Welcoming another blessed month, Inshallah.
Mashallah, Ramadan 2025 is upon us. We begin to busy ourselves in Ibadah and wonder how it is so easy for us to do so during this one month.
Our priorities change and we surround ourselves with the word of Allah swt, the Quran, Islamic books, talks and series.
Ramadan is a month of togetherness. You can feel a special presence in the air around you. Our mind, heart and soul begin to find that missing peace.
As the days go by, we concentrate on our Ibadah, counting down the days to Eid but also wishing the month doesn’t end. The sadness that ensues with the last few days of Ramadan remind us of how fleeting life is and how important it is to hold on to what is truly meaningful for our life here and for the akhira.
As someone who is a keen collector of books and is constantly adding to her bookshelf. Ramadan is a time for me to re-start or boost my personal learning journey as a Muslim.
The Clear Quran
As always, the number one book for Ramadan and through the year is the Quran.
This year I began reading The Clear Quran and have found this to be the best English translation of the Quran that I have come across so far. It has helped fill in any gaps or questions I had whilst reading previous English translations. Ultimately giving me a better rounded understanding. I can see why this book is popular with people who are interested in Islam as a form of research or to potentially become Muslim. It has a brilliant section in the beginning that answers the frequently asked questions as well as a breakdown of how to use this Quran. Throughout the Quran it has a sub introduction at the top of each Surah and Juz explaining where it was revealed and why giving the reciter some background information. It also provides footnotes with detail and sources so you can do follow up research and learning.
Quran 30 for 30
A book I invested in for this Ramadan is a physical copy of Quran 30 for 30 Thematic Tafsir. Last year, I downloaded this as an e-book but sadly I didn’t connect with it the way I would have liked. So to compensate I listened to the series on YouTube which I loved. However, when Yaqeen Institute released the book on Kube Publishing, I had to get it. For me, I have realised that I work better using actual books rather than e-books. This book is great for journaling as each Juz is broken into 4 areas; Thematic Overview, The Seerah, Judgement Day and Quranic Worldview. This ultimately helps the reader to connect the different areas whilst working through the Quran at their own pace.
90 Days Quran Journal
Last Ramadan I purchased the 90 Days Quran Journal from Helm Paper Co. If you had a read of my Ramadan Booklist article from last year, you will know that I had this on my wish list. I have slowly been working through it whenever I have a moment and this year I want to Inshallah continue with it. I use a range of resources to guide me on my learning path. From online sites such as Quran.com, Sunnah.com and MyIslam.com to books on my shelf such as Surah al-Kahf by Dr Yasir Qadhi and The 99 Names by Ramadan Legacy. This journal is easy to use and each topic is spread roughly over 2 pages. The topics vary from Prophets, Surahs, Names of Allah swt, as well as principals of being a Muslim. There is enough space for doodling, mind maps, bullet points, notes and reflections.
Why Me?
During Ramadan evenings I love watching the series created by Imam Omar Suleiman with Yaqeen Institute. This year it will be about The Other Side, which you can catch on YouTube.
Last year he did a series on Why Me? After the series ends he writes a book based on the series from the previous Ramadan ready for the following one. Therefore this year’s Yaqeen Institute book that I have bought for myself and as gifts for a few loved ones is his Why Me? book. The YouTube series had so many gems that translated into a book could only mean more amazing gems ready to be discovered. This book is divided into 32 chapters. It has endless quotes that are broken down and explained, as well as answering the questions we as humans may either ask others or ourselves about our existence, our futures and our place in this dunya.
This Years Intentions
As you can see this year seems to be more of an educational year for me.
Ramadan was the time when Angel Jibreel would come down and sit and recite the Quran with the Prophet Muhammad [SAW]. So it is a perfect time to start if you haven’t already to read and understand what the Quran is saying to us. As Muslims who do not speak Arabic as a first language, it is important for us to read translations as well so we get a deeper meaning of Allah’s words. This only helps to strengthen our hearts towards Him and His deen.
As always this is just my breakdown list of books I will be using. I have many other books on my shelf that I dip and dive through for Duas, Surahs as well as books for the kids that we read and go through together. If you would like you can check out my Ramadan Booklist from last year to get some more inspiration!
Wish List
As book lover, there is always more books I could do with or would love to read through. Here are two I would Inshallah like to have one day.
Builders of a Nation: Collated by Dr Haifaa Younis, this book encompasses the lives of 37 women starting with the women from the Prophet Muhammad’s SAW household, to female companions and pioneers of Islamic History.
Hafs (Indo Pak) Edition, Quran Trace: This looks like such an amazing version of the Quran tracing that I have come across. There are many benefits of reciting whilst writing or tracing the Quran which can also help in memorisation.
