A sisterly reminder for the Muslimahs to make the most of their Ramadan – preferably outside of the kitchen.

It is undeniable that a lot of women are, because of this misplaced notion of women’s role in religion, inevitably left with very few, if any, opportunities to maximize their rewards during Ramadan. But equally, some of us have no one but our self to blame. A lot of us do have the resources, the time and the chance to engage in these activities but yet we consider it wiser to de-prioritise them, and instead waste this unique month, by intentional choice, in either free reign shopping, just for the sake of it socializing or grandiose cooking, and in the process, defeating the whole concept behind fasting in the first place (that of controlling one’s worldly desires).

I’d like to add that some families place this burden on their women, as they feel Ramadan isn’t complete without the mega-iftaris. Breaking the fast with friends and family is highly rewarding and recommended, but don’t overwhelm the sister by expecting her to cook five different dishes for thirty people, single-handedly. So please, if you’re not responsible for cooking the meals, use some common sense, and also lend a hand in the kitchen to get the most reward, inshallah.