Yusuf Islam & Children – Ramadan Moon | I Look, I See 2
Review of “Ramadan Moon” by Yusuf Islam and Children
By Laura El Alam
Summary: The video “Ramadan Moon” by Yusuf Islam and Children is more than just a catchy song with a cartoon. It can be a springboard for meaningful discussion about Islam’s holiest month.
“Ramadan Moon” by Yusuf Islam and Children celebrates the joy of Ramadan from the first sighting of the Ramadan crescent to the new moon of Shawwal that announces the arrival of Eid al Fitr. At first glance, the video is a simple and child-friendly cartoon with a catchy tune, but don’t be fooled by the cute illustrations and simple, percussion-only melody. The video is in fact subtly sophisticated and can serve as a springboard for many important discussions. Parents can turn watching “Ramadan Moon” into an educational experience for the whole family.
The characters in the video are clearly very excited that Ramadan is about to begin. This creates an excellent opportunity to discuss why Muslims love Ramadan and why it is such a special month. Family members might share what they cherish most about the holiest month and what their favorite Ramadan tradition is.
As they watch, families can also challenge themselves to see how many different countries they can recognize in the illustrations by looking at the clothes, architecture, and food. “Ramadan Moon” shows that Muslims live in every corner of the globe and celebrate Eid and Ramadan in ways that are both different and similar. This is a good opportunity to talk about families’ countries of origin, especially if they are different from the location they currently live.
The video shows many diverse Muslims. Families can talk about what makes people different and what makes them the same. If they look carefully, they will see Muslim characters of different skin and hair colors, abilities, genders, ages, and nationalities represented in the video. In addition, the cartoon shows people living in very different kinds of houses. In one scene, a man sits on the floor of a simple, old-fashioned house and reads Qur’an by the light of a candle. In the next, a woman reads Qur’an next to her laptop in a very modern house. Parents might pose the questions, “What does this say about Islam? Can anyone be a Muslim? Is Islam a religion of the past, the present, or both?”
Many peace signs are hidden in the illustrations. Families can play “I spy” to see who can find the most. They can also discuss why they think the illustrator chose to feature peace signs throughout the video, and why they are relevant to Islam.
Another fun activity would be to distribute drums (real or homemade) so that children can try to keep the beat as they listen to the song. Parents can point out how voices and percussion can create a harmony without any other musical instruments, and why this is common in Islamic nasheeds. Watching “Ramadan Moon” together could become a new family tradition that will be enjoyable, educational, and enlightening.
Laura El Alam is a prolific writer whose work has been featured in various magazines. She is the founder of Sea Glass Writing & Editing and creator of The Common Sense Convert, a page dedicated to supporting Muslim women.
