With the arrival of the blessed month of Ramadan, one obvious benefit of the COVID-19 lockdown is the ample amount of time on our hands. The best possible solution to spend this time wisely is to use it productively. It can be done by learning a new skill or increasing our knowledge on subjects that pique our interest. This post will focus on looking into a wide variety of activities that can be adopted to broaden the horizon of our knowledge while keeping the focus on Ramadan.

Books

The ideal and immediate response when talking about gaining knowledge is through reading books. During the month of Ramadan, the most read book is by far the Holy Qur’an. Muslims all over the world aim to read this Holy book several times as the focus is on gaining as much reward as possible through recitation, learning and understanding of the divine message. Other than the Qur’an, compilations of the Prophet’s (PBUH) sayings and teachings called ‘Hadith’ including ‘Sahih Al-Bukhari' & 'Sahih Muslim’ are among the more popular reads.

However, even though these books are ideal for adults, they can be a little far fetched for children to understand unless explained easily. Therefore, alternate Islamic books such as 'Lailah’s lunchbox: A Ramadan Story', 'It’s Ramadan, Curious George', 'Under the Ramadan Moon', 'My First Ramadan', etc. can be used for kids to increase their knowledge. Having a Ramadan planner with a set schedule including time allotted in the day for catching up on some Islamic stories or major biographies is an excellent way to mix up your daily schedule.

Educational Series

No matter the occasion, everyone looks for knowledge. It can be done through sources of entertainment, whether it be watching a series of informative videos on YouTube or researching movies and TV shows inspired by true events. Due to the broad and easy access to entertainment platforms, making the utmost use of them in our quarantine time will help make it productive.

Some informative YouTube Channels to get an insight on Ramadan and boost the spiritual vibes include 'Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research', 'Islamic Guidance' and 'FreeQuranEducation'. Videos in these channels are short and to the point, making it easy for the viewer to grasp and remember the information shared. Kids can also partake in watching Ramadan informative videos on 'IQRA Cartoon' YouTube channel for some entertainment and education.

Apart from YouTube videos, production companies like Filmco International Productions Inc. and Tekden Film have created masterpieces in both movie and TV show form incorporating Islamic cinematography. Filmco’s highly acclaimed and rated movie 'The Message' released in 1976 chronicling the life of the Prophet (SAW) is a topic widely researched and taught in the Muslim community. On the other hand, Tekden Film released a TV show called 'Resurrection: Ertugrul' is an inspiration from the historical events of Islam and the formation of The Ottoman Empire, one of the most prominent empires of 16th to 17th centuries at the height of its power.

Apps & Websites

Ramadan is that time in the year wherein Muslims try their best to involve themselves in worship as much as possible. Some have Ramadan planners printed and filled or Ramadan Planner apps downloaded, while others prepare a list of goals they want to achieve by the end of the month. Majority of the time, people prefer to have easy access to anything that can assist their worship in making the most out of the month. Islamic apps and websites that adhere to these requirements are therefore popular and often used a lot more during Ramadan.

Apps such as 'Muslim Pro' and 'Quran Pro' are good for both beginners and intermediate level of gaining knowledge as they include easy prayers, translations of the Quran and prayer timings. Other apps like 'WeSalam – Hajj & Umrah Guide' have specific details on the Islamic rituals of the Holy Pilgrimage. Websites are also another prominent user-friendly means to gain knowledge quickly and easily. Some popular ones include quran.com, sunnah.com and duas.com; these websites offer the meaning of the chapters in the Quran, a search engine for any hadith and categories for all duas, respectively.

Remember, knowledge is power. #RamadanKareem!