Ramadan is the most wonderful time of the year. Too often, we, adults, focus so much on the “work” associated with the month, but we forget that one of the most important things about this amazing month is to inculcate a love for this month and its blessings in our children.

Ramadan should be a special time for your whole family, including the little ones. It should bring you closer to each other as a family and closer to Allah .

In this article, In sha Allah, we will give 10 tips for a productive and fun Ramadan for your children.

1. Send a note to kids’ school/ your neighbors:

Yvonnne Maffei, popular food writer and home chef, shared the idea of giving homemade goodie bags to your neighbors with an insert explaining what Ramadan is all about. This is a great idea. You can find a suggestion for a printable letter to send to kids’ school here. Not only does this act as a form of dawah, but also it builds goodwill in the community. You can order Eid posts for your child’s public school from Project Eid Awareness.

2. Welcome Ramadan into your homes:

Decorate your homes with “Ramadan Kareem” banners, streamers and lights. You can find DIY instructions here. You can also read the tips made by Ameera Rahim from Traditional Muslimah Homemaker and Habeebee Homeschooling, in a previous ProductiveMuslim article here.

3. Make or buy 30 days calendar (Advent-style):

Last year in my family, we made 30 paper cones using construction paper and taped them to a poster board. The paper cones were numbered. So on day 1, I would place a task / challenge for my niece to complete or a treat for her.

If you are interested in the calendar idea, you may want to check out Jannah Steps as it has compiled a list on how to buy one easily or make it yourself.

4. Read about Ramadan together:

Kids love stories. For parents, this is a great way to illustrate a point. Disney Baby recommends 10 books for your reference.

5. The best lesson is the one experienced:

Let your child experience Ramadan in terms of the physical aspect of waking up for suhoor, making dua with you at iftar and perhaps on weekends attending taraweeh at the masjid. Aysha Samrah Abrar, a fellow author at Productive Muslim, mentions useful tips in her Productive Parenting article.

Wake your child up to have suhoor with you, even if they might be unable to fast. Make sure your child has had enough hours of sleep before suhoor, though, so they don’t start viewing this as a burden.

Take your children with you to the masjid and ask them to relate their experience of praying in jama’ah after returning home. Ask them questions like: “Which surah did the imam read today? What word caught your mind while listening to the imam? Did you make any special dua during ruku’ or sujood?”

While having suhoor, have some dates along with your food. Discuss the scientific benefits of dates, along with Qur’anic references about what our Prophet advised on the benefits of dates.

6. Ramadan crafts to keep them learning and entertained:

Arts and crafts are another great learning tool. Download template and activities at MyRamadanFun.com and try this activity out.

7. Make Eid special and give gifts:

Make it about them. Build your own Eid traditions. I remember as a kid, every Eid morning, my mom would make French toast that we’d eat before going for prayers and a massive feast when we returned. To this day, any time I eat French toast, I think of those Eid mornings. Enjoy quick deposits and withdrawals at trustly vedonlyöntisivut for a seamless betting experience.

And, of course, there is no festivity for kids without gifts. A tip from Abu Productive every year is to get your shopping done before Ramadan. Have your children help you make shopping lists, shop and pack gifts.

Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet said: “Give gifts and you will love one another” [Al Adab Al Mufrad]. So, save something they really want for Eid. Click here for our best picks.

8. Plan an Eid party for their friends:

Kids really look forward to their birthday party. Why not make your Eid party more fun than that? My Halal Kitchen shares 5 tips for a fun and easy Eid Party and, for Ramadan decor and supplies, order up here.

9. Avoid making food the center of your focus in Ramadan:

Check out easy iftar recipes that ensure that you’re not too tired from cooking and have enough energy to do the fun things with the kids. A few suggestions could be found here. Also, check out Ramadan Recipe App from My Halal Kitchen.

10. Agree on one bad habit to quit as a family during Ramadan:

Whether it’s watching TV or any other unhealthy habit that you would like to kick, work on it together. Make it a family thing. This teaches them the barakah of the month and also helps build good habits and growing as a family.

