Welcome to muslim tea room 2.

[defuse]

Peace to you all

Ok, well here it is again...we have moved to room 2 now

Discuss whatever aspect of islam you like my lovely sisters - this is a place for muslims and non-muslims too, to share experiences, raising kids or just having your say!

The kettle is on.... We have loads of herbal teas, coffee and guava juice .... I like guava juice so welcome!

Holiday was lovely thanks peaceful, nice to have a break and change from the same monotonous routine.

I can't believe how quickly Ramadan has come round. We mentioned about sharing some recipes, that may help you peaceful. I can't comment on the working and fasting though I'm afraid.

I do find it easier to cook as much as I can early in the morning to save doing it later on. That's always my intention anyway but then find it gets to two hours before iftar and I haven't got a clue what I'm going to cook! I think meal planning is a great idea and I'm going to do that this year inshallah.

A slow cooker has been on my list of things to buy for years! What do you put in there? I'd worry it would lose the flavour, say if you roast a whole chicken does it taste the same in a slow cooker? Would you cook a curry in one?

That's lovely though crescent, I'd like to do the same for my dc too. I don't want their memories of Ramadan during their childhood to be of moody mummy always tired and doing nothing!

I've just read your link crescent, it's all scary stuff.

Those poor parents of the Nigerian girls must be beside themselves. I too pray that the girls are found safe and well and reunited with their family soon inshallah.

Glad your holiday went well Lost. Crescent you have just given me the answer to my dilemma. Slow cooker! Just put the ingredients in there and hey presto - iftar. Just need to get hold of one now. That and a stock of samosas. I know one family who pre Ramadhan all the ladies get together to make 100s of samosas then share it out between them. Samosas were a big part of my chlidhood ramadhan so thats something I definitely need but will probably order as I wouldnt know where to start making it myself. What other food do people traditionally eat during Ramadhan? Your part ideas sound great Crescent. I really want to decorate the house and make it special for ramadhan. I was in Egypt pre ramadhan a few years ago and shops and houses put up decorations like lanterns and things like that. Really makes you excited running up to ramadhan when you see them coming out.

Just wanted to let those of you living down south about a really great family event coming up in the Willowbrook Organic farm in Oxfordshire. The farm is owned by a lovely muslim couple who are always hosting some really great community events at their farm. Im planning to take ds along to this:

May 17th Open day

He is obsessed with animals at the moment (yesterday he chased after two men walking their dog screaming doggy doggy after them and they kindly stopped to let him pet their dog). It would be great for young kids to get up close to farm animals and they will get a chance to pet them too. But what Im really looking forward to is this event:

Tour de farm and BBQ

I use to love bike riding though I dont think I can cycle 100km. That sounds really tough. Love the sound of a barbecue though. I think we need to start moving towards having more halal organic meat.

Peaceful how did I not know about this amazing farm?! It's on my doorstep. It's dd2's birthday next week and I've been looking for places to take her. I need a lift as I haven't got a car at the moment but I'll get there somehow.

I've been reading the threads on here about the uproar of people eating unmarked halal meat. I then did a bit of digging and some of the halal abattoirs look shocking. I feel really upset by it all. I second there being more organic halal meat. What's everyone's thoughts on all of this? Would you eat meat that wasn't marked as halal but you were told it was?

Salaam and hello to you all! You might remember me from the thread last ramadan?
So I just spent a week in morocco collecting DS and seeing in laws, also had a few days in the flat H is renovating/ building. I just love morocco, I love the call to prayer, the sense of communality and love that Islam encompasses. I kind of wish I could be religious, but I'm just not. Although today I took DS to mosque in the nearest town as he asked to go, and for the first time ever I sat in a mosque during prayers! I didn't expect to, I would have waited outside but they were very welcoming. Luckily I had a loose scarf on just by coincidence so I could cover my hair. I see why DS likes listening to the prayers, they are so soothing. He often goes to prayer at the mosque on his own in morocco! The mosque is literally opposite the flat though and it's a pedestrianised area so pretty safe. He told me today he wouldn't be scared going in to the mosque on his own because everyone there are good people which my social worker head balked at. I'm always doing protective behaviour stuff with him and I think that's something I need to think about! Moroccan/Islamic culture tends to be more tactile with kids than English culture so I don't want him to be nervous but equally...
I plan to fast for ramadan again this year, although I'm finishing my course in June and won't be working til September, and I'm a bit nervous about days at home! I found workdays much easier than weekends last time.
H is totally rubbish about creating a sense of occasion about things so I try to compensate but I have no reference for ramadan traditions so I might watch this thread with interest! A ramadan calendar is a lovely idea, can you buy them online?

