Ramadan this year will be different than it has been ever before. With COVID-19, most people, except healthcare professionals and essential workers, are at home under state-at-home orders. Kids are home from school, in some cases for the rest of the year. As organizations and mosques are shifting to online platforms to prepare for Ramadan, there’s a lot of virtual offerings to help you get the most out of Ramadan.

Haute Hijab compiled this master list for you to get a heads up on preparing for a Ramadan in quarantine, from decorating to creating a prayer space at home for the month-long tarawih prayers to different programs and classes you can avail. It’s by no means complete; as we hear about more offerings, we’ll keep posting them here, so be sure to bookmark this post! (And, please add your suggestions in the comments below!) Here’s a list of what we’ve found.

It is never too early to prepare for Ramadan. In fact, we have about a week left to get things in order for the fasting month. As many of us adjust to our new normal and prepare what it looks to be a virtual and at-home Ramadan experience, here are some resources:

1. For multitasking moms – This Haute Hijab guide for busy mamas will give you tips on meal prep and physical chores to save up energy for more important things like increasing good deeds during the last 10 nights of Ramadan.

2. Shopping ahead – To make this Ramadan special, keep in mind you will be eating at home and shopping less often during COVID-19. So, plan ahead for your groceries! Oh, and yes it’s okay to take out those fancy dinner sets. A pretty table can definitely help make things special!

3. Virtual iftars – Breaking fast via Zoom or Google Hangouts may be the new norm with family and friends this Ramadan. However the Ramadan Iftar Project began virtual iftars for converts to connect to Muslims on Facebook in 2014 via Skype. Muslims, who will now be home for Ramadan rather than at the mosques, can take on an initiative to break bread virtually with local converts and community.

4. Family time – The Family Youth Institute put out this toolkit on preparing mentally for Ramadan as a family member, student or employee by spending time on healing and creating traditions. FYI put out this needs assessment questionnaire to determine what assistance Muslims will need during these unique circumstances.

5. Prepping versus winging it – If you’re like me, some years fluctuating between how much you can prepare ahead of time or not, here is a quick list of things to consider whether you’re prepping or winging it this Ramadan.

Organizations and masajid are coming together to provide tips and help for Muslims for spiritual healing as well as to prepare for Ramadan. Here are a few places to look for daily, weekly and pre-recorded programming and lectures.

1. Reflections with Imam Omar Suleiman – Imam Omar shares daily thoughts at 9 p.m. on his Facebook live, as well as a short Friday lecture at 2 p.m. weekly.

2. Family Programming from Miftaah Institute - In Michigan this institute has created daily family programming, from seerah to Quran reflections, to hadith.

3. Islamic Foundation – This organization is leading daily programming (mostly evenings) ranging from companions of the Prophet to tafsir.

4. Sacred Learning – This organization is running a 15-min daily reminder with families in mind each night at 8:45 CST for their Foundations of Faith webinar and is offering a Ramadan prep course on April 18.

5. Qalam Institute – Based in Dallas, the Qalam Institute, which aims to provide “accessible Islamic knowledge,” created the Qalam Podcast last year, including the episodes Ready for Ramadan by Abdul Nasir Jangda and Ramadan Reflections with Mufti Hussain Kamani. This year the online course, Fiqh of Fasting, is open for registration.

6. SuhaibWebb.com – With free registration, suhaibwebb.com is featuring Quran reflections with various speakers at 10 p.m. EST. and various other free programming.

7. Salam Youth – Masjid AlSalam’s youth group in Michigan is hosting a kid-friendly Stories of the Prophets series Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11 a.m. live on Instagram and Zoom with Br. Belal Elkadri. Ramadan programs include tajweed, DIY crafts for kids, purification series, Quran and nasheed nights.

8. ALIM Weekly Hangout – Shaykh Ubaydullah Evans leads a weekly halaqa on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. CST on contemporary issues as part of the American Learning Institute for Muslims.

9. Boston Islamic Seminary – If you’re into discussion, this seminary is diving into Surah Kahf each Friday.

10. Ta'leef Collective – If you’re looking for extra support, the Ta'leef Collective has a number of Lives and Zoom support meetings to help you.