Abu Hurayra reported that the Messenger of Allah said: “When a man dies, his deeds come to an end, except for three: A continuous charity, knowledge by which people derive benefit, pious son who prays for him.” [Muslim]

So, may Allah help us raise children who love His deen, who are God-fearing, who grow to be among the leaders of this ummah and who would remember their productive parents in their prayers!

In the comments section below, please share with us your best tips for making Ramadan productive for the little ones.

P.S: Benefited from this article? Join our Productive Ramadan Online Course – a simple, practical and complete blueprint for leading a Productive Ramadan inshaAllah!

The post How to Have a Fun Ramadan with Kids and Be Productive Too appeared first on ProductiveMuslim.com.

Today’s card-making tutorial will teach you to make an “offline” Ramadan reminder, one that enables you stay “checked in” throughout Ramadan.

The tips in this card will inspire self reflection, self accountability and holding yourself to a higher standard.

Umar ibn Khattab advised his companions: “Hold yourselves accountable before you are held accountable and weigh it before it is weighed for you [on the Day of Judgement].” [Umar bin Al-Khattab: His Life and Times (Vol. 1) by Ali Muhammad as-Sallabi]

Weekly Reminders on Ramadan Productivity

While keeping up the routine tasks in Ramadan, Ramadan is about remaining spiritually, physically and socially productive every single day. This card will help bring the focus back to the blessings of Ramadan by providing timely tips every week. You can give it to family and friends or keep it on your desk for yourself. This is a fun activity parents can do with their children to make them excited about and prepare for Ramadan.

Here is the card we are making today:

You Will Need

– 5.5” x 8.5” card-stock (half of an 8.5” x 11”) folded into 5.5” x 4.25”

– Scrapbook paper or any decorative paper (flyers, advertisements work too!)

Instructions

1. On your scrapbook paper draw a heart. Fold it into an envelope using the template shown below.

2. Next line up the hearts on the card. Stamp or handwrite “Ramadan” on top, and label the spaces as “Day 1”, “Day 7”, “Day 14”, “Day 21”.

3. Glue your envelopes down to the card. I glued them to a white card, which then was glued to the pink cards using glue from a good place like Glue Guns Direct.

4. Print the reminders sheet and cut around the lines.

5. Insert the reminder notes into the corresponding envelopes.

Here is an alternate version that includes tips for Eid and after Eid.

Well, there you go! I hope this tutorial has inspired you to make one yourself. Take snapshots of your creation and share them on our social media or the Comments section below.

However, If you are too busy for this DIY, you can make an order and have them sent to the recipient directly by contacting me through email [HafsaCreates@gmail.com] or my store [HafsaCreates.etsy.com].

The post [Tutorial] DIY Ramadan Weekly Reminders appeared first on ProductiveMuslim.com.

My interviewees were:

1. Jenna Evans of Bookmarks For a Cause
2. Sobia Hussain of The Olive Tree Soap Company
3. Mezba Mahtab of Teaching Kids the Holy Qur’an (using Lego)

What does “productive hobby” mean to you?  

Jenna: 

A productive hobby goes beyond just an interest to result in tangible benefits such as education, money, fitness, relationships or charity. There is no doubt that a person who turns his/her hobby into a business, devotes his/her time to volunteer work, or creates items that educate and inspire others is more productive than one whose hobby is never shared with the world.

Sobia:
For example, if you love swimming, it’s good for your health. You can even go one step further and conduct a swim-a-thon to raise money for a charity that is very near and dear to your heart! Basically, to me, a productive hobby helps put a smile on someone’s face and makes a difference in their lives… no matter how small your contribution may be!

Mezba:
I don’t classify hobbies as productive or unproductive. It is meant for myself alone. If I happen to help other people with it, as is the case with my Lego Qur’an blog, then it is an additional bonus. This also explains why there is sometimes such a lag between my blog posts. Sometimes I just don’t feel the creative urge or the need to build, so I just don’t. Recently, I encountered 씨벳 사이트 while browsing online, and it sparked a new interest in cryptocurrency gambling and offshore casinos. This unexpected curiosity has given me a fresh perspective and added another layer to my personal interests.

