As Urbndervish and I adjust to the our new life as parents, we often think about the childhood we hope to create for our child(ren). Many Waldorf/Montessori-inspired educators and parents talk about how children benefit from routines and traditions. Daily routines reduce a child’s anxiety of not knowing what will happen next and helps them to understand a baseline of consistency in the life around them. Seasonal routines help children to understand the passing of time and changing of seasons. As we try to inculcate these principles in ways that affirm our way of life, culture, and values, we realize the need to create new traditions in our home.
One such new tradition of ours is baking on Fridays. Friday or yawmu’l jumu’ah is the “best day of the week” for Muslims! It’s the day of our larger congregational prayers and a day of Divine forgiveness and mercy. All in all, it’s a special day for us and a day that we want our child(ren) to attach fun, happy, and healthy memories too. Even though Lil’ Z is too young to enjoy this cake as part of our “Festive Fridays” (don’t worry, we eat an extra slice in her honor), we realize that it’s not too early to start creating traditions because they are not only for her, but for us as well. We ourselves need to find a suitable rhythm and routine for our family life that speaks tranquility and comfort into our living space; to give time and space to honor what is sacred and most important to us. By starting now, we hope that these traditions will become second-nature for us, so when our child(ren) are able to appreciate and participate in them, we’re psyched and ready!
Ingredients
3 c. all purpose flour
1 c. cane sugar
2 c. cold water
2/3 c. veg. oil
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 c. vegan chocolate chips
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. white vinegar
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. vanilla powder
Directions
1. Combine all of the dry ingredients, except the chocolate chips
2. Combine all of the liquid ingredients
3. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry and stir (by hand, no mixer needed)
4. Fold in the chocolate chips
5. Bake in a greased pan at 350F (175C). I use an 8×8 pyrex dish and it takes nearly 50 min to bake.
Jumu’ah Mubarak! (Blessed Friday!)
Raggamuslims 
Sounds and looks really yummy!
Yes, having a rhythm has really worked well for our crew! And we’ve dabbled in both Montessori and Waldorf, and they both have some great benefits! Keep us posted on your latest traditions/rhythms!
Roxanne
I’m sure your children can bake this one with ease!
One traditioin that we’re working on at the moment is burning bakhoor (incense) on a daily basis. I first observed this practice in hadhramaut where the women would sweep the entire home (you know how dusty it gets in the desert!) and then burn frankincense throughout, leaving it to burn in the bathrooms after they’ve passed through the entire home. I’ve noticed similarly that if I take a mid-morning walk in our neighborhood, many of the homes exude the scent of bakhoor. I’m sure it makes for a pleasant day.
The next tradition we want to work on is monthly crescent sightings. I’m not much for the solstice celebrations but how much more relevant it would be to observe the new crescent of each islamic month.
I’d love to hear some of the rhythms/traditions that keep your family going! 😉