Balancing academic activities and business during Ramadan can indeed be challenging, especially for female students who are also entrepreneurs. It requires careful time management, prioritisation, and self-care to ensure both responsibilities are fulfilled effectively while observing the spiritual significance of the month. Muslim faithfuls across Nigeria, Africa and the world celebrate the Eid Mubarak which marks the end of the forty days of fasting. Like students, teachers are optimistic that their students will return to the classroom energised and physically and mentally fit. For teachers and educators balancing work during the fast period has been intriguing and challenging.
“For me, the Ramadan period was a mixture of pains and gains. I was able to become closer to God. I moved closer to God during this period. I enjoyed every bit of it because of the thing that I subjected myself to, and I denied myself of so many things. Going to the market, coming back late at night, preparing food for my children has been a very difficult one. But I must say that the lessons I learned during this period is to withstand grief, to be a true girl, and to also plan ahead”
For many the Eid ul-Fitr, also known as the “Festival of Breaking the Fast,” is one of the most important celebrations in the Islamic calendar. It marks the end of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting, and is a time of joy, gratitude, and community bonding for Muslims around the world. Eid ul-Fitr has its roots in the teachings of Islam and commemorates the conclusion of a month-long period of fasting, prayer, and reflection. Amidst the celebration, Mrs. Totoola Maryam Adedoyin and a student Suhailah Martins share their experience during the holy month of Ramadan in an chat with Edugist reporter.
Responding to questions on how she celebrated Eid, she added that: We celebrated Eid by beginning with a prayer at the mosque afterwards we proceed home to celebrate the festive period with nice delicacies and we bond with the family and friends cherishing the blessings of the moment together. According to Maryam Ramadan teaches various lessons such as self-discipline, spiritual reflection, empathy and compassion, gratitude and community bonding.
Amidst the challenges of daily life, Maryam finds solace in the traditions of Ramadan. As an entrepreneur, her days are filled with the hustle and bustle of business, but during Ramadan, she combined work with fasting and took time to reflect on her faith and the blessings of the month. As Ramadan ended, Maryam reflected on the lessons learned during Ramadan. She mentioned that she celebrated the festivity in the mosque and came back home to celebrate with the family.
A student of Ilead College, Ikorodu, Suhailah Martins also told Edugist that throughout the month, her connection with her faith deepened as she spent hours in prayer and supplication to her Lord. For Suhailah, she stated that Ramadan was a time of spiritual renewal and growth. Despite the demands of her academic studies, she made time each day for prayer, reflection, and acts of charity. As the days passed and the fasting hours stretched on, she found herself drawing closer to her faith. Despite the exhaustion and her academic pursuit, she remained steadfast in her commitment to her faith, finding strength in the words of the Quran and the support of her family and friends.
“During the Ramadan fasting, I was actually tired at some point because balancing academics, work, and study has been a difficult task. But I must say that it’s a time that I had to give it my all because of the blessings that come with the fasting. I had to be determined to ensure that I complete my fast. So in the long term, I was able to complete the fast despite the challenges. Look at the economy it may be challenging and all that. It’s really a worthwhile one for me”
As Eid drew to a close and Muslim faithful looking forward to the Ramadan of next year, Mrs Adedoyin and Suhailah took a moment to reflect on their Ramadan journey.For both women, the past month had been a time of spiritual growth, self-discovery, and gratitude. While the essence of Eid ul-Fitr remains the same, the way it is celebrated varies across different families, cultures and regions.