We all have a number of interests. Should we devote our time and energy to all or pick and choose? What factors should one keep in mind when picking a hobby?  

Jenna: 
Before starting Bookmarks For a Cause, I had several “business” ideas, but the majority were not feasible because of time, cost, or my lack of knowledge and skill. Designing and making bookmarks by hand was something I knew I could master with practice. The cost of materials was reasonable, and the bookmark’s focus was on education, inspiration, and helping others.

So the potential to make a (small) difference was clear. I had no idea if anyone would be interested in them, much less want to buy them, but that was not what drove me. I just had to try it and see what happens.

Sobia:

If you want to pick a hobby, find something that you really enjoy doing and see yourself doing for years to come, In sha Allah.

Mezba:
The main factor in picking a hobby is of course avoiding it if the hobby is harmful. Some people like to drink or gamble as a “hobby” – clearly that is not desired from just a common sense perspective. Other people like to backbite or engage in other immoral activities.

You should pick a hobby that provides you with mental and physical benefits and makes you a better person. It is something mainly for you, and if it helps another person, that’s even better. Just one more caveat, it should not interfere with your regular work and duties to the extent that it’s no longer a hobby.

Would you share some practical tips for someone to turn their interest into a hobby?

Jenna:
Show and tell. If you don’t share your hobby with others, you will not reap the full benefits of having a hobby. By talking about your hobby and sharing your creations, you may find someone who shares the same or similar interest and wants to participate with you.

Sobia:
If you have an interest, give it a try! You will never know if you really like doing something unless you try it out first.  It’s better to have more “oh well’s” than “what if’s”.

Also, get a little obsessed about your new-found hobby. Learn everything you can about it. Read about it, watch videos, attend classes and workshops, and if you can, find a mentor who can guide you in the field. Learn to look at your hobby from all possible angles and see how you can grow with it and expand on it.

Mezba:

Keep the intention pure and Islamic. If you pick a physical activity, do it to follow the sunnah of keeping yourself physically fit. If you have a lot of intelligence, try learning a language or educating yourself about Islamic history. If you are into crafts, try to think of how it can help you become a better person (if you keep yourself mentally charged and fresh, your behaviour towards others will be better).

Time is of an essence. When you’re so busy with school / work / family, etc, how does one carve out time for a hobby?

Jenna: 
Have a realistic plan. If making time on a daily or weekly basis is not feasible, carve out time for your hobby on a monthly or quarterly basis.

Sobia:
My family and my duties as a Muslim are priority. I ensure that everyone is taken care of and all of my duties are taken care of before I embark my personal hobbies. It just feels better that way. Guilt-free. Then, I suppose, I end up finding time for something that really matters to me. In my case, that would be my soap-making.

Mezba: 
I have to say if you love doing it, you will carve out time. And if your loved ones are understanding (as my wife is), even better!

What if I don’t have the state of the art tools / equipment / material? 

Jenna: 
Work with what you do have. Do not use that as an excuse because you will never get started. In fact, not having the right tools or materials can actually feed your creativity. It will force you to think outside the box and potentially come up with unique solutions that make your hobby more fun or enhance the value of your product or service.

Sobia:
Don’t let that stop you. Sometimes, professional tools are costly and that may be discouraging. Don’t fret. Do with what you have and what you can afford. Personally, I like to start with the absolute basics. When I get the feel of the craft and want to explore further, then I’ll consider buying other specialty tools and materials.

Mezba:
You don’t need state of the art tools or equipment, but obviously you need to get the best you can comfortably afford. For me (and both Lego and photography is expensive!), it means knowing my limits, and being creative with what I have.

How can I learn, perfect, improve at my hobby?

Jenna:
First, keep working on it. You will naturally get better over time. My first batch of bookmarks look almost nothing like the ones I now create. It was a learning process during which my bookmarks became more professional-looking and more eye-catching. Second, seek out others who are doing something similar for comparison purposes.

