Ramadan, the month of treasure, is ready and awaits you, for you to collect as much treasure as you can. If you are not sure how to do this quickly and efficiently, here are some easy tips for you...
In order to get the maximum reward in this month, try to share these tips with your friends and perhaps learn some others from them.
1. Clean up your time:
a) Techno-free Ramadan:
Don’t forget, technology is the best time killer. Try to minimize your techno-related activities. If you are used to posting on Facebook, have a short break or at least have a 15 minute time limit, and try to spend less time on the internet and computer. Keep your mobile on silent mode and decrease your chat and SMS on the phone. Inform your friends that you’ll be less active during this month.
b) Cooking: Try to cook simple things during Ramadan, as this is a month of ‘ibadah & Qur’an, not a month of food. There are some husbands who push their wives to cook different varieties of food, and sisters often have to spend their time in the kitchen due to many visitors. In any case, keep a tape of Qur’an, or a nice lecture from a respected sheikh in the kitchen, and listen to it while you are busy in the kitchen, or keep your tongue moist with dhikr.
c) Shopping: Try to get all your shopping done before Ramadan if possible. Make a list of the items, which will be enough for one month, and then buy it all at one time. If this is not possible, do your best to make shopping as fast as possible. Important notice: Try to do the Eid shopping before the last ten days. The last ten days of Ramadan, when we have to be doing more ‘ibadah and spending our time in doing good deeds, some Muslims are busy with doing shopping for Eid and their kids. These ten days, we have to exert ourselves in doing more ‘ibadah and in the hope of catching Laylat al-Qadr.
d) Iftar dinners: Iftar dinners are very common. One should be aware of what waste is and what dinner is. We have the whole rest of the year to put on parties and nice dinners in order to socialize, so we should not make our Ramadan iftars too extravagant. Indeed there is a great reward for giving someone something to break their fast, but try to give food to people who are needy and poor. The Noble Prophet (SAW) said, “Whoever gives food to a fasting person with which to break his fast, will have a reward equal to his, without it detracting in the slightest from the reward of the fasting person.” (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, 3/171; Saheeh al-Targheeb, 1/451).
e) Sleeping: Cut down on the time of sleep during this month. It’s a month of ‘ibadah and doing good deeds. Who knows - this could be our last Ramadan. Try to reduce your sleeping hours. It’s only one month and then you can get back to your normal routine again. Now when we have cleaned up a large amount of time, let’s schedule it for ‘ibadah. 1) Fard: Pray the obligatory salah on time with khushu. Get yourself ready as soon as the salah comes in. Make du’a to Allah to give you khushu and try to get rid of all the thoughts and waswasa that come into the mind. Try to imagine that you are standing before your Lord Almighty.
2) Sunnah and make-up prayers: If you are already praying the 12 sunnah, continue doing so and add some make-up prayers. It is a nice time to make up previously missed prayers. If you have no make-up prayers to do, then can add 2 rak’ah of sunnah after dhuhr. [making them 14 altogether].
The Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wasallam said, “Whoever maintains 4 rak’ah before dhuhr, and 4 rak’ah after dhuhr, Allah will make the Fire haram on that person”. [Ibn-Majah]
4 rak’ah before Asr: The Holy Prophet (SAW) said, “May Allah have mercy on him who prays 4 rak’ah before Asr”. [Tirmidhi]
Salah al-Duha: Increase the numbers of rak’ah if you are already in a habit of praying salah al-Duha.
3) Qur’an: Ramadan is the month of Qur’an.
Try to schedule it all the spare moments you have. If you are working, try to keep a pocket-size Qur’an with you and read it whenever you get the time, like in your coffee break, lunch break, etc. Try to read with reflection. Read slowly in a beautiful voice and reflect on its meaning. Try to read this time with translation and tafseer.
4) Taraweeh and Qiyaam ul-Layl: Try to pray the taraweeh in the mosque where imams are doing long qiyam.
5) Tahajjud: Try to get up a little earlier to pray 2 rak’ah and make du’a. It’s the best time for making du’a and acceptance of prayers.
6) Du’a: Write out all the du’as you want to make for yourself, your children, family, friends or any du’a that you want to make. Each day try to focus on your du’as and keep on repeating them throughout the day and at times when du’a is more likely to be accepted. Find the du’as of the prophets from the Qur’an; make du’a to Allah to give you ikhlas, khushu, and make du’a that you catch Laylat al-Qadr. Make du’a for the whole Ummah. [Repetition of du’a is important, especially during the last ten days of Ramadan.]
7) Dhikr, Awrad, Durood: Select some dhikr, award and salawat and focus on them daily, reflecting on the meaning of them. [Get a Du’a book for detailed du’a and salawat.]
8) Charity: Try to give as much charity as you can, as the reward is increased during the month of Ramadan. Give food to the poor and the needy and help those in need.
Last 10 days:
Double and triple the amount of ‘ibadah you are doing during the last ten days of Ramadan. Sleep less and worship more…
Pray as much as you can and make a lot of du’a.
