How To Make The Most Of Ramadan: 10 Things To Follow During Ramadan
Assalamu Alaykum
Ramadan is a month of far more blessings and mercy than any other month. In this month, people seek forgiveness for their sins. They engage in worship with great zeal and enthusiasm. Every year, people all over the world wait for this month. Not just to keep fasts or pray Taraweeh, but also to change themselves. They seek forgiveness for their mistakes and change their habits. But on the other hand, many people feel that Ramadan passed by very quickly, or perhaps they did not get the opportunity to worship properly. Today we will talk about this very topic and understand how Ramadan is actually spent and how to spend this holy month entirely in worship.
NUMBER 1: KEEP YOURSELF CONNECTED TO THE QURAN.
Ramadan is such a month when Allah revealed the Quran for the first time. Allah sent the Quran to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ through Jibreel عليه السلام.
“The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur’an, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for guidance and the criterion.” (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:185)
Recite the Quran every day in the month of Ramadan, even if it is only a little bit. But try to complete the full Quran during the month of Ramadan. And do not just read it, but understand the Quran and act upon it. Listening to the Quran is also good, but reading it yourself and understanding it is more beneficial and virtuous. If you are traveling somewhere, especially in a car, you can play the Quran in the car and listen. And it is also important that you learn and understand small Surahs of the Quran which you can recite in Salah after Surah Al Fatiha.
NUMBER 2: PRAY SALAH ON TIME AND PRAY IT IN A BETTER WAY.
Salah is the foundation of Islam. Salah is obligatory (Fard) upon every single Muslim. A Muslim prays 5 times a day: Fajr, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, and Isha. During the time of Ramadan and also on other days, try to pray Salah on time and pray it in a better way.
"Indeed the first deed by which a servant will be called to account on the Day of Resurrection is his Salat. If it is complete, he is successful and saved, but if it is defective, he has failed and lost…" (Jami` At-Tirmidhi 413)
When you pray Salah, do not be in a hurry and pray calmly. Understand what you are reciting and act upon it. Pray Salah with etiquette. And pray together with the congregation (Jama'at). Be present in the Masjid on time so that you can pray Salah in the congregation at the correct time. Indeed, Salah is Fard upon every Muslim. Do not miss even a single Salah during the entire month of Ramadan. If you pray properly for the whole month, it will become a habit and then you will not have any difficulty in other months. Remember, Salah is Fard not only during the time of Ramadan but in all the months of the year.
NUMBER 3: TARAWEEH AND NIGHT WORSHIP.
Taraweeh is a gift that Allah has given us. The Prophet Muhammad ï·º said:
"Whoever prayed at night in it (the month of Ramadan) out of sincere Faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven." (Sahih al-Bukhari 2008)
Praying Taraweeh is not Fard. But it is (Sunnah Mu'akkadah), meaning it is strongly encouraged. If you pray Taraweeh with your heart, Allah Ta'ala will forgive all your previous sins. I would recommend that you do not skip Taraweeh in Ramadan and attend Taraweeh for the whole of Ramadan. Take out some time in the evening so that you can perform Taraweeh. If you cannot perform Taraweeh in the Masjid, for which there could be many reasons—for example, if the Masjid is not near your house and is very far and you do not have any means to reach there, and you cannot go on foot either—then you can pray Taraweeh at home as well. Pray Taraweeh with your entire family. It is not necessary that when you pray Taraweeh at home you have to finish the entire Quran. No. Rather, you can also recite those Surahs which you recite daily in other Fard Salah. Or else, according to the Shafi'i Madhab, you can also keep a physical copy of the Quran and recite by looking into it. Ask many Duas in Salah. You can also ask Dua in Sujud (prostration). And then when the last ten days of Ramadan come, try to focus on night worship, meaning the worship of Tahajjud. And stay in search of Laylatul Qadr, because one night of Laylatul Qadr is better than a thousand months.
"Indeed, We sent the Qur'an down during the Night of Decree. And what can make you know what is the Night of Decree? The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months. The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter. Peace it is until the emergence of da
wn." (Surah Al-Qadr Chapter 97)
NUMBER 4: CONTROL OVER THE TONGUE AND BETTER CHARACTER.
