With 2 (or 3) nights of Ramadan already complete, let’s take a minute to talk transformation. Ramadan is the one month where odds are defied. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "When the month of Ramadan starts, the gates of the heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained." The entire universe quite literally conspires to give believers an edge. But we have to work for it. You see, Allah wants for you to do better. He wants for you to enter jannah. Should laziness be a reason that you’re deprived of a great reward? Of course not. We’re only on this earth for a few short years. We spend the rest of eternity out of what we’ve done with those few years. So, here are the reminders to give us that Ramadan edge.
- Eat (or drink) suhoor: It’s nice to know many families make this a tradition, but others don’t. So set your alarm and eat something for suhoor. Do you have difficulty getting out of bed? Fine. Leave a bottle of water by your bed and set an alarm.
- Trade the music for quran or podcasts: COME ON GUYS. If you can’t stop music for a month, it’s quite simple: You’re addicted. That addiction takes a toll on your heart and Ramadan is meant to wash over our hearts. So trade out the music for that which is beneficial for you now and later. One of my favorite Podcasts as introduced to me by a friend is the Qalam Podcast (on Apple's Podcast app). The scholars that present are so intriguing and you learn SO MUCH.
- Be (more) generous: The prophet (SAW) was described as more generous than the fast wind during Ramadan. A major belief in our faith is when we give, Allah returns more to us. I mean, is God not the infinite? Does He not hold all bounty? Then of course when you give for His cause, He can give you better. And a good donation is never lost. There is no shortage of fundraisers at the masjid, so give. Check out Launchgood.com (a global crowdfunding website for Islamic projects) for more ideas.
- Do MORE: All the sunnah acts you learned about when you were younger? Do them! Pray the sunnah prayers. Make the duaa you’ve learned. Smile. Serve iftar to others. Use a miswak (please). Visit friends. Sit down while drinking. Enage in more thikir
- Engage with the Quran: There are some of you who do this easily, and alhamdulillah, that’s a blessing from God. But some others struggle. Take baby steps. Play it around the house and while driving. Download a Quran app on your phone and make a promise you won’t sleep without reading a certain quantity. Hold yourself accountable. Or have someone else hold you accountable. Point is, struggle to increase your Quran intake.
- Chilllllll with the iftar: Slow down. And hydrate yourself. You don’t need to eat 3 meals worth because you’ve missed breakfast and lunch. I promise you, your body can take it. Pace yourself at iftar and eat until your comfortably full. Go pray maghrib and isha/taraweeh. Eat a bit more if you’re hungry but for the love of God, nobody should gain weight while eating during Ramadan. There are plenty of healthy Ramadan recipes if you need help (just google them).
H. Al.
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