11. The Rahmah Foundation – This foundation is focusing on preparing women for Ramadan through a number of classes and halaqas.

12. ICNYU Community Du'a – If you’re looking for a weekly du'a session, Imam Khalid Latif of the Islamic Center of New York University hosts community du'as Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 9 p.m. EST.

13. Islamic Society of North America – ISNA brings on a special speaker for Friday Reflections at 1 p.m. EST.

14. Mondays with Muhsen – Muhsen (Muslims Understanding and Helping Special Education Needs) is offering Monday night online spiritual talks via Facebook Lives with wonderful imams and leaders (check here for timings).

15. Rabata – Dr. Tamara Gray and others provide an overview of fasting, spirituality, health and more in a women-led Ramadan Ready course, discounted to $35.

16. MAS Youth Ramadan – In 2006-2013 MAS Youth recorded seven seasons of "In the Shade of Ramadan" about various topics of faith.

17. Inspiration Series – Imam Omar Suleiman narrated a two-season mini-drama series called Inspiration, featuring the character and actions of the Prophet Muhammad (saw), a Ramadan rerun favorite in my home.

Preparing your home for Ramadan is a newer trend in North America, while Muslims around the world regularly decorate their homes and towns for this holy month. These guides and resources will help you get your home in tip-top shape for Ramadan!

1. Cover the basics – If you’re not sure where to start when it comes to decorating for Ramadan, here are five ways to decorate, from outdoor lights to indoor lamps.

2. Kid-friendly decor – Haute Hijab’s guide on how set up space and activities for kids this Ramadan provides a way to implement the fasting month in your home – from creating an itikaf tent for the kids to read Quran to displaying banners and activities baskets.

3. Eid Creations – In 2011 Rana Bacaloni started selling the first mass-produced products for Ramadan and Eid party decor. Rana offers tips on Haute Hijab on how to spruce up your home to make it more festive for the month and activities to do with kids!

4. So many awesome Muslim vendors – Along with major retailers for Ramadan and Eid decor like Party City and Target, Etsy has become a place to find customized decor. Fellow blog writer Danah Shuli compiled a great list of Muslim vendors and links to their Ramadan-oriented products on Instagram, Etsy or their own websites!

5. DIY crafts – Not a person who likes to spend a ton on decoration but wants to remain festive? Try following this DIY Eid banner. Here are nine other great activities (including decor) you can do with your kids to prep for and do in Ramadan!

Spirituality is a big part of Ramadan. There are many online offerings out there, from creating spiritual goals to how you can schedule Quran into your day to amping up your charitable giving. When deeds are multiplied by 70 times per deed, it’s essential to keep your A-game up in this department. Here are some places to start.

1. Al-Maghrib tafsir – Understanding the Quran is a part of reflecting and learning from it. That’s why Al-Maghrib has courses on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays with Facebook live @almaghribworld and @hasibmn.

2. Spiritual goals – Whether you’re on your own, with a small family of one or large family, creating spiritual goals individually and/or as a family helps keep you on course to reaping rewards in Ramadan.

3. Muslim Matters – If you’re a busy adult, perhaps still working an essential job or a stay-at-home mom of little ones or homeschooling in COVID, Muslim Matters put together this list for busy people to get a comprehensive understanding of how to prepare for Ramadan (especially for new Muslims), with daily and weekly scheduling advice.

4. The Productive Muslim Company – This company has a great deal of literature and free prep classes about increasing productivity and barakah, visual infographics on dhikr, remembrances of Allah, tips on how to eat and sleep, schedule deeds, and make du'a lists, to effectively ask for supplications on behalf of yourself and others.

5. Tarawih at home – mosques will most likely remain closed due to the coronavirus during Ramadan therefore Haute Hijab has a guide on how to create a prayer space and routines at home.

We hope these resources shared here help you pick and choose everything you need to help you make the most out of your Ramadan. So many masajid and organizations are offering great programming. We know we missed listing everything here. Please share in the comments below what else you want us to include here!