At the end of
every Ramadan there is always mixed feelings of loss that the blessed
month has ended alongside the joys of the celebration of Eid. Then it gets to
Hajj season and six months to the next Ramadan and we start fearing
the return of the month of fasting. Rather than looking forward
to Ramadan (and its blessings) we start to fear the long days, and
the usual things like ‘how will we fast for so long?’, ‘I can’t go to work and
fast, it’s just too hard,’ etc. In this article I will look at ways that you
can start looking forward to Ramadanwith such a passion that you will wish
it was tomorrow In sha Allah!
We know that the Sahaba (may
Allāh be pleased with them) used to start preparing
for Ramadan six months in advance. If you can do that then that’s
awesome. However, for many of us with busy lifestyles and the hustle and bustle
of life, our priorities are not always right. That doesn’t mean it is too
late. There is no doubt that we should be aiming to make the best of every
act we do inRamadan, and preparing for the blessed month will help us in
multiple ways.
Prophet Muhammad (peace and
blessings of Allāh be upon him) said: “Whoever draws near to Allah during
it (Ramadan) with a single characteristic from the characteristics of
(voluntary) goodness, he is like whoever performs an obligatory act in other
times. And whoever performs an obligatory act during it, he is like whoever
performed seventy obligatory acts in other times.” [Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah, no.
1887].
The 3 things I recommend every year
to prepare for Ramadan are:
Voluntary Fasting
Abu Hurairah (may Allāh be
pleased with him) reported that the most the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allāh be upon him) would fast would be Monday
and Thursday. He was asked about that and he said: “On Mondays and Thursday Allah
forgives every Muslim except two who have forsaken one another. He says: ‘Leave
these two until they reconcile.’” [Ibn Majah].
Not that you need any more reason to
do voluntary fasting but what is absolutely amazing is that modern scientific
research is showing the benefits of intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting
is basically the scientific name for fasting two days a week, or 3 days a
month, or fasting every other day. Each of these are clearly set out within the
Islamic tradition and it is wonderful that these practices are now being
advocated by non-Muslims.
If you feel that doing a 16-hour fast
is too difficult outside Ramadan at this stage, then I suggest you
cut down on your food consumption for a few days a month so that you can
prepare your body for the food reduction that will take place.
Giving Charity
This isn’t charity-giving in a
conventional sense but working out how much you will give and planning it with
your family- your spouse, your children, maybe others.
Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allāh be upon him) when asked which charity is best, “He (peace and
blessings of Allāh be upon him) said: Charity in Ramadan.” [Tirmidhi] and
Aishah (may Allāh be pleased with her) narrated that “He (peace
and blessings of Allāh be upon him) said: ‘Do as much of good deeds as you
can, for Allah does not get tired (of giving reward) until you get tired. And
the most beloved of deeds to Allah are those that are continuous, even if they
are a few.’ [Nasai]
These hadiths remind me that even
though we should give charity in Ramadan, rather than being overzealous
and giving everything in the first few days or saving it all for the last 10
days ofRamadan, why not work out how much you will give and then split it over
the 30 days? For example: My children have £30 to give in charity. Through the
‘charity planning’ meeting we discuss how they will give this out and they
usually decide to give £1 a day. They can then give this to any cause they
choose and it’s the small consistent act that has powerful impact
outside Ramadan. Often they will make charitable donations
outside Ramadan because the habit of giving was formed
in Ramadan. Alhamdulillah.
The Power of Dua
Many of us know how to make dua but
at the same time we have no idea how to ask Allah (peace and blessings of
Allāh be upon him) for the things that we desperately want. We go on year
on year, day by day making the same old dua for the same old things. If you
want to turbocharge your life this Ramadan, this needs to change. You need
to adopt a new dua habit In sha Allah.
Prophet Muhammad (peace and
blessings of Allāh be upon him) said “The most excellent worship is Du’a.”
[Sahih Al-Jami', no. 1133]. And Allah (glorified and exalted be
He) tells us in the Qur’an “And your Lord says, ‘Call upon Me; I will
respond to you.’ Indeed, those who disdain My worship will enter Hell
[rendered] contemptible.” [Qur'an: Chapter 40, Verse 60].
So why have we stopped asking
Allah (glorified and exalted be He) for what we really want? In
preparation for Ramadan I urge you to take some time out and dedicate
it to working out what you really want from your life so you can strategically
plan your duas this Ramadan. Don’t be shy of Allah (glorified and
exalted be He), and don’t ask for a little. His bounty is huge and He can
answer all your duas without diminishing his bounty.
Make this year’s dua planning session
different to those you have done in the past by writing things down. Work out
what it will look like when you have achieved it and also plan a few
milestones.
Conclusion
If you are able to do these three
things then In sha Allah this Ramadan will change your life. Many
times I have read articles like this and then only put one of the
recommendations into action or carried on without any change. My suggestion to
you, dear reader, is to take a few moments to reflect upon what you just read
and think about how you can put this into your life. Remember it is small
changes that are needed. There is nothing radical in these suggestions its just
the impact is huge especially if you do all three… and I know this from personal
experience!
Author: Saiyyidah Zaidi
Source:Productive Muslim
