اللهم بلغنا رمضان
Oh Allah, allow us to reach Ramaḍān!
This is the duā’ that was constant on the tongues of the Aṣḥāb (companions of the Prophet ﷺ) outside of the month of Ramaḍān. They would beg Allah to allow them to live until the next Ramaḍān, such was their love for the holy month.
Unlike the Aṣḥāb, many of us do not spend the entire year anticipating the next Ramaḍān. In fact, when Ramaḍān approaches, the thoughts at the forefront of our minds more often reflect worry rather than excitement. How am I going to fast while working in the hot sun? How am I going to manage with tarāwīḥ when I work at night? Can I afford to throw an ifṭār like I do every year? These types of thoughts can leave us worried about our Imān especially when everyone else seems to be excited.
While joy and excitement should be the disposition of a believer at the thought of Ramaḍān, many may not be at that level of Iman as yet. Everyone has their own challenges to face during the month. It is natural to worry about these things, as long as they don’t amount to a feeling of dread or dislike for the beloved month. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather be one of those showing concern for the month of Ramaḍān rather than being careless and unconcerned at its approach.
Of course, feelings of excitement and anticipation amount to nothing if they are not accompanied by action. Even though it carries its own virtues, Sha’bān is famously known for being the month of preparation for Ramaḍān. Have you ever heard the old adage, ‘if you fail to prepare then prepare to fail?’ Well, with blessings coming so freely in Ramaḍān, failing would be a difficult achievement. However, to not maximize on the true rewards of the month can be considered a failure in itself. Here are some tips to avoid ‘failing to prepare.’
Make Goals
What do you intend to achieve during the month of Ramaḍān? Here is an example of what your goals can look like:
- Read a portion of the Qur’ān every day (in Arabic or English)
- Pray 12 sunnah raka’āt every day
- Pray all farḍ ṣalāh on time
- Make duā’ every day before breaking fast
- Do morning and evening dhikr
- Memorise a new surah
- Pray all 20 raka’āt of tarāwiḥ each night
- Study Qāidah or Tafṣeer every day
- Give ṣadaqah weekly
- Whatever you do, just be sure to make S.M.A.R.T goals.
Every goal you make should be Specific; easily explainable and not ambiguous in any way. You should be able to Measure it (2 raka’āt, 1 juz, $10 in charity). If your aim is not something Achievable – like spending all night, every night praying – then you are setting yourself up to fail. Ensure that you are doing something Relevant to your end result; don’t beat around the bush. When planning, Time is of the essence. You should have a clear start and end date in mind. Apply this rule to any goal and combine it with dedicated action. With Allah’s help, you will achieve any success your heart desires!
Strategise
You have four weeks in which to start working on these goals. You should start by doing a lighter version of what you eventually want to achieve and increase in amount as each week passes. The key to this is that the increase should be so subtle that there is no chance of overwhelming yourself and giving up. You can start the first week by praying 2 raka’āt sunnah every day. For week 2, increase it to 4 raka’āt every day. Week 3, increase to 8 raka’āt and then finally, to 12 raka’āt in the last week. If you want to read 1 juz of the Quran every day then start with a quarter, increase to half, then three quarters, and in the final week, you should be at 1 juz a day. That way, by the end of the month, you can transition seamlessly into Ramaḍān. These goals are to be applied during the month of Ramaḍān as well. You can start the first 10 days by doing 5 minutes of dhikr, reading etc, then increase to 10 then to 15 minutes in the last 10 days. If this is your first Ramaḍān as a Muslim and you want to try implementing your 5 times daily ṣalāh for the first time, start with one ṣalāh then slowly increase to all five.
Pro tip: Prepare for failure!
Everyone messes up. There will be times when you miss your goal. The true distinction between success and failure is often determined by how you react when things don’t go the way you plan. Do you throw in the towel? Or do you pick yourself up and get back on track the next day? A good rule of thumb is: skip once, but not twice. If you miss one day, that’s fine, but make sure to complete your task the next day.
Other things you may want to do before the month of Ramaḍān is upon us:
MAKE A WISHLIST
Have you ever sat down to make duā’ but you couldn’t remember what you wanted? It happens to the best of us. Fasting is a time where duā’s are answered so be prepared for your meetings with Allah. Throughout the month, think of things that you want to include in your duā’s and add them to your “wishlist.”
STAY AWAY FROM SINS!
This one goes without saying. Backbiting, gossiping, lying, listening to music, smoking etc are all things that you’d want to cut off during Ramaḍān. Don’t wait until the first day of Ramaḍān to start trying to control your nafs (desires). Even better is if you commit to giving up one bad habit completely for the sake of Allah. One small decision for you can equate to one giant step towards Allah.
GEAR UP FOR FASTING
The Prophet ﷺ fasted the most in this month out of any other month besides Ramaḍān. Look out for special days of fasting like Ayāmul beeḍ (the three white nights), the 15th of Sha’bān, or Monday and Thursday of every week.
SAVE UP FOR SADAQAH
Planning your finances in advance for Ramaḍān can save you a lot of stress. Imagine being ready to give your ṣadaqah, or feed a fasting person, only to realise you’ve spent all of your money on ‘Īd decorations and presents! Protect the investments towards your hereafter!
MEAL PREP
Start preparing in advance what you’d like your Ramaḍān meals to look like. Try to spend as little time during the month worrying about grocery shopping, ifṭār preparations and the like. It can also be beneficial to start preparing your body for lighter meals, and work on curbing those cravings. Overeating at ifṭār and gorging on junk food is counteractive to the many natural health benefits of fasting.
HAVE A GREEN RAMADAN
Ramaḍān is a month in which food wastage and plastic consumption run rampant. As Muslims, we have a responsibility towards the environment that should not be ignored. Preparation should be made to lessen down on plastic bottles, plates and cutlery where possible. Food should also be plated in a way that best avoids wastage. “And do not waste, for Allah does not love the wasteful. [Qur’ān 6:141]
Last but never least, make duā’. Make duā’ that Allah looks favourably on your careful preparation for his beloved month and that He draws you closer to him. Make duā’ for a prosperous Ramaḍān and accepted deeds. Make duā’ to live until Ramaḍān, just as the Aṣḥāb did.
Have you figured out the Preparation Equation as yet?
Knowledge + Preparation = Success
Now that you’re armed with the knowledge, it’s time to put action into place. May Allah grant you an easy path toward Him.
To help you along the way, we’ve included a free printable ‘ibādah tracker. While it’s best to have this somewhere you can see it every day, if you prefer to go digital there are many free apps like habitca, dreamfora, etc. Choose the one you are more likely to use. Shaban Ibadah tracker
Article By Aalimah Noorie Khan