As this year’s month of Ramadan approaches, the goal of every Muslims who will observe fasting in the sacred month is to make the most of this blessed month in a way that will reap the spiritual rewards and advancement we are seeking (Quran 2:183). This can only be done by planning for the month in advance. The Companions of the Prophet used to prepare for six months in advance. As we know, Ramadan fast is more than just abstaining from food but from indecent speech and lustful desires as well. Fasting pushes us to be cognizant of our actions, to be patient and to be moral individuals, thereby increasing our taqwa (God-consciousness). It alters the totality of your lifestyle for good. A month ahead is an ideal time to start getting everything in order for Ramadan, if you really want to make the best of it., So, you need to prepare for it now. Below are the basic things every Muslim should do a month before Ramadan to fully benefit from Ramadan, a time when deeds are multiplied.
MAKE THE INTENTION
The intention is the basis of everything a Muslim does. He will be punished or rewarded according to what he intended upon happening with whatever his actions are. We must always do everything with the hopes of pleasing Allah, and nothing else. Similarly, we must make the intention that we go into this Ramadan with the intention of fasting for Allah and doing all other deeds for Allah alone.
FINISH ALL
PENDING FASTS
If you missed any fast during the previous Ramadan, now is the time to complete them. If you are unable (due to reasons such as pregnancy, travel, sickness, etc.) then it is advisable that you pay Fidyah, which is compensation for not fasting, where you must feed the poor.
GETTING IN THE MOOD
The month of Shabaan which starts in a couple of days is the prime time to start fasting. To keep the engine running, you can start with fasting voluntarily, either Monday and Thursday, or on Ayyamul Bidh (the white days of fasting), being the 13th, 14th and 15th day of every month, or any three days of the month. Also, we can choose an action that we want to do consistently, such as reading verses of the Quran, waking up at night even if we managed to pray just 2 rakaat of tahajjud (night vigil prayer) just before Subuh or giving charity every Friday. Hopefully, this will become a habit, not only during Ramadan but after that as well.
CLEAN THE HOUSE
The purpose is to get as many chores done in preparation for Ramadan so you won’t need to do them during the month. One such chore is cleaning the house. Set aside a day to do a complete cleaning of the house. You can also collect some used clothes and things in the process to be given away for charity during Ramadan.
GET YOUR
SHOPPING DONE
Muslims are always excited about Eid, even before Ramadan begins. Don’t let that be your sole focus during the month. Add shopping to the top of your Ramadan preparation checklist, and get your clothes and gift shopping out of the way so you can focus on getting the most out of the holy month. It’s also a good idea to get your grocery shopping done a week or so before Ramadan begins. Obviously, you can’t store fresh fruits and vegetables for an entire month. But you can buy and store lots of other ingredients like dried beans, flour, sugar, oil, etc. while doing this, you really need to pay attention to what you eat. Now is the best time to research the nutritious value of the food we eat. While we fast, the food we eat before we start our fast or to break our fast needs to provide the optimal energy so we can accomplish our daily tasks and increase our worship.
PRE-MAKE MEALS
Muslims tend to spend way too much time in the kitchen during Ramadan. And sometimes, you can’t help it when you have to feed an entire family all by yourself! That’s why a great idea for what to do before Ramadan is to pre-make some food. You can make large batches of food and store them in the freezer in individual portions, so when the time comes you can just take out one of them and heat them through! Soups, curries (without the use of coconut), and pickled vegetables are a few that come to mind.
VISIT THE DOCTOR
Another thing to add to your Ramadan preparation checklist is a visit to your doctor. If you are having some concerns, discussing them with your doctor and treating them beforehand will save you a lot of trouble during Ramadan. If you have a longstanding disease like cholesterol, diabetes, or high blood pressure, then you have to visit your doctor anyway. If you are already taking medication, then your doctor will be able to advise you on how to revise the timings to fit into the fasting day.
CLEAR YOUR SCHEDULE
Decide what you will drop in Ramadan. To maintain an optimal level of productivity in the blessed month, we have to preserve our energy as much as possible. That means dropping unnecessary activities, be it a fun extracurricular class or spending too much time on social media. Pick what works for you.
