A Quick preparation guide for
Ramadhan
01. Start reading Holy Quran daily after Salat al-Fajr (Morning Prayer).
02. Spend some time listening to recitations from the Holy Quran daily. Because
Imam al-Baqer (as) said, "everything has a spring and the spring of the Holy
Qur'an is the Holy Month of Ramadhan."
03. Train yourself to go bed early so that you can wake up early for Suhur
(Pre-Dawn Meal).
04. Keep yourself in a state of Ablution (Wudu) most of the time.
05. Evaluate yourself daily before going bed.
06. Thank ALLAH (SWT) for good deeds, and repent to Him for your mistakes and
sins.
07. Start giving Sadaqah daily, no matter how little. Make it a habit like
eating and drinking.
08. Find time to pray extras, such as Tahajjud prayers. Apply in conjunction
with point 03 above.
09. Spend more time reading Islamic books, especially the Holy Quran, Hadith,
and Fiqh.
10. Find time to help others with your wisdom, knowledge and other talents.
11. Try to write articles on Islam for Muslims as well as for non-Muslims.
12. Associate with Muslim scholars / Ulama and other pious people so that you
may learn from them.
13. Train yourself to do good, render free service to others to seek the
pleasure of ALLAH (SWT).
What to avoid?
01. Avoid/reduce watching TV; instead spend more time reading the Holy Quran and
other Islamic literature.
02. Avoid looking at unlawful pictures, whether magazines, department store
catalogs or otherwise.
03. Spend free time in Masajid, Islamic organizations and make that a daily
habit.
04. If you smoke, try to reduce daily usage and cut it down for good; otherwise
Ramadhan will be very difficult for you to observe.
05. If you have friends who do not practice the teaching of Islam, try to avoid
socializing with them.
06. If you travel a lot on business, try to do more local business, so you can
be more closer to your family and community.
07. If you are used to staying up till midnight, try to go to bed earlier, so
that you will be able to wake up early for Suhur (Pre-Dawn Meal).
To prepare ourselves before the month of Ramadhan arrives is far better than
waiting till it comes. To prepare ourselves for anything in life is a sign of
wisdom and maturity. No one is assured of living one day more; tomorrow may not
come. So hurry and benefit from blessings and rewards from ALLAH (SWT)
Remember: "Time is not money or gold; it is life itself and is limited. You must
begin to appreciate every moment of your life and always strive to make the best
use of it."
A Quick Checklist:
01. Make a resolve to win the maximum favor of ALLAH (SWT) by performing extra
Voluntary prayers (Nawaafil), making frequent Dua and increased remembrance (Dhikr).
02. Try to recite some Holy Quran after every Prayer. In fact if you read 3-4
pages after every Prayer you can easily finish the entire Holy Quran in the
month of Ramadhan!
03. Study the Tafseer (commentary) every morning.
04. Invite a person you are not very close with or your relatives to your home
for Iftaar, at least once a week (Weekend). You will notice the blessings in
your relationships!
05. Bring life to your family! Everyday, try to conclude the fast with your
family and spend some quality time together to understand each other better.
06. Give gifts on Eid to at least 5 people: 2 to your family members, 2 to your
good friends, and 1 to a person whom you love purely for the sake of ALLAH. This
is in addition to normal 'Iddiya' to children.
07. Where applicable, make commitment to join Islamic study circles to learn
more about Islam and improve your own life.
08. Donate generously to the Masajid, Islamic organizations, and any where
people are in need or oppressed. "Because Ramadhan, is a month of sharing also"
09. Share month of Ramadhan and its teachings of peace and patience with your
colleagues at work, neighbors and relatives.
10. Sleep little, eat little! Make sure you do not defeat the purpose of fasting
by over-indulging in food and being lazy.
11. Seek the rare rewards of the night better than 1000 months ( Laylatul-Qadr /
Shab-e-Qadr ).
12. Weep in private for the forgiveness of your sins: Ramadhan is the month of
forgiveness and ALLAH's Mercy! It's never too late.
13. Learn to control your tongue and lower your gaze. Remember the Holy
Prophet's (pbuh) warning that lying, backbiting, and a lustful gaze all violate
the Ramadhan fast!
14. Encourage others to enjoin and love goodness, and to abandon everything that
ALLAH (SWT) dislikes. Play the role of a Da'ee (one who invites to ALLAH) with
zeal, passion, and sympathy.
15. Experience the joy of Tahajjud prayers late at night and devote yourself
purely and fully to ALLAH (SWT) in the Itikaf retreat during the last 10 days of
Ramadhan.
16. For extra concerted effort, try to be off work for few last days of Ramadhan
for maximum Ibada. You never know you will be around next time, so maximize your
time in Ibada (Worship).
17. Make an effort to reconcile with the people you are not in good terms with.
Forgive everyone and keep your heart clean.
18. In all your Prayers, please do not forget your parents, your neighbours,
relatives, dead people and Muslims at large including those oppressed world
wide.
MAY ALLAH (SWT) HELP US ALL IN OUR EFFORT TO EARN THE MAXIMUM DURING THIS HOLY
MONTH SUCH THAT WE ARE ABLE TO TAKE THE DISCIPLINE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.