Our Ramadan series Muslims Who Fast is back for the third time, profiling Muslims around the world and how they spend their iftars.
A few days ago a chef from London living in Australia shared her iftar with us.
Now, we chat to fashion influencer Dina Tokio (real name Torkia) who is also a blogger, designer and mum-of-two.
The 30-year-old of English and Egyptian heritage has been blogging for the past ten years and has built a name for herself advocating for Muslim women to have space in the fashion industry,
Even during lockdown, Dina’s social media game doesn’t falter as she continues to entertain her 1.3 million followers on Instagram, Facebook and more.
This year, she is also part of Facebook’s global campaign #RamadanTogether, joining other famous creators to highlight the power of community during the holy month.
Dina penciled us into her hectic schedule and shared the Egyptian-inspired iftar she had on the first day of Ramadan with her family.
Let’s see what Dina had for iftar:
I’ve cooked a traditional Egyptian dish as it reminds me of back home in Cairo, and I really needed to feel it on the first day of Ramadan. It’s called mahshi and is basically stuffed peppers.
How do you celebrate Ramadan normally?
Ramadan is usually a very social time with friends and family. I love coming together with fellow Muslims at the mosque every night to break fast as a community and pray. The togetherness is really what creates the atmosphere for the month of fasting.
How has lockdown changed Ramadan for you?
Seeing as we are in lockdown, things are very different for Muslims this time of year. I think I’ll host some live iftars on Facebook and Instagram to bring the online community together and have a sense of tradition this year.
I may cook extra food some nights and drop it off to my family and friends (at a safe distance), as I would have usually hosted them for the night, but sadly we’ll all have to eat alone this year.
Do you have any traditions/rituals you do during the month?
Just the usual putting up decorations, breaking our fasts with dates and milk, making the effort to pray our five daily prayers together rather than alone, but this year it will just be with whoever you live with. I also give money to charity and make sure we give back and feed families who may be less privileged.
What do you normally make for iftar?
Honestly, most of the time I get anything together with zero effort but for some reason this year, due to the time alone at home during lockdown, I’ve made more of an effort with cooking in general and I’m excited to try new things in the kitchen!
What is your favourite Ramadan snack?
My favourite Ramadan drink is a traditional Egyptian drink called ’karkadir’ which is basically a sweet hibiscus drink and it’s very nostalgic for me!
Any other parting thoughts?
The last few years have been the hardest because Ramadan has landed in the summer months and I just want to say I’m glad I’ve survived them! I love Ramadan but with two kids, the waking up early, no rest all day and working it really isn’t easy!
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