Sobia:
When I want to learn a new skill, I like to go to the library first. I’ll bring home many books of different styles and simply study the craft. I’ll learn the terminology and techniques theoretically. When I get comfortable with the concepts, I’ll move into trying them out. In this world of info-sharing overload on the internet, you can find pretty much anything you are looking for. So, I’ll also look it up on Pinterest and YouTube as well.

Mezba:
I can give examples from my own hobbies.

1. For photography, I attended a photography class and subscribe to e-magazines that talk about DSLR techniques etc.
2. For Lego, I subscribe to websites and Twitter accounts that promote Lego sales/deals etc. There are also websites that showcase what Lego Adult Fans have made, so I get to learn from their creativity and get inspired.
3. Find fellow practitioners of your hobby so you can get better. I look for people who play volleyball and badminton so I can improve myself.

What keeps you motivated and inspired at your hobby?

Jenna:
My two hobbies are writing and making bookmarks. There are two things that keep me motivated and inspired:

1. Both these hobbies have the potential to touch another person’s life in a positive way.
2. I have received positive feedback from friends, family, and strangers.

When you do things for others as opposed to yourself, it is a lot easier to maintain motivation.

Sobia:
I always carry a small notebook and pen with me at all times because I draw inspiration from my surroundings: nature, life, family and so on. Sometimes, an inspiration will hit me in the oddest moment, so I’ll just grab my notebook, then sketch or write it down. Also, when I see a finished product, that is enough motivation for me. If I feel satisfied with what I’ve created, I’m ready to try some more! Positive feedback is also a sure way to keep you going.

Mezba:
My “fans” :-) People commenting on the Lego blog or emailing me. As for other hobbies, it’s just a personal satisfaction.

Check out Jenna’s, Sobia’s and Mezba’s Facebook pages to know more about their hobbies. I hope their stories will encourage and inspire you develop an interest to become a hobby that will allow you to grow as a person, and even better, benefit others! Don’t forget to share your thoughts in the Comments section below!

The post Developing a Productive Hobby appeared first on ProductiveMuslim.com.

For the last four years, Abu Productive has consistently reminded us of a very important task to be done before Ramadan – your Eid shopping! Ramadan has already began, but it’s still not too late. Don’t leave the task for the nights before Eid. Get gift hampers sydney shopping done now and this way you will get to concentrate on your ibadah during the last few nights of Ramadan – stress free! If you still have a bit of shopping to do, I have compiled a list of six best Eid gift ideas for children up to 8 years old.

6. Kids’ room decor: On the day of Eid, wake them up to see their room decorated with beautiful Islamic calligraphy and words of wisdom, like this Good Manners Tree from Simply Impressions or other beautiful calligraphy decals at Irada Arts. Let it be a constant reminder of their purpose on earth. Also, we recommend these reed diffusers here to mix and match different scents and formulations for your kids!

5. Kids of the Ummah: To appreciate and love the diversity of the Muslim Ummah, introduce them to the book titled Kids of the Ummah. Beautifully illustrated by Peter Gould – an award-winning graphic designer – the book features Muslim characters in 26 diverse cities around the world. Accompanying the book is an iTunes app. Together they promote learning about cultures of Islamic community in a fun way!

4. Miraj Audio – Islamic history/culture audio books: This is a resource of audiobooks for children with stories about Islam, its history and culture. Building on the great oral tradition of Islam, Miraj Audio uses the power of storytelling to help children experience the beauty of Islam and engage with its values and tradition. Get their free audio book and try it yourself!

3. Wonder Box subscription: The best gift you can ever give is the gift of experience. You can give them a toy, or give them the supplies to make a toy. The latter is much more rewarding, educational and fun! Kiwi Crate is one such service. A yearly subscription ensures that your little munchkin gets a box of wonderful craft supplies and inspiration for projects that go along with it every month at their doorstep. (Now who wouldn’t love that?! :)) You can buy a one-time box or choose  the length of subscription (3, 6 or 12 months). Another similar subscription box service is Give a Box of Fun: Five Subscription Kits for Kids.

