Be confident that what you can achieve in Ramadan is not quietly possible to be achieved in the same time manner or same quality in a different month. For this reason, you should be determined to keep your blanket tidy most of the night and your mettle on the peak.
Few things if you do as an act of welcoming this blessed month, it will make a significant positive change:
1. Do a massive clean-up to your house. “massive” may sound odd to many people but as a Syrian, this is the norm in Syria for Ramadan and Eid.
Start with your closets, empty them and give away everything that you haven’t used for a year or more. The tight clothes that you may wear after you make a diet may be outdated by then.
Check your pantry, organize it, and threw away the expired food that was piled since the pandemic started. This food could feed a family or two if it is not expired so give it away.
Then clean, wash, dust, organize, and perfume.
2. Prepare your Salat corner. This corner should be in a quiet area in the house. If you have little children make a space for them to be around you when you are in an act of worship.
3. Your prayer rug and your praying suit should be chosen carefully as you are using them to stand in between the hands of Allah. Perfume, Quran, Quran stand, and Subha or counter should be handy in your salat corner.
4. Keep a duaa book in your corner yet you need to make your duaa list which states your very own needs and supplications to Allah. Your duaa is answered all day until you break your fast. Then another phase of answered duaa starts at night; so be well prepared.
5. Set a time when you can leave your phone away. In a better word set, a specific time to use your phone during the days and nights of Ramadan for it is a priceless time.
6. Turn off your TV. Besides watching the news and an inspiring program you do not need to waste those valuable hours in entertaining or wasting time. Whatever is not urgent you can postpone to after Ramadan in an attempt of respect to the holy counted hours of this month
7. Prepare a meal plan, and a weekly grocery list. Don’t go shopping without having your list handy otherwise you may end up buying half of the store because you are hungry.
8. Decorate your home. If you have little children, then this is essential. Get them involved in this effort and be creative. Decorating your dining table would be very welcoming. A nice cloth on the table with a beautiful set up of flowers, candles, napkins, and small individual stands that hold the list of everyone’s duaa. Get your fancy plates out of the cabinet and enjoy them this month. Make your family feel that Ramadan is a very dear and valuable guest.
9. Balance your budget and set a charity plan. Every day in Ramadan deserves to be a tool to get you closer to Allah by supporting a good cause or an active organization or a poor family who is in need. The 30 days of fasting go hand in hand with giving and charity
10. Quran, Quran, and Quran. This is the best act of worship during Ramadan. Set a daily goal for yourself. Pull your will and intention to a higher level. Don’t refrain if reading a daily part of the Quran becomes a challenge. Quite other activities for the sake of the Quran. Jibreel AS used to review the entire Quran every year in Ramadan with the messenger of Allah PBUH.
11. Feeding others or inviting them could be a nice way to celebrate Ramadan. This has a huge reward. If those invitations are taking their toll on your health, time, and energy then arrange for ordered meals from a chef who is making a living of cooking. 2 in 1 reward lies in such solutions. During the pandemic, it’s wise to send meals to your friends' homes instead of inviting them over. Iftar on Zoom is the trending iftar nowadays. In the same way, you can deliver meals to families who can’t afford to put a nice meal on the table to their members
12. Taraweeh is a seasonal prayer that can’t be performed at any other time during the year; that being said you need to put extra effort in order not to miss it even if you have a heavy schedule during the day. Taraweeh’s meaning is rooted to: comfort, refresh, entertain, relive, revive, rest, and provide recreation.
13. Have a smarter suhoor. Leftovers for suhoor will help you shorten preparation time, yet preparing smartly balanced suhoor will help you stay focused and energetic during the day and would keep calm and cheerful.
14. Self-control is the main theme of this month since all evils are chained and disabled. It is the time to detect your weaknesses to discipline your temptations
15. Mercy, forgiveness, and emacipation are equally divided on the days of Ramadan. To be a good recipient of all of that start establishing a similar attitude with people around you.
16. Elevate your fasting from hunger and thirst level to a higher level where your senses and limbs are fasting too. Many fasting people receive a reward of hunger and thirst only because their senses are still active in haram. Backbiting, cursing, anger, animosity, aggression, false talk, arguing, and more will put your fast in jeopardy.
17. The curve on your mouth is an act of sadaqah. Don’t be stingy! The non-Muslims around you need to be treated cheerfully by you just like your family and coworkers expect the same thing from you
Many people fast and put the burden of their hunger and thirst on everyone around them as if they are doing humanity a favor by fasting. Your fast belongs to you and you alone. The quality of your fasting results with a similar quality to your reward.
Ramadan Mubarak!