Salams,

I admit I have neglected this thread. Tbh I'm not very islamic on MN anymore. I have been a MNer for 8 years now and I think I have got a bot bored of the hijab, halal meat and circumcision threads as they all seem to follow the same pattern.

I have heard of the organic farm, but never bought anything from them or been there. It is on our 'to do' list.

I didn't fast last year as I was pg and not well with it. I am nervous about this year, I will see how it goes as the baby will be pretty established on solids then. I am sad that it will no longer fall in school holidays so I can't take the children to the islamic centre for iftar. It means alot more cooking for me too.

Somebody mentioned slow cookers? You can make asian style curries in them but you need to fry the onions and meat so it isnt quite as timesaving as it would be for English dishes.

Salams Ehric and littleducks

Welcome back to the tearoom. Nice to get more posters coming up to Ramadhan (its 6 weeks away but hey lets get the ball rolling). Ehric I have always wanted to visit Morocco but have been a bit nervous to follow through, dont know why. l guess I worry whether I could get around easily without speaking Arabic. I went to Egypt on my own when I was younger and coped fine but Morocco feels more full on to me. Saying that I have heard Moroccans are really friendly. We had family friends who went on holiday to Marrakesh and met a Moroccan man in the market who then invited them all to his home to meet his family and even took them on a day's excursion to the Atlas mountains where they had a barbecue. It really made their holiday but he point blank refused to take anything from them.

As for Ramadhan traditions I wouldnt worry about following established ones just make up your own. I think living in a country that doesnt celebrate Ramadhan or Eid definitely forces you to be more creative. I am finding these two website are really great for ideas about decorations.

www.pinterest.com/muslimmamma/eid-ramadan-ideas/

www.pinterest.com/sanakh04/ramadan-eid-diy-ideas/

What I really like though is the middle eastern lanterns and lights. In Egypt before Ramadhan you see them a lot on the streets during the festive season. This site has some really great decorations on sale but you will have to order in advance because they are based in the states.

www.ranoon.com/main.sc

As for the organic farm I would really recommend it Lost. I went there ages ago with family and we really enjoyed it. A very laid back atmosphere. As for the halal meat thing I definitely wouldnt trust the meat being sold as halal but isnt marked but thats mainly because I dont believe its really halal.

Thank you peaceful. I saw some lovely ideas on there, quite inspired.
Regarding morocco, from what I've heard it's generally more easy going than Egypt. If you speak French you would get by great, even if not many people speak English. Morocco is genuinely lovely. Of course anywhere can have its dodgy spots but I love most of it. You can really see the impact of economic growth over the last few years. It is far from seeming like a developing country these days.

I was only saying to my sister last week that the place I want to visit next is Morocco. I don't actually know that much about it, it's just always been a place I've wanted to visit since I read a book at school about a girl who lived in Marrakech. I can't remember the name of it but it's on the tip of my tongue!

How old is your ds Ehric? He sounds lovely mashallah.

Peaceful those pinterest links are great, I'm going to have a good look at them and get some bits for the dc to do.

I'm definitely going to the farm, I'm going to book the tickets tomorrow inshallah. I won't tell the dc it'll be a nice surprise for them, although I hope I don't put you off going if I'm going peaceful .

Thank you Lost he is! He is 5.5. The book wasn't hideous kinky was it?
Our place is in chef chaouen. It's a small town in the rif mountains, it's gorgeous. Very Spanish in influence. I highly recommend a visit!

I was just looking at hotels and reviews on trip adviser, next year I'll go inshallah. I'll come to you for tips on do's and dont's!

Yes it was hideous kinky, thank you! I'm going to see if I can get it on my kindle.

I read it ages ago, I might dig it out from my bookshelf and give it another go. I loved the film with Kate Winslet, morocco has changed a lot since then and yet hardly at all. You will love it I'm sure.

www.holidayfes.com/home.php?lang=en SIL manages this riad and it's owned by British guys so well set up to cater for British wants! She speaks perfect English too. Highly recommended!

I had to go and check that book out when I read the title. The story sounds interesting. I think I will watch the film. I like Kate Winslet.

