“Ramzan is here! When do you get time to open up the quran, read, listen, understand, reflect?” Asked a friend. And I nodded in guilty agreement.
There’s so much to do, and then there’s also the demand on our energy levels – make no mistake, even for the hardened rozedar, it is hard to keep up with the multitude of activities that surround our roza.
Come Ramzan and we prepare to spend some quality time with ourselves, with God, and inevitably, with family. As we partake of Sehri together and prep for iftars, the regular run on charity, donations, food preps, ration distribution, exams (for some) and balancing a work-life-family time 24/7 schedule, time for reflection means we are more caught up in Ramzan than we wanted to be!
This is why, my one stop solution has been to switch on my podcast the moment I enter the kitchen for Iftar preps. That takes over a good 50 minutes to an hour of my time when I’m whipping spicy yogurt, prepping pakora batter or merely trying out a new recipe for smoked chicken. My podcast transports me into a world where time stands still, I am in the moment, yet out of it, as I continue about my kitchen business, I listen to the lecture, question answer session or a brief explanation of a spiritual point that always confused me and I soak in the clarity of the discussion at hand – wondering – why don’t I do this more often?
So, although I would love to, (but I won’t), recommend which podcasts to follow. I will proceed to give you 5 Reasons Why You Must Listen To Any Ramzan Podcast of YOUR choosing!
1. It’s The Easiest Way To Add in An Hour Of Reflection
Listening to a podcast means you can carry on with your daily walk, iftar preps, sehri (if you’re an early morning listener) and still add in the knowledge base or time for reflection by listening in simultaneously.
2. The Right Podcast For You Means You Add To Your Knowledge Base At Your Pace
It might take time to settle on which podcast you want to follow, but once you do, (according to your preferences) you will be amazed at the unasked questions in your mind and heart, that it will answer. Everyone is on a different threshold of learning, everyone prefers different teachers or manner of discussion, some prefer lectures, some prefer dialogue and discussion. This is your moment to pick the one that speaks to you. Or, most likely like me, you will flit from one to the other, absorbing wisdom from diverse viewpoints and leaving room for reflection.
3. It Is A Great Way To Open Up Spiritual Debate At The Iftar & Dinner Table
You can continue the momentum by discussing what you just learnt with your family at iftar. I find it not only enlightens you further, but others can also share in a healthy debate on what you just learnt. It not only motivates your family members to read up, but also initiates discussions on topics of everyday life with your near and dear ones – topics that we might not visit in the other 11 months, topics that might have diverse view points, and may just be what your family needs to find meaning in this month of fasting.
4. Listening To A Podcast Allows You To Slow Down Mentally, If Not Physically
Other than the 5 times prayers that keep you focused, a podcast will allow you to slow down in a month which, though it is meant for reflection, might actually be speeding by you. Some of us do not live in a country with a Muslim majority population. This means that our regular work hours continue in Ramzan. This, coupled with the rozas, iftar preps, and helping out with younger kids routines or exams might be more than enough to keep you totally occupied. Where do we find time to reflect then? A podcast allows you to do just that. It could be a 30 minute downtime where you just lie down before iftar to take a breather, a drive in your car through traffic to and from work, or, as I said, Iftar preps in the kitchen. I can vouch for the fact that you will feel you are getting to ‘feel’ the month a little bit, for what it is meant to do – make you reflect.
5. We Must Arm Ourselves With Knowledge & A Podcast Is A Great Way To Begin
With so much happening in the global diaspora regarding our religion. It is imperative that we understand what we follow with our whole heart. That is why, listening to a podcast might be the way to stay informed. From inheritance laws, to women in Islam, from familial relationships to living an expat life – podcasts can bring you closer to the answers that you struggled with, not just for yourself, but also for those around you. After you listen to a few, or many, you might be able to open the Quran and make references from past discussions to read greater meaning into a message that is meant for all of humanity – yet, one, we do not pay heed to often enough.
Keep trying to reach the balance you find hard to achieve – that is what Ramzan is all about. Resetting our inner clocks and finding a work-life-spiritual equilibrium that is just right for us!
