The Meaning Of Togetherness

In Auzair’s view, “Ramadan is the start of a Muslim’s year.” He explained that this month was when the Qur’an was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Because of this, Ramadan is a time for Muslims to reflect on their blessings.

“You need to be thankful for everything that you have,” he said. “Then of course the major thing is to share.”

For Auzair, the purpose of Ramadan is about slowing down. While the rest of the year may be filled with celebrations like birthdays and gatherings, Ramadan shifts the focus to inner growth. Through fasting, prayer, and self-control, Muslims cleanse their hearts and strengthen their faith.

He goes on to describe the month as a time to refresh and “reset.”

But Ramadan is not only about personal reflection. It is also a time that brings people together, something Auzair deeply appreciates.

“Nowadays, that we're all super busy, we hardly find time,” he explained. “It's the time of year we're all together sitting down. Whether you're a big family or a small one, you're sitting down in the morning when you start your fast, or when you break your fast in the evening.”

For many families, these meals, suhoor before the fast and iftar when it ends, become special moments. They bring food, conversation, and connection.

Because Ramadan brings so much meaning, giving back feels natural. For Auzair, generosity starts at home, with kindness and time shared among family. It then extends outward through charity and helping those in need.

“Everyone comes together, not just for food,” he said. “It could be something like joining to build a mosque or helping a family that needs support.”

Community plays a big role in how he observes Ramadan. Living in the UK, he often joined others in the Asian community for nightly prayers.

“Because we’re not always able to go to the mosque as easily as we would back home,” he said. “So the community comes together around the time of breaking the fast, then we gather for the special night prayers.”

These extra prayers, called Tarawih, are traditions that make Ramadan especially meaningful for Muslims around the world.

From France, With Generosity

“Ramadan, personally, means a lot to me”, El Bachir began.

As one of Islam's Five Pillars, Ramadan has deep meaning for Muslims. For El Bachir, it’s a time of sharing, service, and spiritual growth. When these come together, he says, it brings happiness and joy. Ramadan then becomes one of the most important moments for Muslims everywhere.

When asked about Ramadan's purpose, he replied simply: “You have to fast. You have to pray.” For him, it goes beyond fasting. The month is about strengthening ties with Allah through prayer, remembrance, and good deeds.

Many Muslims also believe that every dhikr (remembrance of Allah) recited during Ramadan is heard, and that every good deed performed during the month earns multiplied rewards.

In the spirit of good deeds, like Hajarah, El Bachir also keeps the tradition of giving by sending money back to his hometown.

“I send directly to family and friends, and to Imams at a local mosque,” he said.

The money helps provide iftar, the evening meal to break the fast, to those who may not have enough. He mentioned local associations in his home country that organise meals and offer support during Ramadan.

Beyond giving, El Bachir also holds onto a personal Ramadan tradition that helps him stay close to home.

Because El Bachir and his immediate family live in France, far from their relatives, they make a point to connect during iftar. At the time of breaking the fast, they get on a video call with family back home.

“We show them what we are eating,” he said. “It’s important because they will see how we are doing Ramadan in France.”

For El Bachir and his wife, these calls help them stay in touch with loved ones and their traditions, even while observing Ramadan far from home.

A Big Pot of Kindness

For Hajarah, giving during Ramadan begins with reflection. She sees the month as a time to slow down, look inward, pray to Allah, and spend more time with family.

In her view, Ramadan reminds Muslims to stay humble. “Islam teaches a lot about humility,” she explained. “It instructs us to see things from the less privileged’s point of view. Many people spend the whole day without access to food.”

She went on to share other Islamic practices that reflect this idea of humility. For example, Muslims are buried in simple shrouds, not elaborate coffins. During Hajj, many pilgrims wear simple white garments called ihram. These practices remind Muslims that everyone is equal before Allah.

Fasting during Ramadan carries a similar lesson. “There are people around the world who don't have food to eat all day,” Hajarah said. “So why can't you fast for just a few hours during worship?”

Hajarah recalled how, growing up in Nigeria, her mother would cook large pots of food for neighbours and children from struggling families.

“It's a mentality I've grown up with,” she shared. “This is how you give during Ramadan. We're both fasting, I cannot imagine at the end of my fast not having something to eat.”

Now living in the UK, Hajarah has found her own ways to continue that tradition.

“I just give in little ways I can,” she said. 'There are charities here that I give to. It doesn't have to be food, I contribute money, clothes and anything I can to the less privileged during Ramadan.”

In addition, she and her siblings send money back home to her mother in Nigeria. Their mother uses it to carry out Sadaqah, often by preparing meals for people who cannot afford much. Even from far away, Hajarah says it helps her feel connected to the tradition of giving she grew up with.

Giving Back, Together

The stories shared by Auzair, El Bachir, and Hajarah point to something the LemFi team recognises deeply: that generosity during Ramadan rarely stays local. It travels back home and across the border.

This Ramadan, the LemFi team found their own way to bring that spirit to life. On 7 March 2026, we hosted a special campaign called “Your Iftar Here Can Become an Iftar There.” The event was an Egyptian iftar night at Afandena restaurant in Earl’s Court, London, bringing together more than 60 members of the Egyptian community in the UK around one table.

Guests shared a meal, laughed, and connected as they broke their fast together. But the evening was also about giving back. Each guest donated $20 to the Orman Charity Association in Egypt through the National Bank of Egypt.

Thanks to their generosity, the donations helped provide over 1,000 iftar meals for people in need across Egypt.

Moments like this show how communities abroad can still make a real difference back home. And at LemFi, we’re honoured to play a small part in making that connection possible.

How to Support Muslims Around You as a Non-Muslim

Ramadan is a significant time, and for non-Muslims who want to be thoughtful, small gestures can go a long way. Here's what our three contributors suggest:

• Be respectful about fasting: Avoid questions like “Why are you fasting?” or “Do you have to fast?” and give them space to observe their fast comfortably.

• Join in generosity: If you can, give to charity, donate, or share a small Ramadan gift or hamper with friends.

• Acknowledge the month’s importance: Recognise that Ramadan is a deeply meaningful time and treat it with respect.

• Accommodate when possible: Simple actions, such as adjusting meal times or recognising when someone is fasting, can show support.

Celebrate Ramadan, Even from Afar

Being far from home during Ramadan can be lonely. But as Auzair, El Bachir, and Hajarah all show, distance doesn't have to mean disconnection.

Hajarah's mother still cooks that big pot of food, now partly funded by her children in the UK. El Bachir still breaks his fast with family, just via a screen. Auzair still prays Tarawih, just in a different postcode from where he grew up.

The fast travels. So does the generosity.

If you're looking to fulfil your Zakat or give Sadaqah this Ramadan, LemFi makes it easier to send support home with competitive exchange rates and low-to-zero fees depending on your location. Your generosity goes further, helping more people with every pound, dollar, or euro, often arriving just in time for iftar.