PREPARE A
RAMADAN CHECKLIST
This is a great way to maximize productivity during Ramadan. Having your “goals” listed out in a checklist will help keep you on track. You can set the tasks out yourself, so you know you can do them, which will give you the motivation to complete all the tasks. Daily checklists for what need to be done every day, while monthly checklists will list goals meant to be completed by the end of Ramadan. You have to write down your goals, instead of relying solely on a mental checklist. Pen down your checklist of what you would like to achieve in Ramadan. By doing so, you are subconsciously recording it in your mind as well. Then, hang the checklist where you can see it each and every day.
PLAN YOUR MEALS AND WORK OUT
Undoubtedly, for us to be able to do these acts of worship, we need a healthy body. As the saying goes, a healthy body leads to a healthy mind. Plan your meals so that you will eat moderately and waste less. By planning your menu, you won’t be scrambling to find something to eat for Suhoor in time, or spending most of your day cooking elaborate Iftar meals. It also gives you enough time to grocery shop and cook in advance. Plan your workout activities. Fasting should not be the reason to skip our exercise. Do workouts that focus on strength rather than cardio.
START PLANNING YOUR CHARITABLE GIVING
You should plan to give out more Sadaqa during Ramadan. If you normally pay Zakat in Ramadan, start calculating amounts and where you want to donate now so you can give in time before the blessed month ends. You can as well start a Ramadan Meal Train for someone in need. Meal Train is a fantastic online tool to coordinate meal planning for those in need. Whether it’s someone struggling financially, a refugee, or someone who is ill, this service helps ease some of the meal planning stress. Doing this a month before Ramadan gives everyone enough time to pick a day or days and plan accordingly.
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IMPROVE YOUR CHARACTER
Everyone can be a little bit more kind and work on different aspects of their character. The Prophet used to say: “The best amongst you are those who have the best manners and character.” (al-Bukhari).
PRINT OUT SOME RAMADAN SUPPLICATIONS
One of the things that you can do in preparation for Ramadan is to get some duas and supplications that you can print out and hang around the house. This way, whenever you look at them, you will be reminded to recite them. If you have kids, you can even make it a fun pre-Ramadan project for them; they can decorate frames and write the duas themselves. Not only will this keep them occupied, but it will also encourage them to learn the duas themselves.
GATHER INFORMATION
Get your local prayer timings, along with iftar and fajr timings, and hang them up in your house. Check your neighborhood and the local mosques to find out when and where Taraweeh prayers are taking place. Find out about any Ramadan programs or sermons in your locality so you can make time to participate in them. You can even go to any pre-Ramadan programs or sermons to learn more about how to prepare for Ramadan.
SHOP FOR EID CLOTHES EARLY
Don’t waste the precious last 10 days of Ramadan in Eid day stress. Order clothes now for yourself and your family so you can focus on worship.
MAKE CONSTANT DUA
It was narrated in Lataif al-Ma’arif by Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbali that the companions will supplicate for 6 months to allow them to reach Ramadan safely. They will then pray for another 6 months, after Ramadan, that may Allah accept from them their acts of worship observed in the month of Ramadan. We can recite the following dua: “Allahumma barik lana fi Rajab wa Sha’ban wa ballighna Ramadan”
“O Allah make the months of Rajab and Sha’ban blessed for us and let us reach the month of Ramadan.”
Another Dua that could be said is:
“Allahumma Sallimni min Ramadhan. Wa sallim Ramadhana li. Wa tasallamhu minni mutaqabbala”
“O Allah preserve me for Ramadan, safeguard Ramadan for me and accept it for me.”
It is Allah’s blessings in Ramadan that we yearn for. So, in preparing to reap the rewards, let’s turn to Him and ask from the Most Giving. May Allah eases our preparation to meet the holy month this year and May Allah s.w.t accept all our deeds.
Jamiu Abubakar (08085185886) with additional information from online:
www.muslim.sg, www.halaltrip.com, soundvision.com, islamic-relief.org.uk
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