Ramadan Treats

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to break his fasts with dates. It has thus become a tradition for Muslims everywhere to do the same. The nutritional value packed into dates makes it the perfect "first" food for consumption after a long day of fasting. They are easy to digest and provide an immediate boost of energy.

The other day, I came across this recipe for Date Nut Bars, which turned out to be really delicious. It uses both walnuts and dates and tastes a lot like oatmeal cookies. I would definitely recommend this recipe to anyone looking for a good snack to keep them productive during non-fasting hours.

Speaking of Ramadan treats, when was the last time you checked out this blog's database of Muslim magazines, newspapers and websites in search of writers? There are now more than 60 publications to browse through, including a new category that lists publications for Muslim children and teens.

Ramadan Kareem!

Ramadan Kareem!

Back in 2008, I wrote a post listing some tips on how to maintain a regular writing schedule during the holy month. If you missed that post, you might find it useful.

In my location, we are fasting for fifteen hours each day in temperatures that typically range from 90-115 degrees, so it can be quite challenging to stay focused on work.

This year, however, I resolved to free myself from the shackles of caffeine, and it has made a huge difference.

Each Ramadan, I usually spend 1-2 weeks dealing with the effects of caffeine withdrawal. This usually means pounding headaches and a general feeling of laziness/anxiety that takes over once my body realizes that it will not get its usual cup of morning coffee or tea.

Although coffee and tea are not prohibited for Muslims like alcohol is, I have long felt concerned about the obvious addiction involved with regular caffeine consumption. I just don't think it makes sense to be so dependent on a cup of coffee to wake up and start the day.

This year, I decided to give up coffee and tea for good and have not consumed any since June. The first two weeks were hard, but I started feeling more energetic after that...better than I ever did while drinking coffee. This made me realize that the caffeine was not actually giving me energy. This was just a temporary feeling that could only be sustained by drinking even more. Now I mostly drink water and an occasional glass of juice--and, thanks be to Allah, I feel just fine.

The best part is that I had no bad withdrawal symptoms when starting Ramadan this year on August 11th. This, in turn, means that I am able to be more productive during this important month.

What is your take on caffeine? How does it affect you during the month of Ramadan?

Eid Mubarak!

Eid Mubarak to all blog visitors. Unfortunately, I was not able to update the blog during the month of Ramadan. Now that one of my regular clients is a news agency, I had daily deadlines to meet each day of the month and was quite busy. In some parts of the Muslim world, newspapers close down for the Eid and slow down considerably during the month of Ramadan. The fact is, however, that the news does not stop just because a segment of the population is fasting, tired, or otherwise busy - and the world in general keeps on moving. If you are working for non-Muslim clients, they might not be aware of just how tired you are, but you still need to do your best work. What field do you work in, and was your productivity affected in Ramadan? Did you adjust your schedule accordingly? Share in the comments section below!

Blogging Ramadan Competition at IOL

The Art & Culture page of IslamOnline.net is hosting a "Blogging Ramadan" competition.

To enter, you should write one blog post having the theme "What Ramadan Means to Me."

Deadline: September 5, 2009

Click here to learn more about the competition.