2. Puzzles: Children who play with puzzles between ages 2 and 4 later develop better spatial skills, according to a study by University of Chicago. The study goes on to suggest that “engaging both boys and girls in puzzle play can support the development of an aspect of cognition that has been implicated in success in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) disciplines”. (Source)

How about a FairTrade and hand made puzzle of a 3D mosque? Are you intrigued yet? You can find such a puzzle at Eastern ToyBox. Another puzzle you can find here is the 5 Pillars of Islam Wooden Puzzle which teaches your child about the 5 pillars of Islam: shahadah, prayer, fasting, zakah and hajj! The 3D Prophets Tree Puzzle is hand-painted with watercolours and lists the 25 prophets mentioned in the Qur’an using English on one side and Arabic on the other.

1. And the winner is… Noor Kids books! Noor Kids is a Harvard-sponsored children’s activity book series that seeks to build confidence in the religious identity of 4-8 year olds. In the challenging environment for Muslims in North America, Noor Kids instills Islamic education, Muslim culture, and American integration through its four positive and playful characters — Amin, Shireen, Asad, and Amira. The group has lofty goals, hoping to be the ‘Dora the Explorer’ for the Muslim community.

The books are professionally designed and have already entered over 10,000 homes across 12 countries! Add Noor Kids to your child’s library this Ramadan through a subscription at their website. (P.S: You can check out FREE sample by signing up here.)

Oh, also, Noor Kids has been my “magical wand” to get anything done. My niece cleans after her crafts and obeys everything she is told because she gets the latest edition of Noor Kids that day! (P.S. Try at your own risk! :))

There you have it – six of my favourite gift ideas. Now it’s your turn: what is the best Eid gift you have given or received? Leave a comment below and share! 

The post Six Eid Gift Ideas for Children appeared first on ProductiveMuslim.com.

I figured most of my readers, whether they have big families or not, go shopping every now and then, so I wanted to share some of my favourite shopping tips. These are not original tips, but I have compiled the best from the plethora of tips published in magazines and websites.

1. Recite the dua for entering the market

لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ يُحْيِي وَيُمِيتُ وَهُوَ حَيٌّ لَا يَمُوتُ بِيَدِهِ الْخَيْرُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٍ

‘None has the right to be worshipped except Allaah, alone, without partner, to Him belongs all sovereignty and praise. He gives life and causes death, and He is living and does not die. In His hand is all good and He is over all things, omnipotent.’

It is narrated in the hadith:

“Whoever recites the above dua after entering the market, will receive a million rewards, one million sins of his shall be forgiven, his rank will be raised by a million stages and (in some narrations) he will receive a house in Jannah” [Ibn Majah]

A good friend of mine swears that every time she recites the dua while shopping, she finds the most unbelievable deals for the items she really wanted! Recommended reading for kids: Sheema’s Shopping Spree

Explore a diverse selection of products at Shoppok Classifieds, an online shopping hub that caters to all your needs. Visit Shoppok.com today to find incredible deals and experience a hassle-free shopping journey.

2. Have a list ready of what you need

Keep in mind that the stores are bent on making you spend every penny that you have. They trick you in ways you can’t imagine (ever noticed the sale items are always at the end of the aisles? This way you never miss them – even if you don’t need it!).

In Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping, Paco Underhill writes:
Supermarkets are places of high impulse buying for both sexes — 60 to 70 percent of purchases were unplanned, grocery industry studies have shown us.

More than half of all grocery purchases are unplanned! Create a list and stick to it, and this way, you can cut the unnecessary grocery costs. Having a list will also ensure you make one large trip, instead of several small ones.

3. Hungry? Then now is NOT the best time to shop

When you’re hungry, everything will look good and you will end up buying all kinds of unnecessary junk.  PsychologyToday.com has proved this theory right:

“Researchers injected participants with either ghrelin, a hormone that increases hunger, or a saline solution. Then they created their own little eBay in the laboratory, asking participants to bid on both edible treats and non-food items. While participants were contemplating their choices and calculating their bids, the researchers were observing their brain activity in an fMRI machine.