Wow you SIL's riad looks very luxurious Ehric (whats a riad by the way?). Dont get me wrong I do want to visit Morocco. I have really wanted to go and see Fez since I watched a blue peter episode where Konnie Huq went there and made some Moroccan shoes on a roof. It looked like all the buildings had giant paint palettes on their roof, you know like the ones you use in school. I also love the traditional Moroccan dresses with the belts.

caftan-de-maroc.blogspot.co.uk/2011/10/jalabiyya-traditional-kaftan-2011.html

www.fashionfreax.net/outfit/622550/traditional-caftan-moroccan-outfit

I have two which I have worn to weddings. The thing I find I love about them is that you have to be ahem voluptuous to carry them off. My sister is really slender and she has to get them altered as otherwise they just hang off of her. What I wonder though about visiting Morocco is where would you go? There are so many cities there like Rabat, Marrakech, Fez, Casablanca etc how do you decide where to visit? Have you been to all the cities Ehric. Which one would you recommend seeing first?

Lost dont be silly of course I would still go there if you went. More reason to go really .

A riad is a traditional house, looks like nothing from the outside but huge inside withacentral courtyard, usually open roofed. Sometimes with orange trees growing in them!
Would you be going as a family? Is say the places to visit would be either fes, chefchaouen and somewhere coastal (asilah? Never been there myself) in the north or Marrakech and essouaira in the south. I wouldn't bother with the big modern cities like Rabat or casa, there isn't much left of the traditional morocco. The souks and medinas of fes or Marrakech are really worth a visit however.
I wore three of those caftans at my wedding, I loved them! They are so beautiful.

Well, i composed a looong message with links and a conversation and was so pleased with myself - and then it disappeared! So so so annoyed! Dont remember what i wrote anymore, so this one is different!

Its nice to see so many posters on here right now - we all got the ramadan feeling!! My DC love attending 'chaand raat' aka moonsighting parties as they love henna on their hands. Must admit, i havent had any henna put on for years as it wouldnt last 10 minutes with nappy changes and the usual mum jobs. But this year i might just do it and refuse to do anything for an hour!

As for the halal issue, the more awareness of whats in our food chain, the better it is. I buy at my local HMC certified butchers but i still do not know much about the condition of the abattoirs etc. i love the halal organic farms concept -( i dont know if there are any up North) but the cost comparison is eye watering! Having said that, if higher costs mean that the animal lives and dies in conditions prescribed in islam, then that is worth it. It would make me buy less meat but peace of mind halal quality meat, if that makes sense.

As for the 'debates' about halal meat and all things muzlamic, it is tedious. Just went on another website to do with good bargains/deals, only to find that a post about a pizza offer has become a platform for xenophobes to come out! And their language tells me that its not all about clear labelling as they like to make out. Ps: i am all for clear labelling and also all for halal meat!

Right, gonna post now in fear that this post may go awol too!!

Wow, so many new posts in such a short space of time. Salam and welcome to anyone that has been gone for a while.

Thanks peaceful for that description you gave about people pleasing, i found what you said so familiar, and almost describes me to a t. Thanks also for the following advice you gave. That is exactly what I want to try to do, in terms of doing things with a pure intention.

SO glad everyone is talking about ramadhan, it's getting closer. It's a good reminder to start planning. I really want to have achieved something by eid this year. Hopefully involving memorising more of the quran, because my current knowledge is limited. I also wish that it was still in the school holidays.

Also following all the news about halal meat recently and shocked at some of the reactions and misconceptions, and of course, good old bigotry. It makes me question meat rearing and production these days and I feel as though the way we treat animals these days is far far away from the way they were treated in the prophet's lifetime. I don't eat meat everyday, but I still feel guilty because being a consumer, I am contributing to the ill treatment of animals. I definitely agree with clearer labelling as well. I buy from HMC approved butchers, but there are probably times I have had stunned meat. Not sure how I feel about that. Anyway, I have a nice recipe to share with everyone if we are going to do that.

Take care sisters, I'm really enjoying the conversation on here lately.

UmmSHI I was talking to a friend today about how the animals are reared and how I'm not happy with how the animals are treated. I've got my tickets for event at the organic farm next week and I'm going to buy some produce whilst there. I'd rather eat less meat that's of good quality than eat cheap meat every day. It's the same with eggs, I can't buy them from caged hens, they have to be free range.

I love the Ramadan Moon song, I've saved it to show the dc tomorrow, it's similar to the Bismillah, I am a Muslim song which they sing on repeat all day every day. It's very catchy!

Ehric that riad looks amazing! I'd love to live somewhere like that. I often dream of moving abroad somewhere hot, but I'd miss my mum and siblings too much. We all still live in the same town we were born!

I hope everyone has had a good weekend.