Ramadan is not just about keeping a fast or praying Taraweeh. Rather, you also have to make your character excellent. Lying, swearing, gossiping about others, fighting, etc.—keep a distance from all these things as well. Not just in Ramadan, but keep a distance from these things in other months too. In Ramadan, you will not do all this, but as soon as the holy month of Ramadan ends, you go back to your same old life. Make Ramadan a means and try to leave all these things. Once you get into the habit, then whether it is Ramadan or any other month, you will never repeat these things again.
"Whoever does not give up false statements (i.e. telling lies), and evil deeds, and speaking bad words to others, Allah is not in need of his (fasting) leaving his food and drink." (Sahih al-Bukhari 6057)
"Falsehood leads to Al-Fajur (i.e. wickedness, evil-doing), and Al-Fajur (wickedness) leads to the (Hell) Fire, and a man may keep on telling lies till he is written before Allah, a liar." (Sahih al-Bukhari 6094)
Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah ï·º said, “Do you know what backbiting is?” They said, “Allah and His Messenger know best.” The Prophet ï·º said, “To mention your brother in a way he dislikes.” It was said, “What if it is true about him?” The Prophet ï·º said, “If what you say about him is true, it is backbiting. If it is not true, it is slander.”
When talking to someone, speak with a soft tone. Avoid anger. Learn to forgive because Allah loves those who forgive.
"The reward of evil is evil thereof, but whosoever forgives and makes amends, his reward is upon God" (Surah Ash-Shura 42:40)
And remain humble. Do not show anyone down and do not insult anyone. You have to take training in Ramadan so that in the coming months you also remain just as you are during the time of Ramadan.
NUMBER 5: ASK DUAS FROM ALLAH.
During the time of Ramadan, Duas are accepted. They are accepted in other months too, but they are accepted more during the time of Ramadan. Especially for those who are fasting. At the time of Iftar, every Muslim asks for Dua before opening the fast, because he knows that if he asks for Dua before opening the fast, it is accepted quickly.
So, definitely ask for Dua at the time of Iftar. You can ask for any kind of Dua in your own language. Ask for Dua for yourself, for your parents, brothers, sisters, and for your entire family. Ask for Dua for all the Ummatis. Ask for Dua for the people of Syria, Sudan, Palestine, and other people upon whom oppression is happening. So try to ask for Dua as much as possible in Ramadan after every Salah and at the time of Iftar.
NUMBER 6: GIVING ZAKAT AND DOING CHARITY.
During the time of Ramadan, spend as much as possible for the poor as well. Because the Messenger of Allah ï·º also used to do more Sadaqah during the time of Ramadan.
The Prophet (ﷺ) was the most generous of all the people, and he used to become more generous in Ramadan when Gabriel [Jibreel عليه السلام] met him. Gabriel [Jibreel عليه السلام] used to meet him every night during Ramadan to revise the Qur'an with him. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) then used to be more generous than the fast wind. (Sahih al-Bukhari 3554)
In Ramadan, it is Fard upon the Muslim who is eligible for Zakat to give Zakat. You can go to the Imam of your Masjid and take even more help regarding how Zakat is given and how much is given. Anyone can give Sadaqah. Sadaqah is of every kind, not just with money; for example, if you help an elderly person who is carrying some heavy things, that is also Sadaqah. Or giving someone a glass of water to drink is also Sadaqah. Feed the hungry. If someone is in a financial problem, you should help them as much as you can. And you can also spend in the way of Islam. Meaning, suppose if something needs to be fixed in the Masjid near your house, you can also give your contribution to that. Or else, you can also do something for the children in a Madrasa.
These small deeds of yours can become a means of salvation from the fire of Jahannam for you. And that too during the time of Ramadan where every voluntary act is seventy times more, and obligatory acts seven hundred times more. And yes, as much as you spend on the poor, God will grant even more blessings in your sustenance (Rozi).
NUMBER 7: FOCUSING ON YOUR WEAKNESS AND YOUR CHARACTER.
Most importantly, point out your weaknesses and change them. Look within yourself to see what bad habits you have that you want to change. How is your relationship with God? The month of Ramadan is an excellent month in which you can work on your character. Do good deeds. Build a distance from jealousy, envy, and other satanic works. Pray Salah, read the Quran. And when you read the Quran, read it with understanding because the Quran is the word of Allah sent for us humans. When you read the Quran with understanding, you will surely find a change in your character. In the Quran, there is (Surah Yusuf) from which you can take inspiration and learn. And there are stories of many Prophets from which you will get inspiration. Keep yourself busy in good works and look at your friend circle to see who you meet and how they are. If a person does such works which do not match the religion of Islam even remotely, and you meet him and keep a friendship, then it is possible that you also get influenced by him and become like him. You should help that friend of yours and explain to him about right and wrong. If he does not agree even after saying a million times and does not stop his actions, then you leave him to his state; Allah is the one who gives guidance. And you should not keep any relation with him.
