Nayu's News #85 Ramadan 2013 Post 1

Note: All pictures are taken from the internet, any quotes under the pictures are by me, Nayu. 

As promised in Nayu's News #84 here is a brief low down on what Ramadan is and what I'm doing during this Islamic holy month. 

The moon is a bit part of Ramadan, since the month only starts when it is sighted (Mosques within the same town can sometimes start Ramadan on different days, depending how they calculate it).

To make this quick I'm giving a very condensed view on what Ramadan is - you can easily go and search for it online to find all the ins and outs. It's a 29 or 30 day month, depending on the moon sighting since the Islamic calendar follows the lunar cycle, which is why Ramadan starts and ends a different date each year. From dawn to dusk Muslims who are able to fast don't eat, drink, try to refrain from other activities which take them away from worship. 

From dusk to dawn they can eat and partake in activities they didn't during the day. Some go to the Tawareeh prayers where after breaking the fast (Iftar) a part (and a bit) of the Quran is recited during prayers. This is important because Ramadan is the month that the Quran was revealed to the Prophet Muhammed (Peace and Blessings On him) - no wonder we try to read it more! 

Everything we need is in the Quran (& also the teachings (Hadith) of the Prophet Muhammed (Peace and Blessing on him)) so this is very true!

Some people read it several times in a month. Me, I'm trying to listen to most of it, and read about 10 verses myself a day - that saves me energy on days I have none, and saves it on days when I have a little. If I recited a part a day I would be completely worn out and not be able to do a lot else. 

Note the Quran is the Arabic version - any other translation is just a translation. I listen & read both the Arabic followed by the English translation.

This year (sort of did it unofficially last year) I've taken the decision that apart from book tours already in place I'm not watching or reading books which have a large percentage of romance in them. I'm trying to focus more on good character - this applies to my anime too. This afternoon I'll be watching Aria the Animation - this is a gentle anime about girls striving to be successful apprentices and become Undines, people who steer gondolas for people visiting the planet. 

This is Akari, the one who the anime centres on (besides her friends). She finds everything fun - even when the others don't!

 

 

This is Aika, with her blue her short (season 2) and Alice who is a child genius at using a gondola, but is still a Pair (2 gloved trainee as opposed to 1 glove like Aika and Akari. Yes most of the names begin with A...)

I'll also be rewatching another favourite, Princesse Sarah which is the story of A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Sarah is a rich girl at a boarding school, who isn't stuck up and treats everyone nicely - unlike the rest of the pupils, some of whom a positively mean and evil when misfortune befalls Sarah and she becomes an orphan - a poor one. 

Here's Sarah in one of her posh outfits - the genuine smile reflects her compassionate nature

The evil Miss Minchin turns her into a servant, but Sarah never stops being caring, she doesn't complain, she strives on no matter what difficulties she faces. Thankfully there are some nice people who help her out. 

That's it for today - next week's Ramadan post 2 will look at more anime and another aspect of Ramadan which I haven't yet decided on ^o^ If there's anything in particular you'd like to know about, please do ask!

Smiling is one of the simplest ways of giving charity!