, if you are open to coming closer to your Creator and Lord.

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I was invited by the Deloitte Muslim Network to join the ‘ Fast and the Curious’ Fasting Challenge. As I wrote in my LinkedIn post at the time of accepting, I am a naturally curious person so how could I resist? But beyond my own curiosity, this was a chance to gain a far deeper connection with a faith and understand more about fasting and its deeper meaning. Prayer commitments – Muslims will try and participate in additional prayer during the month which might require frequent breaks. It will be good to open a conversation and set expectations to avoid any impact on business activities. Once the moon is sighted and my local mosque confirms the end of Ramadan, we would wish family and friends "Chaand Raat Mubarak" (equivalent to Christmas eve) - quite often women and girls decorate their hands with mehndi (henna). Muslims are not supposed to avoid work just because we are fasting. Therefore, I would go about my working day as normal. I tend to have some good days when I don't feel the fast, but I also have off days when I tend to struggle. It's mainly the dehydration that gets me rather than the hunger.

So, this is the first book I have been able to complete in a very long time. It broke boundaries of my short attention span due to the way it has been written – passionately yet succinctly. From the heart, to the point, yet leaving you wanting more. I feel absolutely honoured to have been an early-reader for Aliyah Umm Raiyaan’s Ramadan Reflections and this review comes very honestly, not just a recommendation. The opinions expressed herein, through this post or comments, contain positions and viewpoints that are not necessarily those of IslamiCity. These are offered as a means for IslamiCity to stimulate dialogue and discussion in our continuing mission of being an educational organization. Usually, we have the clothes ironed and laid out the night before as the Eid prayer in the mosque the next day is very early. I tend to wear "salwar kameez" (this is the traditional clothing of Pakistan).

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I tend to give up playing any sports during the month of Ramadan to minimise the dehydration and therefore the activities for some during the month of Ramadan could be fairly low key. To the outside world, the rituals and rigor of Ramadan may seem somewhat Romulan. However, those acquainted with the diverse cultural phenomena of the Star Trek universe may be surprised to learn of the many spiritual parallels that exist between the franchises and the Islamic tradition. In terms of supporting colleagues, personally I don’t want anyone to avoid eating or drinking around me or apologising because it’s about me exerting self control and having the willpower to fast in all circumstances. I did ask to stagger my hours slightly this year and my manager was very supportive of this, which I truly appreciated. The exact date when Eid falls depends on the sighting of the moon so it can be difficult to book annual leave ahead of time so I know that flexibility about this is appreciated by Muslim colleagues. Ramadan, one of the months in the Islamic calendar, was also part of ancient Arabs’ calendars. The naming of Ramadan stems from the Arabic root “ar-ramad,” which means scorching heat. Muslims believe that in A.D. 610, the angel Gabriel appeared to Prophet Muhammad and revealed to him the Quran, the Islamic holy book. That revelation, Laylat Al Qadar—or the “Night of Power”—is believed to have occurred during Ramadan. Muslims fast during that month as a way to commemorate the revelation of the Quran. ( Read how Muslims, although often misunderstood, are thriving in America.)