The Prophet (ï·º) said, 'The example of a good pious companion and an evil one is that of a person carrying musk and another blowing a pair of bellows. The one who is carrying musk will either give you some perfume as a present, o
r you will buy some from him, or you will get a good smell from him, but the one who is blowing a pair of bellows will either burn your clothe s or you will get a bad smell from him." (Sahih al-Bukhari 5534)
NUMBER 8: REDUCE DISTRACTION AND FOCUS ON IBADAH.
There are many people who just keep sleeping at home the whole of Ramadan. Or they stay on social media. Or many keep shopping outside. The month of Ramadan is a trial from Allah. You keep a fast. You stay hungry in the way of Allah. And you pray Taraweeh at night which goes on for a long time and you have to keep standing. In this month, you get more reward for every single work of virtue. So in such a month, why after all do you stay in social media and other things which keep you deprived of the real purpose? Do you not want to do a lot of worship in this month? To make Ramadan better, you should make a schedule of how you will spend the whole of Ramadan, what all you will do. This will make it easy for you. Sleeping for a little while during the day is fine. But sleeping the whole day so that you do not feel hunger is not worship. There are also many people who become so occupied in outside shopping etc. that they do not even know when the time for Salah has passed. So therefore, take care of all these things. There is no trust in life; no one knows whether we are alive in this Ramadan today and will remain until the next Ramadan or not, except Allah. So spend Ramadan in such a way as if this is your last Ramadan.
NUMBER 9: PERFORM TAWBAH AND ASK FORGIVENESS FOR YOUR MISTAKES.
Ask for forgiveness for your sins. Perform Tawbah; surely Allah is the Most Merciful. And Tawbah is not just sitting like that, but pray 2 Rak'ahs of Salat Al Tawbah.
"There is no servant who commits a sin, then purifies himself (performs Wudu) well, then stands and prays two Rak'ahs, then asks Allah for forgiveness, except that Allah will forgive him." (Sunan Abi Dawud, 1521; Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 406)
Repent from all your sins and ask for forgiveness from Allah with a true heart. And make a Niyaah (intention) that you will not repeat those sins again. If there is even a little bit of regret in your heart, then keep faith that Allah is the Most Merciful and will surely forgive you. Whether the sins are however big or however small, by asking for forgiveness from the heart and performing Tawbah, Allah will surely forgive.
"Say, 'O My servants who have exceeded the limits against their souls! Do not lose hope in Allah’s mercy, for Allah certainly forgives all sins. He is indeed the All-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (Surah Az-Zumar, 39:53)
"O son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you. O son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth... I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great as it." (Jami' at-Tirmidhi, 3540)
NUMBER 10: THE HEREAFTER AND AFTER RAMADAN.
Death has to come to everyone. We should think about death at least once every day.
"Every soul will taste death, and you will only be given your [full] compensation on the Day of Resurrection... And what is the life of this world except the enjoyment of delusion." (Surah Ali 'Imran, 3:185)
"I used to forbid you from visiting graves, but now go and visit them; for this softens the heart, makes the eyes weep, and reminds one of the Hereafter." (Al-Hakim; Sahih)
Focus on your today and change yourself. This advice is not just for you but for me and for all of us. There is still time. Ask for forgiveness for your sins and change yourself. Once you face death, then there is no salvation; then even your Tawbah will not be accepted.
"The day that some of the signs of your Lord will come, no soul will benefit from its faith as long as it had not believed before or had earned through its faith some good." (Surah Al-An'am, 6:158)
"Whoever repents before the sun rises from the west, Allah will accept his repentance." (Sahih Muslim, 2703)
"Allah accepts the repentance of His servant as long as he does not reach the stage of the death rattle (Ghargharah)." (Jami' at-Tirmidhi, 3537)
So remain just as you are in Ramadan in other months as well. In Ramadan, you prepare yourself so that you can remain prepared in other months too. So act upon whatever I have said to you above in the month of Ramadan. Then see how you can spend Ramadan like Ramadan.
That is all for today. These were 10 things to spend Ramadan. We will meet on a new topic next. Take care of yourself and take care of your family. May Allah forgive all our sins and accept our Duas. Ameen.
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