Message #18406

[Zainab_M]

Maha Addasi is the author and Ned Gannon is the illustrator.  This is the book.




I won't call it a tradition, it's a typical copy-cat innovation in today's non-Muslim oil gulf states, borrowing from the holiday spirits of the West.  That's all they're capable of.   Every social event that occurs in that part of the puppet-world has it's roots in Western practices.  I doubt if people in northern Middle East even know about it.   Girgian, which means candies and sweets, is a clear wannabe Halloween.   It's something that started as recently as four or five years ago .. or maybe less. 
 
It's about a little girl named Noor who talks of her brothers walking the streets with lanterns (fanoos) asking for treats (candies) from neighbors for three nights.   The book tries to sprinkle some Islamic touch, mentioning that while the brothers go candy-picking, the sister offers salat and reads the Quran (without highlighting any Quranic Verses nor principles).  Then the girl has a tete-a-tete with her grandmother who tells her that the "true meaning of Ramadan is spending time with family and sharing with those less fortunate."  Indeed this is important, very important.  However, the true meaning of Ramadan is spending time with the Quran, and in accordance with Quranic teachings, children will learn to love their family and help the needy. Otherwise their learnings will have no support and can fizzle out any time.   What can be a better time to learn than the blessed month of Ramadan?  But the kids' book "White Nights of Ramadan" teaches nothing about the Message of the Quran.   That's much too regrettable.   Neither does the author  have the dignity to give traditional names to Noor's brothers.  Their names are "Sam" and "Dan."

Some thoughtless commentator in the blog of Islamic School Librarian says "I love learning about people’s Ramadan traditions, and am slightly embarrassed to admit that I never knew about this Gulf tradition of Girgian."   LOL.   I also never knew ... simply because this isn't a Ramadan tradition to begin with.  It's borrowed from the heathen Celtic Halloween tradition.  

Ramadan is the month of the Noble Quran, the month of Truth .. the only month in the year that's all about the Noble Quran.  If parents want to make it a fun month of kids, they must organize that 'fun' based on truth.  Needless to say, there's so much to discuss on the Quran that just 30 days of Ramadan is not enough.  Presentations of Quranic contents in a simple, straightforward and interesting manner for children can easily be rendered which kids will love.  Most relevantly, it will help prepare a foundation of truthful knowledge in their lives from a tender young age which would be immensely fruitful in future.  Ramadan for sure must NOT to be mixed with crazy non-Islamic traditions for the sake of amusing kids just because the parents themselves aren't interested in the Quran. 


Related posts:
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-  What exactly is Leilatul Raghaib?
-  How far would you agree with this perception of Rajab & Shaban? 
-  Laila-tul-Barah
-  Custom of Shab-e-Barat and its link with orthodox Christianity