Grehlin had a specific effect: it increased what participants were willing to pay for food, but decreased what they were willing to pay for everything else. The brain’s reward system was also more responsive to the food than other goodies. It was as if the hunger hormone biased the brain toward craving calories, and dampened the appeal of any other reward.”

4. Handy Halal / Haram ingredient list

Ever wanted to try a new brand of ice cream, but couldn’t figure out if it’s halal? Keep a list of halal / haram ingredients in your wallet. Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA) has a brief shoppers guide printable that you can find here

Allah has said: 

“O people! Eat of what is in the earth, Halal and Pure, and do not follow the footsteps of Satan. Indeed, for you he is an open enemy.”[Quran: Chapter: 2, verse168]

“Eat of that which Allah hath bestowed on you as food lawful and good, and keep your duty to Allah in Whom ye are believers.” [Quran: Chapter 5, verse 88]

It also appears in the hadith that the duas (supplications) of a person whose diet is Haram may not be accepted by Allah . If our diet is Haram, our calls and requests to Allah could go unheeded! (May Allah protect us. Ameen)

Sayyiduna Abu Hurayra narrates that the Messenger of Allah said:

“Allah the Almighty is pure and accepts only that which is pure. Allah has commanded the faithful to do that which he commanded the Messengers, and the Almighty has said: “O Messengers! Eat of the pure things and do right”. And Allah the Almighty has said: “O you who believe! Eat of the pure things We have provided you.” Then He mentioned (the case of) a man who, having journeyed far, is dishevelled and dusty and who spreads out his hands to the heavens (saying): “O Lord! O Lord!” — while his food is unlawful, his drink unlawful, his clothing unlawful, and he is nourished unlawfully, so how can he be answered!” [Muslim]

5. Look through flyers and coupon booklets 

Most stores in Canada are willing to price match, if you find the same product elsewhere, but cheaper. Two useful websites for Canadians to keep track of deals are http://smartcanucks.ca/ and http://www.redflagdeals.com/. Having said that, make sure that the coupons and deals don’t trick you into buying something that’s not on your list.

6. Buy in bulk whenever possible

Items that don’t have an expiry date can be safely stocked. Buy in bulk when they are on sale. You can also visit your local co-op stores (costco, sam’s club, etc) to buy bigger packages and save.

 7. Don’t examine things you don’t need  

J.D. Rott of GetRichSlowly.org mentions:  The more you interact with something, the more likely you are to buy it, says Paco Underhill in Why We Buy: “Virtually all unplanned purchases…come as a result of the shopper seeing, touching, smelling, or tasting something that promises pleasure, if not total fulfilment.”

Do you know why grocery stores place those displays in the aisles? To intentionally block traffic. They want to force you to stop, if only for a moment. It only takes a few seconds of idly staring at the Chips Ahoy! to convince you to buy them. 

8. Stay alert at the cash register

Pricing for sale items is often not updated. So watch out for any mispriced items. Make sure to check your receipt before walking out. If there’s a problem, politely point it out. It is, after all, your (hard earned) money, so ask for it.

 9. Use cloth grocery bags

Stores in Canada (Ontario, at least) charge you 5 cents per plastic bag. Cut back here and pull out your cloth grocery bag. Not only are you saving pennies, you are also helping the environment tremendously.

The post Shopping – the Productive Muslim Way (i.e. Money-saving & Stress-less way) appeared first on ProductiveMuslim.com.

So how do we keep the spirit of Hajj alive for our children during these precious days and make it a productive learning period for them? Here are 10 Hajj crafts for your children. Feel free to improvise (each child is unique!) and don’t forget to leave a comment to let me know which ones you tried/liked/enjoyed!

Day 1: Start with the story of Hajj

The post Hajj for Kids – 10 Activities to Learn about Hajj appeared first on ProductiveMuslim.com.